Farm Horizons
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Aug. 8, 2016
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Page 30
Number 12
New local cider is made with tradition
BY JENNIFER VON OHLEN
“We’re a farmer winery, and have a winery perspective
In brewing a batch of passion and tradition, Deer Lake
to the product,” he added.
Orchard of Buffalo has opened its own cider house for
Number 12’s cider recipes include more than 10 Minits locally-grown Number 12 hard cider.
nesota-grown apple varieties. These apples are selected
The idea took its first steps toward reality in the basefor their desired levels of sweetness, aroma, acidity, and
ment of Steve Hance of Minneapolis. Hance describes
tannins for the products.
himself as being a cider-enthusiast and hobbyist, and
While these apples can possess one or more of these
has practiced making his own cider for about 20 years.
qualities individually, it is the tactful balance Number
He would have about 300 gallons in his basement on
12 executes that makes it unique and tasteful.
any given day, while balancing his work as a lawyer.
In preparing the cider, several of the apples are culAs his experimentation and product improved, Hance
tivated, harvested, pressed, and fermented onsite at the
inquired if a business would be willing to do custom
orchard.
pressing.
“We try to keep it as loIn his search, he met Yuri
cal as possible, as much as
Preugschas, the five-year
we can,” stated Number
owner of Deer Lake Orchard,
12 producer Colin Post.
along with his wife, Jill, who
Post and Hance have
said he would press 150 galknown each other since
lons of Hance’s cider.
they were in second grade,
Impressed with the reand spent much of their
sults, Preugschas and Hance
childhood
“sampling”
decided to go into business
the neighborhood apples.
together in 2015 with their
They knew which apples
first product, Sparkling Dry
were located where, and
Cider.
what each variety tasted
“It’s a pretty good partlike.
nership,” stated Steve PreugThroughout the years,
schas. “It makes sense; we
they would brew cider and
have the apples and the locatalk about one day runtion.”
ning a cider business toPhoto by Jennifer Von Ohlen
Sparkling Dry, the result Number 12 cider’s strategic blend of selected apples has won several awards gether.
of 17 years of experimenta- throughout its development process. All ciders can be tasted at the Number 12
Post recently retired
tion, is described by Hance Tap Room, with some ciders available for purchase.
from 25 years of teaching
as a “crisp, dry champangeto become fully endeavlike style cider.”
ored in cider.
It is also said to be rather difficult to make, and that
He is also responsible for Number 12’s second prodcrabapples are essential to having it taste good.
uct, Black Currant Dry, which received a gold medal at
The name, Number 12, comes from the 12th recipe
the 2015 Beverage Testing Institute World Beer Chamcreated. It was their first recipe to win an award, and
pionship, with a 93 rating. Sparkling Dry earned a silver
introduced them to the rest of the cider community.
medal with an 89 rating.
Black Currant’s primary ingredients consist of jam
The perfect blend
and
black currant berries. With its modest wine-like
Number 12 Cider House strongly believes the key
qualities,
it is said to be “the cider that will change your
to a truly good brew is a blended balance of the right
perspective.”
apples.
Number 12’s latest product, Chestnut semi-dry, is a
Hance explained that the larger cider businesses ususweeter
cider, making it a good selection for introducing
ally just mix together any apples they can get their hands
oneself
to
dry ciders.
on, for the sake of quantity, and often resort to adding
The
name
comes from its chosen blend of chestnut
sugar and apple flavoring for taste.
crab
apples.
The
cider also includes spirals of oak and
Number 12 Cider House does not share this method.
honey
produced
by
the orchard’s bees.
“We take a traditional view [to cider],” Hance said.