Fall is for fuzzy sweaters, warm socks, and boots. It is the time of year for football and comfort food. The nights are cooler for a better night’s sleep. The summer sky leaves us with a lighter hue of blue, and the leaves on the trees turn into a beautiful spectrum of orange. It gets dark early, and winter is around the corner. Some of us have a hard time with the lack of sunlight. I am trying to find time to be outside when I can and explore what autumn has to offer. Fall is the perfect time to fall in love with craft cider! Yes, you heard me correctly. Surely, you know that my taste goes beyond craft beer. The apple is known biblically to be the forbidden fruit, and the story reads that a serpent promised that taking a bite would make one all-knowing. Thankfully, we are drinking, not eating apples. We are local to only a few cideries that are all special and unique.
Sowams Cider Works, formerly known as Warren Cider Works, is in Warren, RI. After visiting recently, I had to ask myself why this was only my second visit there. The decor is what I would call old-school farmhouse chic. There are tables and chairs inside and outside, along with bar seating. Across the bar, you can view the apple presses used in making the cider. This is where I found the latest Motif Magazine! Meg Bearse, the cider tender, told me, “Sowams loves Motif!” Do I need any other sign to know I must visit more often? Bearse was highly knowledgeable on all the ciders. I sampled four and had a pour of my favorite. Bearse was kind enough to let me nibble on a fresh apple, the type used in the cider I was sipping on. There were four ciders available to sample and sip. It can vary, There are also other ciders you can purchase to-go in addition to these.
Let me explain to you that these ciders are farm-tomouth. They are not a commercial cider like Angry Orchard. These ciders are unfiltered and made with pure ingredients, with no additives or sugars. They are non effervescent. The taste profile of these ciders ranges, but all are light, none of them are overly sweet. The apples used in the ciders are local and from Long Lane Orchard in Touisset. One of the apples used is called Toman and dates back to 1822. One of my favorite ciders I recently sampled was from a tree located outside of the cidery as well. The ABV of available ciders was between 7.3-7.9%. Ciders are available locally at three liquor stores in RI and one local restaurant. I personally feel that you need to visit the cidery to get a one-of-a-kind experience. It truly is the apple of my eye of locations. For every eight returned empty bottles, Sowams will give you a glass of cider on the house.
The next cider I want to share is from Newport Vineyards. It is their Rhody Coyote. I had trouble finding it as it was relocated in my local package store. After asking for help and talking about it, I was told by the liquor store employee that if I saw the inventory empty, it was because he bought the remaining bottles. It was the first he heard of “song dog.” The cider pours with the flavor of sweet, ripe apples. It is bubbly and crisp. This could easily replace your thirst for champagne. As I sip on this I realize that I really need to keep this chilled as a fridge staple. There are five different flavors to choose from. Enjoy Lemon-Lime Cider-Rita, Strawberry Lemon, Watermelon, and Extra-Dry. Rhody Coyote is made with 100% local apples. The three flavored versions are only available at the vineyard. As Vivian Amis said, “Unconditional love is like an apple tree. Apple trees produce apples, not because anyone needs or deserves them, but because that is what apple trees do.” In the mood for pumpkin? Let’s face it, we can’t celebrate fall without this vitamin-packed vegetable. “Meg” from Six Pack Brewing is the cider of your Jack O’ Lantern dreams. Mark Papi, owner and brewer, told me, “Our fermented cider uses a blend of Pacific Northeast cider apples and English Ale Yeast. This combination provides a semi-sweet cider. The current batch is pumpkin spice, which tastes like apple crisp with notes of cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove.” When asked if Papi would keep cider on the draft menu, he replied, “ We will probably keep pumpkin spice through the end of the year.” So far, Six Pack has had apple cider, elderberry, and blueberry in addition to this fall favorite flavor. Pumpkins and spice make everything twice as nice!
Last and far from least is a cider I sampled at Motif’s 2023 Food Truck and Drink Awards. It was love at first sip. Tapped Apple Cider is located in Westerly, RI. There are many flavors to choose from in the Tapped tap room; Black Currant, Blueberry Vanilla, Boggles My Mind, Brown Sugar Peach, Crabapple, First Bite, Gavenstein, Hopposite Attracts (Dry hopped with Citra, Czech Saaz and Centennial hops), Pomegranate, and Tap 37 (Bourbon Barrel Aged). All the ciders are made with local apples and in small batches. For Tapped, the apple didn’t fall far from the tree. It is a family-owned business. John Wiedenheft lll owner and vintner, started this craft in his basement. Since then, his son, John lV, and grandchild, John V, have learned the art of wine and craft cider. Tapped has been open since 2017, and the testimonials online speak well. Here is an explanation of two I was able to sample. “First Bite” and “Gavenstein” both pour clear and are effervescent. They are both sweet and have a dry finish. I found “Gavenstein” to be sweeter. They are both deliciously full of apple goodness! Forbidden fruit? Or does an apple a day help keep the doctor away, even if it’s the liquid version? I am going to side with the latter statement! I apple-solutely love our local craft ciders! •
