Welcome fall at Cidermass in Snowmass

Summer 2019 was the season of the spiked seltzer, with many going so far as to dub the season “White Claw Summer.”

However, now that Labor Day has come and gone, it’s time to turn attentions to more fall-appropriate drinks to imbibe, such as cider (or hard cider, to be more specific). And what better place to do just that and welcome a new season of drinking than Cidermass in Snowmass Village?

After a successful inaugural event in 2018, Cidermass is back for its second year on the Snowmass Mall on Saturday, Sept. 7.

Running from 1 to 4 p.m., 15 to 20 brewers, both local and national, will take over the main walkway through Snowmass Mall to share tastes of their cider varieties.

While the full list of hard-cider breweries had yet to be set by press time, a few favorites had been confirmed, such as Big B’s Hard Cider out of Hotchkiss, Snow Capped Cider from Cedaredge, and our pick for surprise standout and favorite from the 2018 Cidermass: Stowe Cider from Stowe, Vermont.

One of the best parts of Cidermass, besides the fact that it’s a fun way to celebrate the transition from summer to fall, is the vast array of breweries that attend and the wide selection of cider varieties that they bring with them.

From extra-dry to agave-sweetened to, of course, pumpkin-infused, there truly is a cider to match everyone’s taste, and it even works for the gluten-free person in your life, since the large majority of hard ciders are gluten free.

For me, last year’s Cidermass firmed up the realization that I prefer dry ciders (read: not too sweet) over the wild fruity varieties and ones with extra sweetness added.

I suppose I’m a cider purist, in that I want it to taste like a carbonated, alcoholic version of traditional apple cider that I’d find and drink gallons of from the apple orchards of my youth located in/near the mountains of North Carolina.

After taking my commemorative tasting glass around to each booth scattered around the Snowamss Mall and trying sips of too much cider to count, I realized that dry cider was my preferred variety and that out of all the companies, Stowe Cider was the tasting table I kept returning to.

Unfortunately, Stowe Cider is not currently sold outside of the East Coast, but luckily for me (and my obsession for all things cider), I was traveling to Vermont the week after Cidermass last year, so I added in a quick day trip to Stowe to visit the tasting room and get my fill of their High & Dry and seasonal ciders.

Although participants are not allowed to purchase cider at the event, the brewers will happily direct you to where you can find their cider locally or teach you how to petition your favorite local liquor shop to start carrying your cider of choice if they don’t already.

I’m looking forward to the 2019 Cidermass to try some newcomers to the cider scene and, of course, to get my fill of Stowe Cider until Cidermass 2020.

via:: The Aspen Times