SIP ON THIS

| eat & drink || Sip on This An Apple a Day... HARD CIDERS We Love!5

Complex, drinkable, and trendy, there’s something about cider that makes it the apple of our eye. Toast to the season with one of the refreshing

picks below. —Compiled by Megan Wiskus

Silver Fork Aloha Cider

TASTING NOTES:

Handcrafted in small batches by fermenting local apples, this crisp, dry, lightly carbonated cider has aromas of tropical fruit and tastes like “Hawaii in a glass.” ABV: 6.5%

TRY IT HERE: Bumgarner

Winery & Vineyards, 3550 Carson Road, Suite B, Camino, 530-303-3418; 7380 Vineyard View Drive, Fair Play, 888-9463286, bumgarnerwinery.com DID YOU KNOW? All of Bumgarner’s hard ciders (choose from Traditional, Dry-Hopped, Ginger, or Aloha) are packaged in sustainable, flip-top bottles; bring the bottle back for $5 off your next cider purchase.

South Fork Hard Apple Cider

TASTING NOTES: Made by méthode champenoise, this refreshing sparkling cider boasts a blend of Arkansas Black, Fuji, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, and Pippin apples. After being customcrushed by Barsotti Family Juice Company, it goes through secondary bottle fermentation at Equinox in Santa Cruz. ABV: 7.2%

TRY IT HERE: Wofford

Acres Vineyards, 1900 Hidden Valley Lane, Camino, 530-626-6858, facebook.com/ wofford.acresvineyards DID YOU KNOW? Wofford Acres has a breathtaking view of one of the tributaries to the South Fork of the American River, hence their cider’s moniker and the winery’s slogan: “Come for the wine, stay for the view.”

Rainbow Hard Apple Cider

TASTING NOTES: This crisp, dry cider—made with Arkansas Black, Pink Lady, and Fuji apples—evokes a delicate apple perfume and is tart, floral, and full of flavor. ABV: 7.2%

TRY IT HERE: Rainbow

Orchards, 2569 Larsen Drive, Camino, 530-644-1594, rainboworchards.net

DID YOU KNOW? Rainbow Orchards is a third-generation family farm that’s been providing the finest mountaingrown fruit since 1977. In addition to apples, they also grow pears, peaches, nectarines, and blueberries.

Original Dry Hard Apple Cider

TASTING NOTES: Crisp and clean on the tongue, with a medium, dry fruitiness and aroma of fresh-cut apples, this award-winning cider (named “Best in Show” in the International Beverage Competition two years in a row) pairs well with spicy dishes, BBQ pork or chicken, and all types of cheese. ABV: 6.5%

TRY IT HERE: North

Canyon Cider Company, 3541 North Canyon Road, Camino, 650-520-4349, northcanyoncider.com DID YOU KNOW? North Canyon starts every batch of cider with fresh-pressed apple juice—made daily at their family-owned, solarpowered mill.

Blackberry Sangria

TASTING NOTES: Hard apple cider is blended with blackberries, mangoes, and California red wine, resulting in an easy-drinking beverage that features tart sangria overtones and a sweet finish. ABV: 6.5%

TRY IT HERE: Common

Cider Company, 12852 Earhart Avenue, Suite 106, Auburn, 530-878-5768, commoncider.com

DID YOU KNOW? Common Cider is a woman- and minority-owned company that started in 2012 after the owner entered a home brew competition in Reno; the company’s products are now sold throughout California, Northern Nevada, and Michigan.