Reverend Nat’s Oregon Cider Week Events

When the 4th Annual Oregon Cider Week begins tomorrow, Thursday, June 18th, Portland’s Reverend Nat’s Hard Cider will be participating or hosting events each of the 11 days of this extended week. Many of the days Reverend Nat’s will be hosting various events in its Taproom but the cider maker will be part of Cider Summit PDX and will be hitting the streets of Portland for events at Raven & Rose, Trifecta Tavern, The BeerMongers, OMSI After Dark, Ned Ludd and many more.

One of the highlights of the week will be on Thursday, June 25th when Reverend Nat’s will host an Eagle Rare Bourbon Barrel Aged Night at that Rookery Bar located above Raven & Rose at 1331 SW Broadway. Dave Shenaut from Raven & Rose and Nat West from Reverend Nat’s Hard Cider are releasing the fruits of a months-long collaboration: Eagle Rare Bourbon Barrel Aged Revival Cider and Eagle Rare Bourbon Barrel Aged Sacrilage Sour Cherry Cider.

Firsts of their kind, these ciders are aged in Eagle Rare Bourbon barrels that Shenaut selected among others as part of Raven & Rose’s single barrel program. Since every barrel imparts different characteristics to the spirit that ages in it, Shenaut and his team go through a long process to select the barrels that best fits the flavor profile they’re after.

But before these ciders can be aged in these barrels the journey begins when Eagle Rare Distillery, in Kentucky, sends samples of six different bourbon barrels to Shenaut’s team. Then a few Raven & Rose’s bartenders select the barrel that fits best the flavor profile they are after. The OLCC ships the selected barrel from the distillery to Portland. The bourbon is bottled in 750 ml bottles available for purchase at the Rookery and at Liquor stores around Portland with Raven & Rose & Eagle Rare’s logos. Then these barrels are sent to Rev Nat’s who uses the barrel to age his cider in for about 4.5 months. Nat runs the cider through a coarse-micron filter to grab any barrel bits prior to Rev. Nat bottling 7 cases of 750 ml bottles and fills 2 half-barrels for its June 25th release.

To showcase the role the barrels play in determining the final flavor profile of the two new ciders, the Eagle Rare Bourbon Barrel Aged Revival will be served alongside a glass of bourbon from the same barrel. While the Eagle Rare Bourbon Barrel Aged Sacrilege Sour Cherry will be served mixed to the bourbon in an Old Fashioned Stone Fence.

Reverend Nat will tap the barrels beginning at 6:00pm. The cost to attend is $10.00 for the cider and bourbon pairing or $10 for the cider cocktail.

Below is the complete schedule on where Reverend Nat’s will be in Portland during Oregon Cider Week.

THURSDAY JUNE 18
Cider Appreciation Class, 7-10 PM
Over the course of three hours, “students” will taste 20+ ciders alongside Nat himself, all the while discussing the history of cider, regional differences in cidermaking techniques, and the developing cider culture in the US. The ciders we will drink include traditional English Westcountry, French style from Normandy, Spanish Basque and Asturian, and the emerging American style. Nearly everything we drink will be apple-only; there is just that much variety! This event is held in the taproom, is $45 per person and “class” size is limited to 20. Please arrive at 7 pm well-fed since we will serve no food. Advance registration required, seating is limited. Email carolyn@revnats.com or call 503-567-2221 to reserve your space.

FRIDAY JUNE 19
Cider Summit Portland, 2-8 PM
We will be out in full force for this 5th anniversary event. Over 150 ciders from dozens of producers will be showcased and we will have a sneak peek of our summer seasonal The Passion alongside Revival Hard Apple, Hallelujah Hopricot and the bizarrely awesome ¡Tepache! 21+ only, $30 ticket available online: http://cidersummit.strangertickets.com/ and more details here: http://www.cidersummitnw.com/portlandeventinfo.html

Cider Summit After Party, 4-11 PM
Done with the Summit and want more cider? Come on over to the taproom for $1 off all 12 oz. cider pours with your Summit wristband including many ciders I didn’t bring to the Summit.

SATURDAY JUNE 20
Day Two Cider Summit Portland, 12-6 PM
Cider Summit After Party, 4-11 PM
We are throwing an unofficial Cider Summit After Party for the first time this year and I know you won’t drink to excess at the Summit so come on over. I’ll have special cider pricing of $1 off all 12 oz. cider pours with your Summit wristband still intact. And to make it a party, there will be live music by The Loudermilk Sisters covering the perfect harmony / early country band Louvin Brothers. Oh and of course, food trucks on site. Keep the party going!

SUNDAY JUNE 21
PICC Competition Judging, 4 PM
Join us in the taproom for the final Cup round of the 3rd Annual Portland International Cider Cup, the northwest’s premier cider competition. Watch celebrity judges award the Cup, schmooze with industry players and taste the winners starting at 4 PM.

MONDAY JUNE 22
Oregon Bartenders Guild Cider Class, 2-5 PM
OBG Members Only. If you’re a member of the Oregon Bartenders Guild, join Nat West and Dave Shenault at Raven & Rose for this special educational session on cidermaking. Topics include fruit selection and differences, pH and TA acidity and types, simple (fructose) vs complex (malt) sugar types, yeast selection (beer, wine, wild, non-saccharomyces), processing (filtration, conditioning, sulfites), blending, aging, etc. We will drink special bourbon barrel aged ciders from Rev Nat’s and other NW Cidermakers. The educational session will begin at 4:00pm. A small cash donation is encouraged to help supplement this non-profit.

Imperial Bottle Shop & Taproom Tap Takeover, 5-7 PM
Hang out with the Rev Nat and the rest of the crew at Imperial Bottle Shop & Taproom and drink a bunch of ¡Tepache! blends including light hefeweizens, fruity saisons, bold IPAs, dark stouts and mega imperials.

Belmont Station Meet the Brewer, 5-7 PM
Cidermaker Chris will be on hand at the venerable Belmont Station to drink cider, talk cider and probably toss back a beer or two. Special ciders from the cellar will be available for this special night.

TUESDAY JUNE 23
Trifecta Cidermaker’s Dinner, 7-10 PM
Join Nat at Trifecta (his new favorite Portland restaurant) for a 5-course meal, each one paired with a cider. Don’t quote me on this, but we talked about pairing my Bartlett Amarillo with bitter greens salad, Sacrilege Sour Cherry with a nice duck, Revival Hard Apple with the salty ham & pears, Hallelujah Hopricot with a crispy and cheesy flat bread pizza and Deliverance Ginger Tonic with some fresh oysters. Watch this space for more information on the menu! Tickets required. And while Trifecta is child-friendly, this dinner will bore youngsters silly since I won’t serve them my delicious ciders.

The Civic Taproom “Tap Takeover”, 6-9 PM
Can’t make the Trifecta dinner? Come hang out at The Civic Taproom and Bottle Shop with the Rev Nat’s cidermaker crew and enjoy five ciders from the Rev Nat’s repertoire.

WEDNESDAY JUNE 24
OMSI After Dark, 7-11 PM
Drink up as the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry toasts the history, tradition and science that goes into crafting cider and other fruity treats. Join them for their first annual OMSI After Dark Cider & Seeds with samples from us and other Pacific Northwest cideries. And being OMSI, you’ll be able to have science fun such as shooting off water rockets, concocting chemical creations, and exploring the wonders of OMSI with no kids in sight! Watch aerialists fly overhead and enjoy a pint of cider while learning about the science behind stuff. 21+ only. No advance purchase required, just show up.

Rev Nat’s The Passion Release Party, 4-10 PM
My acclaimed super-sour Berliner weisse-inspired summer seasonal is brought forth on this day at the taproom. Behold The Passion! My cider scientists proclaim that this is more than twice as tart as anything else I’ve produced so if you have too much tooth enamel, this might solve your problem. To help ease it down, enjoy some fine Hawaiian food from a local restaurant still TBD. (Noho’s? Ate-oh-Ate? Namu? 808 Grind?) No advance tickets needed, just come on down and bring cash for the food. 21+ only in the taproom.

The BeerMongers Tap Takeover, 6-9 PM
If you aren’t the type to cross Broadway, then stop into The BeerMongers to enjoy three rare ciders from Rev Nat’s and a chance to win some schwag.

Ned Ludd Cider Menu, 5 PM, today through Sunday
If a proper sit-down dinner at Portland’s finest all-wood cooking restaurant is your style, I have you covered. My friends at Ned Ludd are debuting a cider-soaked menu today and expressly to celebrate Oregon Cider Week. The details are under wraps until the moment of, but you can stop in any time Wednesday-Sunday to taste the offerings including specially paired ciders from me! Reservations are encouraged for the weekend.

THURSDAY JUNE 25
Revelation Night at the Public Taproom, 4-11 PM
Last fall, I collected 10 distinct apple varieties, fermented them all with the same yeast and back sweetened each just a touch. Every variable that I could control, I did. Now you get to taste a massive flight of single-variety heirloom ciders, each a member of the Revelation series. My gold medal winning Revelation Newtown Pippin will of course be on hand to focus your palate. This event is at the taproom and is, like always, 21+ only. No advance purchase is required, just come on down.

Eagle Rare Bourbon Barrel Aged Ciders Release Party, 6-10 PM
Back in January, my friends at Raven & Rose offered me a couple of freshly-dumped bourbon barrels. Now I’m never one to say no to a good used barrel of any kind, but these two were of a special provenance. You see, R&R has a habit of buying entire barrels of bourbon from various Kentucky distillers then using that single-barrel whiskey in their award-winning Old Fashioned cocktails. Yes, the barrels I was offered were two of these self-same barrels and they are Eagle Rare 10 Year Bourbon. So naturally, I’ve aged my flagship cider Revival Hard Apple in one and my spring seasonal Sacrilege Sour Cherry in the other. Aging for four months in these barrels created a taste treat unlike anything I’ve ever had. The Revival will be served alongside a neat glass of the original Eagle Rare bourbon as a boilermaker while the Sacrilege will be served as a Stone Fence cocktail with some bitters and a shot of the same Eagle Rare, maybe even a cherry. Fans of bourbon & cider must not miss this incredible event. 21+ only in the Rookery Bar at Raven & Rose, no advance purchase required.

FRIDAY JUNE 26
Dekum Triangle Cider Stroll, 4 PM
Here’s an idea: Walk around Northeast Portland’s awesome little Woodlawn neighborhood at the Dekum Triangle, trying over 20 ciders at six different venues including:

• Oregon Public House, the nation’s first non-profit pub
• Good Neighbor Pizza, serving excellent pies with outdoor seating
• Breakside Brewery’s original Dekum Pub, which will be tapping a one-of-a-kind Triple Hopped Revival cask made by me
• Bushwhacker Cider Woodlawn, the new location of the country’s first cider bar
• Ps & Qs Market, proudly converting both of their taps to cider for the night
• Hi-Wheel Wines, right down the road from the Triangle

Stop in to any of the above establishments to pick up a menu & guide of all participating locations as well as details on the Firehouse Cidergarden special event (below). No advance purchase required, just enjoy your stroll around the neighborhood hunting for your favorite ciders and discovering new offerings. Food is available for purchase at any of the participating venues.

Firehouse Cidergarden
In my opinion, the absolute best way to enjoy the Dekum Triangle Cider Stroll (see above) is by making sure you stop by the beautiful patio of Firehouse restaurant. We are taking over the entire place and will have a mini cider festival, one night only. I’ll be pouring cider alongside three of Oregon’s newest cidermakers that you may not have heard of, and we will all be on hand to talk and taste you through our offerings. Firehouse will be offering a limited menu for patio service. No advance purchase required, just show up and buy tasting tokens for $2 each at this family-friendly event. Look for the huge banner to know you’re in the right place.

• Reverend Nat’s Hard Cider
• Swift Cider
• Alter Ego Cider
• New West Cider

Randall-Infused Rare Keg Night at the Public Taproom, 4-11 PM
My barman Jim plundered my home cider cellar to come up with a super-rare keg. Not content to just serve a tasty cider, he is insisting on passing it through our homemade randall. I have no idea what ingredients he is planning on stuffing in there (not just hops, I’m sure!) but expect something intense. Visit my taproom for the fun, 21+ only.

SATURDAY JUNE 27
Reverend Nat’s Hard Cider 2nd Anniversary Party, 12-11 PM
Here it is: The party I’ve been waiting for. Join the entire Rev Nat’s crew and me as we celebrate two entire years in our Public Cidery & Taproom. I’ll bring out the jockey boxes to showcase 20 ciders including 12 from my stash and 8 guests ciders of the highest caliber. Our buddy DJ Dickel will be spinning tunes well into the evening and I’ll have a huge pile of free Otto’s sausages if you get there in time to enjoy one. The street shall be closed for this awesome 21+ only party.

SUNDAY JUNE 28
Hangover Recovery Brunch at Hop & Vine 10 AM
The craft cider lovers at NoPo’s The Hop & Vine have offered up their dining room to those of us who may have imbibed too much during Saturday night’s festivities. They’ve concocted a perfect pairings of cider and breakfast foods and will be offering cider mimosas for those needing a pick-me-up.