COMPARATIVE LIT ESSAY:
If you’re in America, you celebrate the Fourth. Even if you aren’t particularly patriotic or are an ex-pat just living here, if you’re in America on the Fourth you’re celebrating and eating. The weather is probably perfect, if not a little hot in many places, and so you’re outside, you’re grilling, you’ve got the gingham table cloth, and you may or may not have driven across the county line to get better fireworks. Regardless, you better be serving pie. And why not have a cherry pie? Two delicious ciders that try to capture the essence of a cherry pie on the Fourth are Atlanta Hard Cider Company’s Cherry Pie and Rev. Nat’s Cherry Pie from Oregon.
Both are pretty in the glass. Rev. Nat’s looks like an amber brown ale, where Atlanta’s has a beautiful red color that I found striking. Rev. Nat’s smells like mincemeat pies where Atlanta had a brighter and crisper nose. It was also lighter, sweeter and simpler, though the cinnamon gave it just enough texture to perk up your palate. Rev. Nat’s is heavier, more somber, and more complex. Lots of things going on in your mouth at the same time.
While both cider makers were trying to create the same experience, the moods were totally different and that should inform your choice. The choice for me was not easy as both are great. I think both of these drinks transported me places. The Atlanta Cherry Pie took me to a hot summer bbq where it provided the perfect refreshment throughout the afternoon. The Rev. Nat’s took me to a cold and stodgy English fall where I pulled hot mincemeat pies out of the oven—warm, savory, with a hint of sweetness and spiced just right. In some ways these drinks reflect the locales thy were made—bright and sunny Atlanta and occasionally cloudy and drizzly Portland. So, I guess the question you have to ask yourself this Fourth of July is are you planning on wearing flannel or topsiders to your get together? While I think Rev. Nat’s is the cider of choice if you’re bundled up by the fire—as Rev. Nat’s is serving up a savory and spiced drink the way only he can. But if it is warm and you can feel the sun on your face, Atlanta is lighter and more refreshing, and I what I want to drink at this year’s cookout.