Alpenfire Cidery
Creating the perfect cider is their passion, but if Bear and Nancy Bishop had known what challenges they would face to make that happen, they might not have attempted it at all.
Growing up in Washington state, the pair was attracted to the lightly alcoholic sparkling ciders of the late 70s. Which sparked an interest in experimenting with apples from friends’ orchards. Which eventually led to a worldwide search for the perfect cider. By 2003, they were ready to put their knowledge and creativity to work.
They bought a plot of land just large enough to plant a true cider apple orchard and settled in to make the cider they love. But first, they had the daunting task of clearing the 2-acre site of 3rd growth scrub, logging taste and 12’ high wild roses. Fifteen years, 900 select apple trees and several types of pear trees later, they have found the right formula—one that blends the old world styles they enjoyed in Europe with the new blends of today.
Just outside of Port Townsend at the end of narrow gravel road aptly named Pocket Lane, you can discover the results of their hard work: Alpen12 fire Cider, a homegrown venue that crafts unique ciders and vinegars that aficionados treasure. On the way to the tasting room, you’ll pass by their atypical orchard. To make the most of the small space, the land was sculped into long raised beds with a trellis system that enhances growth and allows the trees to keep their feet dry in winter. The trees comprise a blend of rare, organically grown cider apples from Europe with heirloom apples, and share orchard space with Perry trees espaliered along fence lines. When you visit Alpenfire Cider, the owners invite you to bring a picnic lunch so you can enjoy the orchard.
Alpenfire is an organic cidery and orchard, choosing to make ciders without sulfites and grow the trees without the use of biocides. Bear relies on flame-weeding to maintain and clean the orchard floor. As a result, the orchard thrives with the non-interventionist approach to care, as does the cider.
“Shaped by our maritime climate’s mild summers and tempered by the foggy mist rolling off Discovery Bay, our apples maintain the qualities they’ve been treasured for by generations of cider lovers,” Nancy explains. “Soft tannins, high sugars, hints of bitterness, and an incredible flavor range are the tools the apples bring us. And attention to detail is the way we say thank you!” Because the orchard is small, so is production. Which is fortunate for the 35-40 friends and family members who volunteer to hand-pick the fruit at the cidery’s annual harvest parties during late October and November. The harvested apples are left in bins to “sweat” for several weeks, then are hand sorted, pre-washed, chopped and pressed to retrieve the juice, which is pumped into stainless tanks or oak barrels in the cider house for primary fermentation.
The cider is left to mature for up to 8 months while Bear and Nancy work to rack the cider off its lees at least 3 times. Racking, or siphoning the cider off the dead yeast—known as lees—into a clean container helps clarify the cider and can prevent off flavors from the decomposing yeast.
The final step is packaging, labeling and pasteurizing.
Finally then, we consumers can experience and enjoy the distinctive flavors of Alpenfire’s estate grown ciders. Merging old and new worlds, from bone dry varieties to pommeaus made with fresh pressed juice and apple brandy, their overarching goal is to let the fruit tell their own story. And they do, with names like Pirates Plank, Discovery Trail, Royal Pomme and Dungeness.
Alpenfire is offering a new product in collaboration with the Olympic Discovery trail—a top shelf cider in a convenient pouch that will help raise fund for the trail, and the awareness of traditional style “still” cider. When you visit Alpenfire, remember to bring a picnic lunch to enjoy in the orchard…just be sure to close the gate behind you.
Alpenfire Cider
220 Pocket Lane
Port Townsend, WA 98368
360.379.8915
alpenfirecider.com