Blackfin Cider Company Pacific Peach

Review of Pacific Peach from Blackfin.  This is a new cider company out of Oregon that is part of the Apple Beverage Alliance, started by Grizzly Ciderworks (Woodinville WA) and Blue Mountain Cider Company (Milton-Freewater OR).

Cider:  Pacific Peach
Cidery:  Blackfin Hard Cider
Cidery Location:  Milton-Freewater OR
ABV:  5.8%
How Supplied:  four pack of 12oz cans (or kegs)

 

Availability:  OR & WA

Cider Description:  Clean, bubbly and bursting with peach flavor. This cider is vibrant and delivers just the right amount of fruit sweetness.

Cidery Description:  At Blackfin Hard Cider we create top quality craft beverages from the freshest local ingredients.  Our apples are handpicked and fresh pressed within sight of the orchards from which they came.  Our ciders are created to deliver the best possible quality and value at an affordable price.  Proudly produced in the state of Oregon, we celebrate all the adventure and beauty of our beloved Northwest in each and every can.

Price:  $8 for a four pack of 12oz cans (which I split with a cider friend)
Where Bought:  Schilling Cider House in Seattle WA
Where Drank:  home
How Found:  The announcement of this new cider had been making the rounds on Facebook, so when I saw it at the Cider House, I was game to give it a try, especially for the very reasonable price.

First Impression:  Straw yellow with honey-peach-orange hue.  Higher (force) carbonation upon pouring.  Smells of ripe apples, peach, tropical fruit, and apricot.

Opinion:  Semi-dry.  Very tart.  Highly acidic.  No bitterness or sourness.  Moderate astringency.  Light bodied.  Carbonated mouthfeel.  Peach flavor with a hint of tropical fruit and apricot, but they remain mild to moderate, so the apple (including some green apple notes) still shines through.  I wouldn’t be surprised if the residual sugar content was higher than my received semi-dry level, but the tartness was quite high on this cider, which could have balanced it out.

Most Similar to:  Atlas Apricot, which although was sweeter and not nearly as tart, had some similar apricot, peach, and tropical notes.  I’ve had at least two peach ciders, from Blue Mountain (it was quite awhile ago but I remember the peach being very mild), and Finnriver (Country Peach, which was sour, so quite different from this one as well).

Closing Notes:   Pretty good, but it was a bit too tart for my liking.  My husband was a huge fan though, however that may have mostly been because it was peach (he is a huge peach fan).  I’m intrigued to try some of their other varieties, which at this point also include Splash Semi-Sweet, Tidebreak Crisp Apple, and Northwest Berry, although I haven’t yet seen the later two in the Seattle area.  The price is definitely right!  Plus its great they use local fresh pressed juice and no additives (although that is the norm in this area with craft cider).  Here is a neat article from New School Beer on Blackfin.

Have you tried Blackfin Pacific Peach, or any other Peach ciders?  What did you think?