Blue Raincoat
Rocky Ground Cider in Newburgh, Maine, United States 🇺🇸
Cider Rotating|
Score
7.42
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26 varieties: 93% Sandy River, 7% foraged
In 2015 we had the privilege of running Sandy River Apples in Mercer. The job came to us at peak bloom in May, just after the passing of 99-year-old orchardist Francis Fenton. Francis was a third generation orchardist who reclaimed his legacy in retirement. His is the most diverse commercial orchard in Maine; it boasts 75 apple varieties, 42 of which are rare heirlooms. We cared for his orchard for the one season, splitting our time between Newburgh and Mercer and collecting outstanding fruit along the way.
We forage apples wherever fine, unsprayed specimens can be found: at the edges of fields and roads, in backyards, and abandoned orchard across central Maine. We are particularly keen on wild apples - unique trees that grew from seed, without human coddling - as they possess the unusual flavors that are key to a good cider. Blue Raincoat contains a total of 7% wild apples.
We press here at Rocky Ground, fill oak barrels with the juice, and let wild yeast make the cider. A touch of honey from our bees prolongs fermentation, which finishes in the bottle for a pleasant fizz. As we use neither preservatives nor sterile filtration, the end product is dry, complex, and will improve with age. Enjoy at cellar temperature (45 - 55 degrees F).
-Abby & Angus
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Clarkvv (16523) reviewed Blue Raincoat from Rocky Ground Cider 7 years ago
Appearance - 10 | Aroma - 9 | Flavor - 10 | Texture - 10 | Overall - 9.5
750mL bottle from a 2015 press, bottled 2016 and drunk 11/11/17.
High clarity, leaving sediment behind, with champagne-like bubbles briefly forming a small, white head. Brassy-gold appearance with goldenrod and maize hues throughout.
Soft, even, well-lagered Brett mixes with mild oak as the apple character ranges from lightly spicy to vanilla-tinged. Seemingly dry and fully-attenuated from the nose, as expected, with soft barnyard funk transitioning to more spice, floral character and interesting fruit notes. Again, my powers of description fail when I leave the beer realm, but this stuff is beautifully done, well-aged and shows no aggressiveness, no oak dominance, very well-developed wild yeast characteristics and a variety of apple and spice character. No alcohol or flaw whatsoever.
If the nose was exquisite, then I'm even happier and stunned by how magnificent the flavor is. Light oak sets a backdrop for chewy skin tannin, soft spice, mild Brett and a perfect mix of juicy-tart that leaves a lip-smacking finish. Fantastically complex and yet quite mild and not overly big on the tartness. Incredibly drinkable; I had to try to slow down and savor it when all I wanted to do was guzzle this stuff. Lingering tannin, funky apple notes and mild Brett last to perpetuity. Perfectly spritzy, natural, champagne-like carbonation and a soft, "chewy" almost, tannin-full texture. So glad I found this little cidery and this bottle was one of those rare experiences that make you remember why you stick with this hobby.