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Misfit Island Cider Company on Whidbey Island invites you to visit their new tasting room in Langley and enjoy a taste sensation

by Carolyn Tamler 4th June 2022

 

In response to the increasing demand for Misfit Island Cider, the company has doubled its production from last year, and has just finished adding a tasting room onto their production facility at 2990 Quigley Road in Langley.

Christopher J Powell or (CJ), is owner and head cider maker of Misfit Island Cider Company, and his wife Anna is managing their new tasting room. At their home they currently have planted over 80 apple trees that represent 10 different English and French cider varieties.

 

CJ had the desire to make dry cider ever since he returned from a DJ gig in London years ago and found that US cider is traditionally sweet, and that there is a misconception that all American’s just drink sweet cider. So much so, that imported European cider will get sugar added before shipping to the US.

 

CJ is originally from Port Orchard, Washington, and after some travels, he and his wife are now living on an 8-acre site that includes their home, an orchard, the cidery and the tasting room. CJ is still doing a lot of the work at the cidery while telecommuting to an IT job. Anna’s goal this year is to quit her on-line job to devote herself to managing the tasting room full time. Their cider business has grown substantially, enabling them to hire on their former intern Luna Grove, who is working on completing her alcohol certification from Skagit Valley Community College while working at Misfit Island Cider Co.

 

 

While in London, CJ learned that each country in Europe has its own style of cider-making.  Cider flavors vary widely because the kind of apples used and the way that yeast is applied to the mix makes for hundreds, if not thousands, of different cider flavors. He says, “The hard cider in England really appealed to me because it’s dry and delicious.”

 

CJ did extensive reading and practicing, to learn the skills needed to make hard apple cider, and he has done considerable experimenting with the blends of apples and amounts of yeast.  He notes that his cider is special, as are all dry ciders, because of the blends he uses and the yeast varieties which accounts for 40 – 50% of the flavor.

 

In addition to purchasing Misfit Cider directly from their Langley site, you can find an assortment of their products at The Goose, The Star Store, the Bayview Farmer’s Market (until the market closes in October), and by the glass at Savory and Saltwater in Langley, the Greenbank Farm, and Penn Cove Brewery in Freeland.

 

 

 

They are also collaborating with some local Whidbey businesses including Mukilteo Coffee Roasters for their Coffee Lover cider, and Mutiny Bay Blues for their Island Blues blueberry cider. They are open to doing more local collaborations.

Misfit Cider features a monthly Electronic music night on the first Friday of each month. They are also looking to create a dedicated game night that might include cribbage, magic the gathering, or a pool tournamen. Games are always open to play at the tasting room any day during open hours.

 

When asked about why he became a cider maker, CJ says, “I wanted people to know that there is more than just sweet cider out there, and to show the range and depth that dry cider can provide.”  His education for becoming a maker of hard cider came from reading lots of materials and experimenting with tons of batches.  He says, “I never knew anyone in the industry, but I had my own ideas and a vision of what I wanted to do, and I knew what I liked”

 

Misfit Cider is selling 22 ounce bottles of their ciders for $10 to $12, logo cap growlers, glass pours and growler fills of whatever styles he has on tap. He will deliver his cider anywhere on the south end of Whidbey if you email or contact him through his website, or they can mail anywhere in the state. Personal growler fills are available as well as they have growlers to purchase.

For more information about Misfit Island Cider Company, visit the website: https://www.misfitislandcidercompany.com/

 

Posted by WhidbeyLocal
4th June 2022 10:13 am.
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