We’re always looking for ways to keep things fresh in Food Snob land. A couple weeks ago, we strayed from the norm by going to a farm to gather some fresh veggies, which we then brought home to make a meal out of (rather than going to a restaurant and having someone make a meal for us). This week, we’re going outside the box again.
Rather than reviewing a meal – or even food, for that matter – we decided to try some cider. After all, this is the Apple Issue, and it would only make sense for us to try something appley. Plus, this may be the first ever liquid-only Food Snob, so we had to take advantage.
We went to Carter Hill Orchard and Apple Hill Farm, both of which call Concord home and make their own cider right on the premises. In fact, both orchards just finished up their first batches of the season, so we got the chance to try the year’s first crop of apple cider. We should say right off the bat that this was never intended to be a competition – we just wanted to try each product and see what, if anything, is the difference. It turns out, the two ciders actually are pretty unique.
Carter Hill
Carter Hill’s cider, branded as New Hampshire Cider Works, is a UV-treated, preservative-free product. This means instead of traditional pasteurization, which involves heating the liquid, this cider is passed under a series of ultraviolet lights which kill bacteria without heating the liquid. This process allows the orchard to sell the cider in outside stores such as Market Basket and Hannaford – unpasteurized cider can only be sold at the point of production due to federal regulations.
The result is a crisp, somewhat spicy cider. We don’t mean you’ll burn your tongue or anything, just that you’ll notice some spices in there, like cinnamon. There’s a tartness that hits your tongue when you take the first sip, but it isn’t sour. It has just enough bite to let you feel alive.
There’s plenty of sugar in here – 30 grams per 8 ounces – but somehow it is not overwhelmingly sweet. Whatever they do over there to blend the tart with the sweet, they do it very well.
If you’re a fan of tangy apples, some light spices and mini gallon-style jugs, Cider Works cider is for you.
Apple Hill
Apple Hill’s cider is a preservative-free, unpasteurized offering, which means it can only be bought right there at the farm or when Apple Hill is at a farmers market. Don’t look at that as a negative, though – where do you think it’s more crowded and stuffy, Hannaford or Apple Hill Farm?
This is a cider for fans of the old-school stuff, for people who grew up in the days before cider was pasteurized. Oh, it’s also for kids who don’t even know what pasteurization is but just like tasty apple cider.
This cider, as its label implies, is sweet. It has more of a mellow feel in the mouth – no real bite to the tongue. If this were an alcoholic beverage, we’d say it has high drinkability (it still does even though it’s non-alcoholic).
Now don’t get us wrong – sweet and mellow does not mean boring. This is a very nice-tasting cider with a nice aroma and color. If you’re not a huge fan of citric acid and the bite that comes with that, this is the cider you want.
Check out the Your Life section of the next Sunday Monitor for an in-depth look at the cider-making process.
