“In the quiet hollow of the Chimacum Valley, as the first green shoots push through soil warmed by lengthening days, we at Finnriver find ourselves at a similar threshold of emergence and renewal,” states Finnriver Farm & Cidery. “Like the apple trees in our orchard awakening from their winter slumber, we too are stretching toward new possibilities while remaining rooted in what matters most.” With spring’s warmth, Finnriver canned two of its beloved varieties, Bloom and Blush. In celebration of Finnriver’s first canning, Peaks & Pints hosts a Finnriver can release party and tap takeover from 5-8 p.m. Thursday, May 8, for a night of drinking some of the best cider made in Washington state. In conjunction, Peaks & Pints offers an all-day Finnriver cider flight, the Peaks & Pints Finnriver Cider Flight.
Peaks & Pints Finnriver Cider Flight
Finnriver Bloom
6.5% ABV
Inspired by the light and bubbly sparkling rosé wines enjoyed during the spring and summer months, Bloom’s light effervescence tantalizes the taste buds while aromas of fresh berries remind you of seasonal bounty. Fermented from a select blend of high-acid apples, Bloom’s acidity is softened through an infusion of organic blueberries. The semi-dry, fruity and bright cider tastes of apple blossom and citrus with pleasant notes of blueberry and a delicate, fruity finish.
Finnriver Blush
6.5% ABV
Inspired by a fondness for rosé hues, this cider honors a Finnriver tradition of mixing the French-style Kir cocktail and blending the lines between trees and vines. Blush begins with a select blend of high-acid apples fermented bright and dry, then infused with a kiss of organic black currant to add depth and a pink hue. Dry, crisp, and light, Blush has layers of earth tones and a lighthearted sweetness to bring it all together.
Finnriver Pear Cider
6.5% ABV
Finnriver’s small batch Pear Cider features cider fermented on the farm using 100 percent organic apple juice pressed from Washington apples. Finnriver ferments the apple juice and sweetens it with organic pear for additional depth, sweetness, and flavor, although apples rule the nose here. There’s a certain bitterness grounding the pear flavor, pulling it out of the realm of single-note sweetness.
Finnriver Solstice Saffron
6.5% ABV
Each year at the winter solstice, Finnriver begins the fermentation of their late-winter botanical craft cider, Solstice Saffron. This bright seasonal release features organically grown apples infused with toasted fennel, organic anise pods, and saffron from Portland-area saffron grower Tanya Golden. This lightly carbonated cider, one of five in Finnriver’s seasonal botanical series, is released in late winter. The flavor is medium sweet, with green apples and only subdued saffron notes. It’s an unusual adjunct for a cider, but it works well.
Finnriver Black Currant
6.5% ABV
Finnriver makes small batches of Black Currant cider year-round, featuring cider fermented on the farm using 100 percent organic apple juice pressed from Washington apples. They ferment the apple juice in stainless steel tanks and blend it with black currant and unrefined organic cane sugar for additional depth, sweetness, and flavor. Expect bright apple fruit balanced by berry complexity, sweet and sour notes, with a light sparkle and purple blush.
LINK: Peaks & Pints beer and cider cooler inventory
