Another great Saturday with the Metal Art Gallery in Leavenworth sampling our "Country Elegance" Heirloom Blends Hard Ciders!   The hot spring day brought around 800 wine tasters to the area, all happy to be tasting fine wines and meeting new people!
Our Hard Cider was nice and cool making the stop a delight for many who were fighting the heat.  We hope to see you in the Fall!

I love how each painting is different, with the same elements, the artistic juices were flowing!  Thank you ladies for signing up for the evening, experiencing our Country Elegance Heirloom Blend Hard Ciders & Perry....creating your own master piece!!!
I look forward to many more evenings of fun this fall.

Those who have ventured out to the Cashmere Cider Mill have been delightfully surprised to find our little "Hard Cider Shed" across the driveway tucked back under the beautiful maple tree next to Mission Creek!  We are two individual businesses focused on serving the best ciders in Eastern Washington.  
The "soft" non-alcoholic ciders at the Cashmere Cider Mill are gourmet ciders made with premium local apples.  They offer 12 different varieties from Original (granny smith & golden delicious apples), Wild Huckleberry, Pear, Lavender & Old World Spice to a "Specialty Blend Heritage Release" Heirloom blend with over 10 different heirloom apples blended together for a taste that is rich and full.

Our "Country Elegance" Heirloom Hard Ciders are made with the Winesap, Rome, Elstar & Empire heirloom apples.  We also include the Pink Lady® apple, a popular favorite of many, originating out of Yakima Washington.   
For those who have searched for the heirloom apples to make your own ciders, you have undoubtedly noticed they are difficult to come by and are higher in price now. 
As Hard Cider becomes more and more popular with our society, orchard growers are working hard to plant the heirloom fruit trees once again.  Full circle is a term I have used often as I have watched life through the years!  Nothing new under the sun.....!   
Fruit growers removed their great grandfathers heirloom trees to plant the more sought after grocery store common apples, the Red Delicious became one of the most popular apples in the world for it's color and firmness.   Once the 'Alar' situation transpired  via  '60 Minutes' in Feb. 1989 , the apple industry has made many changes.  The Red Delicious apple is no longer the most popular apple on the shelf and has not been for over two generations!  In fact, you may not even know what a Red Delicious apple is or heard of "Alar" if your are 20 years old or younger!! 

 All this to say we have some of the best Hard Apple Cider you have ever tasted made from the amazing heirloom apples that Cashmere and the Wenatchee Valley produce.
  
We hope you will visit us soon!  5420 Woodring Canyon, Cashmere, Washington

Open: May thru July   Thurs-Sat 12-5 Sun 12-4  & Aug thru Oct Thurs-Mon 11-5 Sun 12-5
Harvest season you will find us open 7 days per week.  We will post on our website.

Country Elegance Heirloom Hard Ciders has our new Perry available for tasting in our tasting room.  It is amazing, pared with chocolate!  We have worked long and hard to produce a Perry that Cider enthusiasts will love.  

Bring a friend, come enjoy a complimentary tasting, sit by the creek or in our new Creek side seating area.  We are across the drive from the Cashmere Cider Mill located "out back in the Shed"!  

(Just in case you were not sure if you fall into the category of a Cider enthusiast.....!!)
en·thu·si·ast
inˈTH(y)o͞ozēˌast,enˈTH(y)o͞ozēˌast/
noun

1. a person who is highly interested in a particular activity or subject.
   "a Cider  enthusiast"
   synonyms:fan, devotee, aficionado, lover, admirer, follower;
   

     It has been a wild summer with the fires in Eastern Washington.  Our hearts go out to those who lost their homes last month in the Carlton fire complex.  Our thoughts and prayers go out for all affected by this  terrible loss. 

New this season:
    
     We are  anticipating the upcoming  harvest for our new pear cider  to be available in May 2015.
More information, such as the name of the cider, will be coming soon!

Wedding Venue:  Are you looking for a beautiful venue next to our delightful creek for your wedding?  We have room for up to 80 people, offer full packages with catering or  the site  where you are free to create your special day.
For more information email barns.etc@gmail.com  where I will connect you to our wedding coordinators.


We look forward to spending time with you in our tasting room over a sample of our exclusive 'Country Elegance' Heirloom Apple Blends ~ Dry Medium and Sweet

A seasonal staple in the cider regions of England during the Holidays and Wassailing. Americans generally mull "cider" using fresh apple juice. We suggest you try it as they make it in the Old Country and use a dry to semi-dry fermented cider.

Although expensive to make, this will go a long way at a gathering.  
Recipe can be divided in half.

Ingredients

3½pts/2L dry or semi-dry cider
2 apples studded with cloves
4-6 cinnamon sticks
5-6 allspice berries
zest of 1/2 to 1 orange (to taste, too much can over power your drink)
Additional items if so inclined: Apple Brandy, Calvados, or Applejack to taste/strength. Apple spirits are suggested, other spirits will also work.
slices of apple for garnish

Preparation method
Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan and simmer gently for 30 minutes - do not boil.
Transfer to a heat proof bowl and ladle into glass mugs. Garnish with apple slices to serve.

This week we were visited by several folks who experienced our Hard Ciders and went away with a nice supply.  One couple  in particular was very engaged with the tasting.   Our new friend  likes to 'blog' about various wines, ciders and  tasting experiences.  He wrote a nice segment on Barns Etc Tasting Room and the Country Elegance Heirloom Hard Cider Blends we exclusively offer!  Dry, Medium & Sweet.  Thank you Tim Schultz for your visit and encouraging words!  
 Read what he says:  http://thewineguy40.blogspot.com/2013/08/a-trip-to-leavenworth.html

  

We have been selling our Country Elegance Hard Cider out in the Hard Cider Shed since May 2013.  It is Aug. 4th!  Such a short time to be so encouraged by the comments from our visitors who have ventured out to the Barns Etc Tasting Room by following the signs to the cider mill and sampled our three blends of the Country Elegance Ciders.

Could we have known how popular Hard Cider would be when we began this adventure? We did not!  Did we realize making a premium cider that was refined and elegant would capture the taste buds of so many?!! We had hoped! 

Did we know women prefer Hard Apple Cider over beer in other parts of the world?  No, but we are seeing that change spread through our little world!

 The pure natural refreshing taste our fine Cider with the sweet and tart apples lends the heart and mind at peace knowing the drink is made from health bearing fruit.

We hope you will come and experience Country Elegance Heirloom Hard Cider Blends, dry, medium & sweet while you enjoy the adventure of touring the back roads of Cashmere, Washington!