Alpenfire Cider - Ashmead's Kernel Single-Varietal (750 mL)
Alpenfire Cider - Ashmead's Kernel Single-Varietal (750 mL)
Alpenfire Cider's Ashmead's Kernel is a single-varietal cider made 100% from the Ashmead's Kernel apple - a very old dessert apple orginally found near Gloucester, England circa 1700. Known as one of the world's greatest eating apples - this small, lumpy, relatively small variety originated as a chance seedling tree in Gloucester. To this day is still one of a very small group of apples from the old world to succeed in North America.
This 2023 vintage (harvest year) was made with apples from Heirloom Orchards in Hood River, Oregon. A limited, small-batch release - we're lucky to get our hands on a few bottles of what's likely the last vintage of Ashmead's Kernel from Alpenfire (see note form the cidery below). Slow fermented and aged to perfection, this cider was released in the spring of 2025.
Tasting Notes: It's dry with a touch of sweetness that plays up a lovely bouquet of fruit notes. Modest tannins and acidity. Well balanced, medium bodied, and a freshness that carries notes of fresh golden apple, honeysuckle, guava, and a spritz of lime.
A note from Alpenfire about this cider: It is with great sadness that we share this is the last time we will be making this cider from our dear friends at Heirloom Orchards in Hood River, the markets have changed in such a way they have decided to pull up their trees. We try and support small organic growers around the PNW but large corporate farmers have pushed margins so far down small farmers just can't survive in this environment. Please support as many SMALL farmers as you can!
About Alpenfire Cider: Alpenfire was one of Washington State's first commercial cideries when they opened in 2006. For two decades since then, they've been very consistently releasing some of the finest craft ciders in North America. Alpenfire was also the first American cidery to obtain a certified organic designation. Their family's estate orchard in Port Townsend on the Olympic Penninsula includes around 1,000 English, French, and Heirloom apple trees. Operated by Bear and Nancy Bishop, and their son Phillipe - to the Bishop family organic is not an option but a necessity - a necessity that keeps them in touch with nature and helps to create the kind of future they want for their family and the planet.
Alpenfire is usually Erik's answer to the question "which cidery is your favorite?".
- Dry-to-Sweet Scale: Dry
- Tannins: Medium-Minus
- Acidity: Medium
- 🍎🍐 Varieties: Ashmead's Kernel
- Features: Single-Varietal Cider and Organic
- ABV: 8.1%
- Format: 750 mL Bottle
- Shipping available across U.S.
- In stock, ready to ship
- Inventory on the way
