Normandy Cider... where did you go?

I have no trouble finding normandy cider at Binnys. but other than that... the options seem to be drying up. fast. (and even sam's used to have about 4 types, now they have Dupont and one other, i haven't been since they converted to binny's)

whole foods used to carry the Dupont Normandy cider, though half the time it was sold out. they've since switched to a new beer distributor and apparently he doesn't carry it (I haven't heard this officially, but i've asked about 10 times and they keep checking but no real response). More over, now they don't carry ANY cider worth drinking at the one on halsted/waveland. (they carry crispin. mehhhh. they did carry magner's but not even that anymore). the one on southport carries Samuel Smith's cider. I actually really like Samuel Smith's cider. but the one i go to doesn't have that, ever. i need to start bugging them about that instead I guess. they used to also carry JK Scrumpy but I find that to be undrinkably sweet, and i think that's really seasonal too.

I used to get it at the little liquor store below the sheridan red line, but they stopped carrying it a few months ago too.

Pastoral used to carry one bottle, and last week when I was in they still had a tag for it... but didn't actually have it. I asked and they too said they got a new beer distributor "who is really excited about the new choices" ... too bad I don't drink beer and couldn't care less about their new choices. :/

i go to kafka about 4x a week and asked there if they could carry it (they already carry a few others beers) and got a "we'll see" kind of response back (if only they realized how often me and some of my friends don't go there because we go to Binny's for cider...)

it seems like just about everywhere outside of binny's that i've been to has stopped carrying it.

is normandy cider really seasonal on this side of the pond? just hard to get these days? what's with it.. why are all of the options drying up? has some major distributor folded or something recently?

i'm contemplating brewing my own as my summer experiment...

anyone else finding it commonly at some wine/liquor store? preferably lakeview/lincoln park/wrigleyville/uptown but it's good to know other options too

Try Don at Que Syrah--they are usually very accomodating about special orders.
Can't remember if they stock any ciders but they have a small but eclectic beer selection.

Que Syrah
3726 North Southport Avenue
Chicago, IL 60613-3719
(773) 871-8888

the beer/wine guy at whole foods on southport was really raving about a place on southport south of irving... might that be the place? he said it was kinda a hole in the wall liquor store but had a huge craft beer selection and lots of cider choices.... (he apparently used to work there but loved it still...). he mentioned there's a guy somewhere in the US who is making artisanal normandy-style ciders...cask aged and all kinds of fancy stuff, and they occasionally host tastings of it. now that i have to find.

anyway, i contacted WF via their actual contact form and they did respond saying they'd order it through the distributor and get it back. hmm. *confused* ... :] as far as movement of liquor goes, it seems like this stuff has to move faster than some of the oddball $4 12 ounce bottles they have.

dddane wrote:the beer/wine guy at whole foods on southport was really raving about a place on southport south of irving... might that be the place? he said it was kinda a hole in the wall liquor store but had a huge craft beer selection and lots of cider choices.... (he apparently used to work there but loved it still...). he mentioned there's a guy somewhere in the US who is making artisanal normandy-style ciders...cask aged and all kinds of fancy stuff, and they occasionally host tastings of it. now that i have to find.

anyway, i contacted WF via their actual contact form and they did respond saying they'd order it through the distributor and get it back. hmm. *confused* ... :] as far as movement of liquor goes, it seems like this stuff has to move faster than some of the oddball $4 12 ounce bottles they have.

Not picturing any liquor stores on that part of Southport but Que Syrah is primarily a boutique wine shop and, while small, is kinda upscale to classify as HITW. It is a great store with a terrific management team (yes they are my buddies in the interest of full disclosure) and they are known for ordering a single bottle of something (and getting it without flack from the purveyors) if requested by a client. Usually with delivery within a day or two. Their wine tastings are the bomb too

dddane wrote:
i'm contemplating brewing my own as my summer experiment...

I've made a few hard ciders. While you can make a very nice cider, IMHO, unless you can obtain your base product from Normandy, you won't achieve a finished cider which will taste similar to the commercial products from that area.

Just a suggestion, but you might wish to hold off making any cider until later in the year when fresh squeezed cider is available from local orchards.

Ron