This past Saturday Sean and I went to the South Loop Beer & Cider Fest which combined several of our favorite things – Cider, The Southside, and #ciderfriends. The weather was great which, coupled with the cider and beer, made for an amazing tasting experience. All the cider and mead makers were located together in a prime tent spot and we were …
As part of our cider maker series, we highlight some of the smaller or more unique US cider makers. During our spring Colorado trip, we had the opportunity to visit Haykin Family Cider which opened about a month before our visit. Even though Haykin’s only opened their doors in 2018, they have been winning awards for their unique, thoughtful, small-batch …
Summer is here! Sean and I love to beat the sweltering heat by coming up with creative cocktails. Last Friday we went to a 2 Towns Ciderhouse tasting at The Open Bottle. In addition to some of our summer favorites (e.g. Pacific Pineapple), we tried a limited release cider named Easy Peasy, a mix of Northwest apples, Meyer lemon, raspberries and …
As part of our cider maker series, we highlight some of the smaller or more unique US cider makers. For spring break last month we took a very quick trip to Colorado to visit our cider friends. Since we had the boys in tow, we rented a car and headed outside of Denver to check out some new (to us) …
It’s had to believe that Cider Summit Chicago was a month ago (especially when it is as cold now as it was then). As always we had an amazing time sampling cider from over 150 producers. A few of those ciders and their producers are captured in the photos below. This year five producers participated in The Enartis Oaked Cider …
A few weeks ago was the Second Annual Chicago Cider Week. This amazing event celebrated all things cider throughout Chicago. There were way too many events to recap/attend, so here are some of our highlights. Monday The Northman kicked off the event with Cider School featuring Angry Orchard (check out our summary here.) Tuesday The following day we attended the Cider Education …
Cider Summit Chicago is a great way to cap off Chicago Cider Week. With over 150 producers cider newbies, aficionados, and everyone in between will find something they love. We have gone to Cider Summit since it first came to Chicago and have covered it on our blog several years in a row (here, here, here, and here). One of the many things we love about …
Day one of Chicago Cider Week began with a cider class featuring Ryan Burk from Angry Orchard. Most of us are aware of Angry Orchard, as the cider has a significant share of the US cider markets and their 6-packs can be found on many a supermarket shelf. But, what many consumers don’t know is that in addition to what Angry Orchard …
While Sean and I will travel anywhere for cider, often we find being in Chicago means we don’t have to travel too far. In addition to The Northman – Chicago’s first cider pub, Right Bee Cider – Chicago’s first cidery, and ERIS Brewery and Cider House – Chicago’s first cider taproom, the city is surrounded by a rich culture of apples. So it …
On January 14, Virtue Cider is hosting their 4th Annual Stone Fence Competition & Mitten Drive at The Violet Hour. The Stone Fence Cocktail Competition brings together 10 of Chicago’s top bartenders to compete with their take on a traditional American cider-based cocktail, the Stone Fence – which is traditionally a blend of bourbon or rum and hard cider. Last year we had a great time sampling …