Hard cider

Thomas Family Winery

/ Roadtirementvintage / 17 Comments

The Thomas Family Winery in downtown Madison, Indiana is housed in, appropriately, a vintage 1850’s old stable and carriage house. The interior is most welcoming, with tables set amidst a rustic motif, and there are outside tables as well for your pleasure.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This winery takes a bit of a different philosophy concerning their wine creations than other establishments. From the Thomas Family Winery website: “We feel that wine is food, and fills its greatest role as a mealtime beverage. We craft our wines in the European tradition of finesse, balance, and structure which particularly enhances the variety of flavors in meals.” Steve Thomas told us that they do not have any sweet wines, rather wines for pairing with meals. He expanded on their European style of wine making.

Maj tasting Gale Hard Cider

Owner Steve Thomas with our purchase

 
Owner Steve was most gracious and took plenty of time to explain what their winery is all about. The tastings were complimentary, and we did purchase a bottle of Niagara 2020. We did not partake of the bread and cheese offerings. That will be on another trip. We will be returning to enjoy the weekend live music. The supply of Gale Hard Cider will be restocked then as well. I liked that Cider! The Thomas Family Winery should be on your list of places to visit in Historic Madison, Indiana.

Our first hard cider tasting

/ Roadtirementvintage / 16 Comments

We have been exploring craft beer breweries, wineries and distilleries for quite a while. These adventures have expanded our horizons covering alcoholic drinks well beyond the local supermarket. We had the opportunity to take a new expedition into the world of Hard Ciders. We really did not know what hard cider was until we met Hammered Dwarf Cider.

Flight of four hard ciders

We found out that yes, hard cider is true cider, made with apples, but with an alcoholic kick similar to beers. The Hammered Dwarf Cider company offered several different versions. Sher and I both had a flight of ciders, four different ones.

The menu board

All of the ciders had a similar feel, ice cold, refreshing and with that little alcoholic kick. Of the four samples we liked #5, Wizard’s Elixer as one of the best. Made with different cider apples, it delivers 6.9% ABV (alcohol by volume). We also enjoyed #7 , a 7% ABV tart cherry known as Purple Hill. In addition to the ones in our flights,  we also sampled #1, the rose colored 6.6% ABV Princess Pie. This delightful hard cider that was fermented with whiskey, peach and Marion berries in a whiskey barrel.

 

This experience was very interesting and informative. We’ll now be looking for other hard cider producers and put them on our future lists of places to visit along with wineries, breweries and distilleries.

Hammered Dwarf Cider

/ Roadtirementvintage / 11 Comments

Yes, a rather bizarre name, but for a great variety of products. This afternoon we all went to a place that sells locally produced hard cider, beer and mead. The Snohomish facility is interesting, as the tasting room is small, consisting of the counter and tap wall, and menu boards. There are a couple of two person high tables inside.


Outside is a fenced in seating area. A series of pop up canopies provide shelter from the sun. Picnic tables offer seating along with those large wood wire spools that make good tables. It is interesting that the site of this cidery is at the back of a concrete plant.

Information board

More information

The Hammered Dwarf Cider is the result of 20 years of development and trails, starting in an apartment in California. Let the Hammered Dwarf website explain: “Our ciders are made with more traditional cider apples as opposed to the usual dessert and culinary apples that most cideries use, creating a unique flavor profile. Barrel aging is another way that we can distinguish ourselves from the rest.”

Sher and our grandson sitting outdoors

Two of our four flights

We ordered pizza delivered to our table

We got a couple of growlers to take home

 

 

 

 

 

Each of us (except of course our grandson who got root beer) got one of the flights of four to sample. We have never tried Hard Cider and it was fun to have our first time tasting true local craft ciders. They were very good, all having  very interesting and differing tastes. Most of the ciders were made on location, or provided by other local establishments. We found this to be a very unique local business. Pizza, craft hard cider and sharing time with family made for a delightful afternoon.