Beverage of the Week (B.O.W)

This week’s Beverage of the Week is a not so subtle reminder of why we taste dozens and dozens of beverages each month. It’s an exploration of flavors and experiences with no passport required. At times it is tedious but these moments are not without reward. Our reward is found in discovering a classic beverage like Tieton Cider Works (TCW) Cherry Cider.

Cider has traditionally been the domain of UK and French producers with American versions hailing from the east where ciders where once flourished in the days before Prohibition. Finding a world-class cider from the Pacific Northwest was an unexpected treat. Naturally, we had to find out what makes TCW tick.

Not surprisingly, it all starts in the orchard. Like great wine, the fruit is paramount. There is no chance of making great cider with average apples. The fruit hails from Craig and Sharon Campbell’s "Harmony Orchards" perched at over 2,000 feet above the confluence of the Tieton and Naches rivers in central Washington. The farm has been in Craig’s family since it was first irrigated for orchard land in the 1940s.

About a decade ago Craig sought a new challenge and explored the possibility of growing unique and oft-neglected apple varieties. Along with business associate and friend Cindy Richter he stumbled upon the idea of growing cider varieties and creating cider at his Yakima Valley farm.

Today the Campbells have 11 of their 350-acre orchard planted to cider varieties. In the production of quality cider it is all about the careful blending of apple varieties. Some varieties add sweetness and richness while others add tart favors and others add acidity. Presently they grow 15 varieties that can be utilized of cider while maintaining a test plot of 42 apple varieties.

While recently speaking with Sharon Campbell the passion of the project was as evident in her voice as it is in the bottles of cider they lovingly produce. What we did not expect to learn is that this is a very new venture with TCW’s first commercial release coming in 2009! They produce just 1,400 cases of cider presently in a new production facility that is capable of producing 5,000 cases.

The Cherry Cider that we are featuring today is made by adding cherry juice (from their own orchard) to an apple cider base. The result is a clever and complex beverage that presents the best of both apple and cherry. A similar product made from homegrown apricots in the test stages. We can’t wait to see it.