Our Authors

Chris Lehault

Chris Lehault

Cider Columnist

Graphic Designer by day, craft beverage junkie by night. I write The Cider Press here on Serious Eats:Drinks and blog about beverage culture over on http://www.idrunkthat.com

  • Website
  • Location: Brooklyn, NY
  • Favorite foods: Craft Beer, Cider, Potent Cocktails
  • Last bite on earth: Roast Turkey Sandwich at No 7 Sub - The pickled melon takes it over the top!

10 Great Sips and Snacks from Aporkalypse Now, NYC

The folks behind Get Real NY are quickly making a name for themselves as hosts of some of the best craft-beer focused events in New York City. By bringing together world renowned beers from the likes of Founders, Anchorage, Nogne O, and more with food from some of the city's top chefs, these events walk the line between gourmet feast and block party buffet. Their latest event, Aporkalypse Now, took place on February 25, and was no exception. More

The Cider Press Guide to Drinking Sidra in Spain

When traveling abroad, exploring local drinking habits usually ranks third on my list of priorities. The first two are stamping my passport and finding a clean bed. And while the architecture, the museums, and even shopping are all important aspects of exploring a new culture, I feel that the true spirit of any great city begins at the bar and ends at the dinner table. More

American Hard Cider for Thanksgiving

Cider is so perfect for the hearty, rustic flavors of fall that it just feels right for Thanksgiving (and it's historically accurate, too.) But which cider should you choose? Here are a few general cider-choosing guidelines, plus some foolproof cider options that would be a welcome addition to any Turkey Day feast. More

The Cider Press: Tips for Pairing Fish and Cider

Like that old (and often incorrect) adage that fish always tastes best with white wine, people often assume that hard cider and fish (both light in body) are always going to be a natural match. It's sometimes true, but not all ciders are the same, and there are many, many kinds (and preparations) of fish in the sea. Here are a few tips for finding a delicious pairing. More

GABF Highlights: 15 Unique Brews from the Great American Beer Festival 2011

For some, GABF is mostly a competition, pitting the country's best brewpubs and breweries against each other for the gold medal. For others, it's a party, celebrating the explosion of craft beer with nearly 50,000 of your newest friends. And for others, it's mostly a chance to geek out on the country's best brews under one rooftop for three days straight. Today, we wanted to highlight some of the most unique offerings at GABF: 15 non-traditional beers you might not see anywhere else. More

10 Sips and Snacks from NY Craft Beer Week Thus Far

New York Craft Beer Week is in full swing and we're already in a daze from all the fantastic beers (and bites) the city has to offer. This week you'd be hard pressed to find a bad beer in the city's better bars as homebrew heroes, local nanos, and national pioneers bring their best to the Big Apple. We've taken on the daunting task of tasting our way through the festival (a hard job, I know) this past weekend to bring you some of our tastiest sips and bites to go along with them. More

The Cider Press: Pairing Pizza and Hard Cider

Pizza has long been my trusty food companion, for evenings of celebration and all-night college cram sessions. And for every wood-fired D.O.C.-certified pie that I have savored, there have been five times as many I'm-broke-and-it-time-to-pay-the-rent $1 cheese slice dinners. But does my go-to last meal on earth marry well with cider, my go-to beverage for just about any occasion? They do work well together, but it takes a little planning. More

Our Favorite Sips from the Mammoth Festival of Beers 2011

The Mammoth Festival of Beers in Mammoth Lakes, California is a bit like an endurance test. At 8000+ feet above sea level, one of the nation's highest-altitude beer festivals features some of the finest breweries and brew pubs west of the Mississippi, wrapped around three days of world class blues music. From American sours to double IPAs, the festival features limited-edition brews from some of the country's cutting edge sudsters (including such stars as Russian River and The Lost Abbey.) We sipped and sampled and enjoyed ourselves—here are the finest brews the festival had to offer. More

Our 10 Favorite Beers from Ommegang's Belgium Comes to Cooperstown 2011

Last weekend, New York's Brewery Ommegang held their annual Belgium Comes to Cooperstown festival, a weekend-long celebration of Belgian-inspired beers. The brewery, set on an old 140-acre hop farm, was the perfect location for camping, fireworks, live music, a massive screening of "Spinal Tap" and, of course, fine beers from over 50 breweries worldwide. Here are our 10 favorites. More

The Cider Press: French Cider

With its deep, amber hue and aggressive carbonation, it's easy to spot a French cider amongst its Spanish or British cousins. Full bodied, sweeter French ciders work well with cream-based sauces, while the drier, more champagne-like ciders can elevate flaky fish. Here are a few of our favorite French ciders. More

The Cider Press Taste Test: Canned Ciders

Unpretentious and refreshing, canned ciders should be drunk ice cold, preferably with a group of friends, during the hot summer months. As the thermostat hit 90º this past weekend in NYC, we scoured the shelves and came back with four canned ciders to test out for your next camping or boating trip. More

NYC Cocktail Week: Our Tips and Recommended Sips

From right now until June 29th, over a dozen of the city's finest mixologists are offering up two full size cocktails and an appetizer for a mere $20.11. The list includes such hot spots such as Employees Only, Pegu Club, Death & Company, and Clover Club. There are no reservations and secret passwords are required. Simply ask the bartender for the Cocktail Week menu, choose two from column "a" and one from column "b," and settle in for a delicious time. Cocktail Week seems pretty straightforward. But once you get down to the details, things can get a bit tricky. Here are a few tips to help you make the most out of your evening. More

The Cider Press: Tieton Ciders Works, Washington

There is something distinctly American about the ciders coming out of Tieton Cider Works. At their core, they are representations the Pacific Northwest landscape—they're simultaneously lush and adventurous. But upon further inspection, there is also a defined European heritage in these complex, yet refined, apple blends. The result of this lineage is a cider that works as well at a Michelin starred restaurant as it does at a backyard barbecue. This week we had a chance to catch up with Brooklyn transplant Cindy Richter, the original cider maker and a current partner at Tieton Cider Works in Tieton, Washington. More

The Cider Press: Summer Cider Cocktails

By using sparkling cider instead of soda water or sugary mixers, these summer cider cocktails combine the complexity of our winter favorites with a lighter body and lower alcohol. They pair perfectly with simple grillables, your latest CSA delivery, and Saturday afternoons poolside. More

The Cider Press: Farnum Hill Ciders in Lebanon, New Hampshire

Since the 1980s, Farnum Hill Ciders has been at the forefront of the American cider revival. Their commitment to revitalizing the growth of heirloom apples in the United States is unsurpassed, and the nuanced beverages they produce are a reflection of that commitment. We recently had a chance to chat with Louisa Spencer, the self proclaimed 'mom' in this mom and pop outfit. More

The Cider Press: Spanish Sidra

Rustic, musty and tart, Spanish cider (or sidra) is one of the great treasures of the cider world. Sidras tend to have a dominant wild yeast character and a dry, tannic finish. These ciders are fermented naturally, without any added sugars or sweeteners, and are usually still, not sparkling. Both Asturian and Basque ciders exhibit acidic, complex, and musty flavors perfect for fans of traditional Belgian Lambics. More

The Cider Press: American Ice Cider

If traditional cider is delicate and nuanced, ice cider is its complex and assertive counterpart. Served cold, ice cider takes the best aspects of cider and intensifies them, layer upon layer, for a sipping drink bursting with the full spectrum of apple-y, earthy cider flavors. More

The Cider Press: Buck Cocktails

Traditionally, a buck cocktail (also known as a mule) involves ginger ale and lemon juice mixed with liquor and served in a highball glass. With all that soda, however, bucks tend to be a bit on the sweet side and I have difficulty drinking more than one. But the buck is a great candidate for updating with a splash of good hard cider. More

The Cider Press: Irish Cider

I could wax poetic about Ireland's budding cider revival and hand-crafted Irish ciders, but shipping a bottle of cider half way around the world is expensive, and Irish ciders aren't widely available in the States. Instead, we pretty much have one option in America for a St. Patrick's Day cider: Magners. More

Serious Eats Day 2012: What Day Should We Celebrate?

February 18th! Yay Serious Eats Day!

GABF Highlights: 15 Unique Brews from the Great American Beer Festival 2011

@annifer, thanks for the catch, clearly I'm still not over my jet lag(er).

@steamsolder. Defenstration is def. more in the the class of Damnation and Redemption than the sour "tion" beers. I'm not really a fan of the entire Belgian IPA style but I think they pulled it off really well. Must people either get too bitter - such as Duvel's Belgian IPA - or throw a ton of American hops in to satisfy the flavor "hopheads" are looking for. The later is my ultimate offense as there is simply something off about high levels of Myrcene around Belgian yeast. Defenestration solves both these problems with (what seems to be) a heavy dose of late-edition noble hops.

In regards to your Pliny comment, I have say that - while it is indeed not my favorite beer they make - it is one fine double IPA. I think to really appreciate it, you needed take into perspective that it was first brewed over 15 years ago, before a lot of the hops we covet today were even invented. While it can be debated to all ends, to me, Pliny was really the pioneer for dried finishing, late hoped IIPAs that led the way for the work at Firestone Walker, Ballast Point, Hill Farmstead, and many other of today's flagship examples.

Our Favorite Sips from the Mammoth Festival of Beers 2011

@starblanket. You are totally right! Mammoth Lakes Brewing Company is the highest altitude brewery but Telluride is the highest festival. Both are fantastic events and well worth the trip (especially if you like a little blues with your brews!)

The Cider Press Taste Test: Canned Ciders

@Mickey… Magner's is another one that doesn't make it to the States in cans… only bottles. We talked about Magners on The Cider Press here back in March. I agree it is not bad for a mass market cider.

The Cider Press Taste Test: Canned Ciders

Unfortunately, Scrumpy Jack does not make it to the States. My guess is the Bulmer's would prefer to concentrate their efforts on Strongbow as it is a larger seller worldwide

Cider Sangria

@violarulz - Ice cider is an alcoholic cider that has been concentrated by leaving the juice out during the cold months. It is mostly produced in Canada and Vermont. You can find out more by reading our American Ice Cider article.

Scenes from Chicago Craft Beer Week

@ghostly - yeah, that daisy cutter was shot at this crazy art gallery party put together by Three Floyds, Half Acre and Dogfish Head. There wasn't much room to walk around let alone snap a photo. There were some crazy beers there in the basement too, but it was lit by a single blue bulb thus rendering photography pointless. You can check it out a bit more here but most of what I shot that night was a throwaway.

Scenes from Chicago Craft Beer Week

@McNormal @Ghostly - I would say that most of these beers have a good portion of wheat, rye and other grains in their malt bill which will not flocculate out and leave them a bit cloudy… that stems from the intersection of my personal tastes and what was available on draft. In the case of the Daisy Cutter, it was served in a translucent, plastic Solo cup in an art gallery. That, combined with natural condensation, make it appear a bit more hazy than it really is. I do believe there is a small bit of wheat in the recipe as well but I can't be certain as the recipe remains a secret.

As far as properly clarified beers being "out of style" it really depends on the style. Belgian ales, barrel aged beers, and wheat beers are, by nature, cloudy… rendering that haze "in style." Alternatively, if you are speaking to how all 2-row, west coast IPA's are not longer the king of craft beer then, well, I'd have to agree. The trend in craft beer these last few years seems to go a bit beyond hop bombs in favor of complex grain bills and aging techniques. Additionally, most small breweries these days do not have the facilities to properly cold-lager their beer for clarity purposes and leave such persuits to larger breweries and homebrews in seach of BJCP medals.

@Colephelps1986 - I tried desperately to find Two Brother's Askew but it was already drained every place I went . Personally, I am a big fan of both Bare Tree (esp. the 2010 bottles) and Cane & Ebel but, alas, I did not come across any of these beers either. Sometimes there are just so many beers and not enough time to drink them all. Perhaps next year!

Spice Hunting: Lemon Drop Chiles

Are these the same as Aji Amarillo peppers?

2011 Samuel Adams Utopias: Beer Worth $150?

@thingstea - Brooklyn Brewery is contract, Sixpoint is contract, Southampton is contact… the list goes on and on. To me craft beer is not based on geography, annual output or any of the other governmental standards. It's well made beer using quality ingredients.

2011 Samuel Adams Utopias: Beer Worth $150?

@meatntaters - I will say that the 2011 Utopias is way better than the 2009. Its actually quite some and complex with a surprising hop bitterness that you won't find in other "spirits." After hearing how in depth the process is, I understand the cost and would sooner shell out the money here than on the more gimmicky extreme beers such as Sink the Bismark.

@thecoop - well put. BBC has been championing craft beer since day one. While Sierra Nevada and Anchor get a lot of credit for the craft beer movement, brands like BBC and Pete's Wicked Ale were there at the beginning as well paving the way for today's smaller brewers. So what if they were good at it and got successful? They are still making the same Boston Lager they were a decade ago. More people are just drinking it these days.

The Cider Press: Spanish Sidra

@painoh83:

Tinto fino in NYC sells and ships most of these. Look in their "other" section here

I buy Sarasola Sagardoa at Astor Wines who also ship and you can pick that up here

When in doubt, you can always check out winesearcher.com, 1000corks.com or the good, old fashioned, "shopping" tab on Google. Happy hunting!

The Cider Press: All About Traditional Perry

@salsasis -

Pear cider is a bit of a misnomer. The word "cider" refers to a fermented apple beverage and the world "perry" refers to a fermented pear one. So technically a "pear cider" would be apple cider with pear flavoring added similar to blackberry cider, cherry cider, etc. Just as you would call fermented grape juice wine and not "grape cider," you would call fermented pear juice "perry."

Does that make sense? I know it can be a bit confusing… I have to explain this often.

The term "pear cider" has been thrown around a lot in recent years in an effort to create a perry revival. Especially in England, people just get the term "cider." They don't even have the whole "sweet cider vs. hard cider" problem that we have here in the States. So when you tell someone that "pear cider" is "cider from pears" they just get it. Is it technically correct? No. Does it work well at a festival on a hot summer day? Sure does.

There are plenty of great pear ciders. Some are apple cider with pear juice and some are 100% pear. If you want true perry, its best to buy bottles labeled perry or poirè… the French term for perry. Else you are going to need to check the label.

In regards to Magners Pear Cider, it is made from 100% pear juice so it would technically be perry. I assume they call it pear cider for the sheer accessibility of the term to their market.

Hoppy Red Ale (For Beginning Homebrewers)

@mayan - I think you comments are a bit off. I brewed this yesterday and ended up with an OG of 1.064 with 48 IBUs based on my AA%s (all whole leaf from Freshhops.com). I'm figuring it will probably finish around 1.014 for about 6.5% ABV which is spot on, if not a little high, for a red ale. 48 IBUs actually seems hoppy to me (and is high by BJCP guidelines) but it is probably standard for am American Red Ale. Perhaps you are are taking a NW approach to the Red Ale where 70+ IBUs is the norm… but I think anything higher than this would be more of a Red IPA.

Also, I always dry hop in a secondary as its best to have as clear a beer as possible before dry hopping. I've read a lot of notes that insists that less is more when it comes to dry hopping… especially with homebrew. Dryhopping can effect the clarity of your beer. This is particularly true when you are dealing with a non-wheat brew and can not hide particulate matter in the desired haze. Perhaps you cold crash your beers or use another clarifying agent but I don't so clarity control throughout the process is quite important and I have found that excessive dry-hopping leads to murky brews in the end.

Overall, I think this recipe is a solid American Red Ale. My suggestion is to use this as a jump off point and make adjustments as you see fit. If you are looking to brew a 9% Red Ale with 100 IBUs then by all means go ahead and up all the numbers 25%. Personally, I like my beers a bit more balanced with a subdued hop character. That said, I would probably cut the hop addition back by 10% and try and get the malt bill to finish around 6% ABV. That's just my personal style though and personal preference is what makes homebrew so enjoyable.

Overall, I'd say RDWHAHB. Cheers!

Cider Cocktail: Uncle Buck

@seriouseater83 - I buy my cider molasses here although you could probably get serious and make it yourself. My favorite allspice dram is The Bitter Truth's version available online from DrinkUpNY here

April Sours: A Celebration of Tart Beers

@ghostly - the wine barrel aged Abbaye de St. Bon-Chien beers are pricey… and they are usually flat in my experience. You can get the 750ml Grand Cru bottle for around $20 and that's the way to go. It's fantastic!

The Cider Press: Cider Styles

@guitarcrazy - Sidra is often still, and fermented using wild yeasts which def. add a unique flavor similar to wild fermented beers of Belgium. While The Cider Press focuses primarily on American cider, I do touch on some Basque ciders here in the article on cider and cheese pairing. Basque ciders go amazingly with cheese!

The Cider Press: Irish Cider

@khark - That's my point exactly! I think that Bulmers/Magners is a cut above most of the big-brand ciders out there and has the added bonus of the smaller bottle. It was a little hard to hunt a bottle down in NYC and if its hard to find something here it can be really tough elsewhere in the county.

There do seem to be plenty of shops on 1000corks (link here) if you are willing to pay shipping.

What's Your Favorite Sessionable Stout?

There's a special place in my heart for Sam Smith's Oatmeal Stout. Something about it being one of the first "good" beers I had a chance to drinks. A few favorites are Deschutes Obsidian Stout and New Jersey Beer Garden State Stout.

The Leaf Peeper

@DrGaellon - Try 1000corks.com or Wine-searcher.com. Both are great for finding wine and cider online. You can also check Eden's store list.

The Leaf Peeper

@katerrific - I think you've just inspired another article!

In brief, Ice cider is made by "freezing" cider to reduce it's water content similar to the way an eisbock beer is made. It is typically 10%+ ABV and (I believe so don't hate if I'm wrong) it is legally classified as wine. At a very base level it is concentrated cider that is sweeter than hard cider.

"Hard Cider" is the term here in the US for any alcoholic cider. To the rest of the world it is simply cider, or cyder, or even cidre. It usually falls in the 3-6% ABV range.

The Leaf Peeper

@DrGaellon: You can use any local ice cider you have. There is not much ice cider in the states and I really like Eden's. Try 1000 Corks for mail order or Eden's website for a list of their retailers.

The Cider Press: Blurring the Lines Between Beer and Cider

@MunchinSeattle... per Crispin's website: "Crispin ciders are all Gluten Free for the wheat-intolerant person." (source)

The Cider Press: Blurring the Lines Between Beer and Cider

@Michael Agnew - to my knowledge they are blended as per furthermore's site. I'll see if I can hunt down a clarrification for you but you can check their official description here.

Beer Pairing: What To Drink With Buffalo Wings

Mirror Pond + Wings = awesome

(Sub Flower Power if your on the east coast)

The Cider Press: American Ice Cider

If traditional cider is delicate and nuanced, ice cider is its complex and assertive counterpart. Served cold, ice cider takes the best aspects of cider and intensifies them, layer upon layer, for a sipping drink bursting with the full spectrum of apple-y, earthy cider flavors. More