Every year NYC Cider Week brings a new opportunity to put together a unique local cider flight at PRINT to share with our guests. Additionally, we are also discovering new cider producers, new apple varieties, and cider making techniques that make this beverage endlessly intriguing. So here are some highlights from the cider flight we will be offering for Cider Week 2019 from Friday, November 9th through Sunday, November 17th.
PRINT Cider Week 2019 Offerings
Sundström Cider
Sundström Cider was started by Leif Sundstrom. Leif is a wine-maker-turned-cider-maker with a vintner’s approach. We have featured several of his Hudson Valley ciders in the past few seasons. However, they are currently extending their élevage program with many of the usual cuvées. This means that the 2018 vintage is still not released. Nevertheless, there remains a small amount of Sponti 2017 in stock to celebrate this season.
“Sponti shows a mineral backbone that, again, is reminiscent of great riesling, along with a pleasing bit of bretty musk. It’s exactly the sort of complexity that the cider world needs right now to keep adding new converts.” – Jon Bonné, PUNCH
East Hollow Cider
East Hollow Cider started as a passion project by Seth Jones when he bought a property in New York near the Vermont and Massachusetts border. There he discovered a small abandoned apple orchard. He started making cider from the fruit, and began creating terroir-driven ciders using only natural native yeast.
I first saw East Hollow Cider at the Union Square Greenmarket and was intrigued by his creative labels. The next week he was at a tasting we attended. We were really struck by the unique character of his ciders. For the flight we are featuring his small batch cyser, which is a cider made with the addition of honey. East Hollow makes their own honey in their orchards, which they harvest in early autumn. Therefore this cider is a representation of their terroir in all its components.
The name of the cider – Waggle Dance – refers to the movement bees make to communicate where the nectar is within the hive. To add to its complexity, the juice is fermented, then put in rye whiskey barrels for four months, then aged in bottles for six months. The result is a cider that has a full body, unique herbal qualities, and toasted spice finish.
You can learn more about Seth’s cider journey in the recent issue of W42 magazine. He also has an apartment in Hell’s Kitchen and is our neighbor!
Eden Cider
Eden Cider is one we have worked with for many years. We are always pulled back by their approachable and crowd pleasing heritage ciders. We also love their show-stopping small batch and ice ciders.
Up at The Press Lounge they are serving their rose cider hued by currants. PRINT will be featuring the rose in a champagne-style cocktail with calvados and bitters. In addition, PRINT will have their standard heritage cider, their small batch – King in the North. This cider is made with Kerr Crabapples sourced ten miles north of their property in Quebec. And to top it all off we will have their luscious French Barrel Aged Northern Spy Apple Ice Cider: an incredible dessert wine unlike anything else.
We hope you come and visit us at PRINT and The Press Lounge during Cider Week 2019!
