In eastern Newfoundland, a cidery is enhancing the flavor of its fizzy drinks by submerging them beneath the ocean waves. The Newfoundland Cider Company, based in George’s Brook-Milton, embarked on this unique venture in 2024 when they introduced the High Tide line by placing 24 bottles in the Atlantic Ocean. The company repeated the process for a second year, aiming to infuse a taste of the sea into their cider.
“The concept behind High Tide is combining the essence of the ocean with the essence of an orchard. It’s a fusion of land and sea,” explained founder Chris Adams during an interview with CBC Radio’s The St. John’s Morning Show. Upon retrieval, the bottles are adorned with salt, sand, barnacles, algae, and marine life like sea stars, showcasing the natural elements they encountered underwater, which add to the allure of the experience.
Adams emphasized the company’s commitment to environmental preservation, ensuring that marine life remains unharmed during the submersion process. The bottles are left with algae and barnacles intact, as these elements contribute to the distinctive taste of High Tide cider. The cidery uses wild apples and yeast, and inspired by wineries aging wine at sea, they ventured into ocean-aging their cider to create a unique sensory experience.
The submerged cider undergoes a transformation, offering a hint of the sea alongside the familiar apple cider taste upon opening. The ocean’s consistent temperature during aging mimics the effects of cellar aging, enriching the beverage’s complexity.
Jean-Benoit Deslauriers, head winemaker at Benjamin Bridge in Nova Scotia, noted the enigmatic nature of underwater aging on alcoholic beverages. He highlighted the benefits of stable temperatures and absence of ultraviolet light underwater, which protect the quality of the beverages. The process presents challenges, as Adams described the intricacies of deploying the cider into the ocean using sealed milk crates, emphasizing the unpredictability of the outcome.
Despite encountering setbacks like storm damage to their recent batch, Adams remains determined to refine the process and produce exceptional ocean-aged cider. Learning from their experiences, the Newfoundland Cider Company plans to select calmer waters and employ anchors to stabilize the crates for future submersions.
As the company continues to innovate in the realm of ocean-aging beverages, Adams remains optimistic about the potential of High Tide cider to captivate consumers with its distinct maritime essence.