Maker Notes
Research and development (but with cider!)
Why notes?
Taste, of course, is a highly subjective thing. But cider making is an art and a science. Cider apples have unique flavor characteristics - which for nerds like us - are worth noting, helping expand our appreciation and enjoyment of each cultivar. Tasting notes can also identify how apples respond to growing conditions – helping us make better, more delicious choices in how and where to grow varietals. This library details nearly every cider we’ve made since 2019, using a common “spider chart” format ranking 18 criteria ranging from basics like sweetness, tartness and astringency to how each cider recalls other fruit and spice categories. Members of our Core Club receive copies of these with each shipment, along with a crib sheet providing background on how we define our criteria - making it easy and fun for fans to compare their experiences with ours.
Use the search tools below to explore the archive, noting batch numbering for each release, wherein the first digit(s) represent product sequence followed by abbreviated year of release. Above all, enjoy cider!
Stoke Red
Reserve Series | Batch A.24
First discovered in Rodney Stoke, a village three miles from Cheddar UK, this bittersharp apple is favored in traditional blends. Perhaps the most intensely tannic cider we've made, it offers quince, Mandarin orange, citrus rind and apple peel notes, backed with a pronounced oakiness from 18-month barrel aging.
Core Club 2024 Q1 Selection
Cidermaker's Blend
Reserve Series | Batch 09.21
Stoke Red apples are one of very few bittersharp apples deemed worthy of "vintage" classification. A tiny 2020 crop prompted this marriage with Brown's Apples – another classic bittersharp. Aged in neutral oak, this cider expresses strong pomme fruit, burnt caramel and spicy notes atop a tannic base. Tasty!
Core Club 2021 Q4 Selection