COMPARATIVE LIT ESSAY:
I don’t know that there is anything better (or American) than a summer road trip to the Rocky Mountains of the American West. While the East Coast and Pacific Northwest have long been powerhouses of the American cider scene, over the last decade a number of cider houses have sprung up in the Mountain West where wild swings in temperature and dry valleys at the feet of mountain ranges have created some really interesting and unique ciders. Colorado, Montana, Idaho, Utah, New Mexico, and now Wyoming, all now boast of quality cider houses, which means your trip out west just got tastier. In fact, I can’t think of a better beverage companion for a summer road trip than some cold cider to enjoy at your destination. So today, as I enjoy my own trip, I brought along two mountain-inspired flagship ciders from western states to see which better captured the sprit of the Mountain West— Farmstead’s Mountain Dry (The apples are sourced from Jackson Hole just to the south of Grand Teton National Park)and Mountain West Cider’s 7 Mile Session (named after the beautiful rugged and red canyon just to the west of Arches National Park).
Immediately upon pouring you can see that the two drinks are very different. 7 Mile is nearly clear, one of the clearest ciders I’ve ever seen, where Mountain Dry looks like a super bubbly Country Time lemonade. I preferred the 7 Mile nose which was light, airy and a bit tart, over the smell of Mountain Dry which was much more acidic. The bodies of these two drinks were also incredibly different as 7 Mile is super light and very dry and only has a little lingering tartness in the finish, otherwise there is not a ton of flavor and it’s style is best described as a light cider. The Farmstead on the other hand has a much thicker body and significantly higher levels of acidity. This is more akin to a farmhouse or Spanish sidra with a little bit of funkiness from the acetic acid. While it is undeniably strong, and will give you a bit of tingle in the back of the throat, it does not go overboard with the acid like some scrumpy and is definitely still drinkable.
Both of these ciders are quite good and thus in choosing a winner it really comes down to your mood, and maybe what you want to get out of your summer vacation. The 7 Mile is incredibly mellow, maybe too mellow, and does not pack much of a punch when it comes to flavor. However, its smoothness is ideal if you just want to relax and enjoy the sun. The Mountain Dry, on the other hand, is a lot more vigorous and maybe even a bit rough. So are you the kind of person who likes to enjoy the mountains while sitting and sunning on a beautiful lake; or are you the adventurous type who is up for a long and strenuous in order to earn your views? While I do enjoy a hammock at the lake—and very much liked the mellow 7 Mile—I prefer a good hike and today I am going with the hardy, yet refreshing, Mountain Dry.