The Williams family has been orcharding in Colorado’s Western Slope since the early 1900s. Five generations later, the family orchards are located at the bottom of Grand Mesa in the Surface Creek Valley, a high-elevation, warm-day and cool-night climate optimal for fruit-growing and cidermaking at 6,130 feet. Under the name of Snow Capped Cider, the orchards span over 500 acres and 100 varieties of apples, the business also including a fully involved family, from the growing of the fruit and cider production to packing logistics and festival planning.
Since the family grows stone fruit on top of apples, a plethora of apple-infused options await consumers, especially in a lineup that continues to add more to it, and more in ready-to-drink packaging like cans. Snow Capped’s Plum Lemongrass is a recent addition, showcasing the aforementioned stone fruit with plump plum aromas fringed by zippy, gingery notes of lemongrass. Easy drinking, the semi-sweet cider is full of the Jonathan apple it is based on, slightly accented by the fleshy, dark plum and subtle lemongrass on the palate. Bright acid and a soft earthiness round out the finish, closing off-dry, juicy and probably best with some lemongrass-coconut curry.
