Denman Islander Jarrah Kirk is bringing something new to the Denman Craft Fair — new for him, and new for the fair: hard cider, produced under Kirk’s meticulous care at Crooked Warden Cidery, which (in another first) is Denman Island’s first commercial cidery.
His goal is to show people that there is a lot more to cider than the standard mass-produced sugar-laden beverage. A Red Seal chef turned cidermaster, Kirk describes his approach as “finicky.” He presides over all aspects of the business, from picking apples to filling bottles. The result is a small-batch craft cider with plenty of personality.
“Our cider is completely dry, which sometimes shocks people. It’s full-bodied, but it’s tarter than the stuff they’re used to,” says Kirk.
Crooked Warden cider does not contain any sulphites, making it safer for people who react to this additive. Rather than relying on an additive, Kirk and his team take extra care in picking and handling the fruit.
“As we pick, we’re checking for any holes, bugs, or other problems. And then once we get to the juicing room, we look everything over again. If it’s bad it gets put aside and if it’s good, it gets juiced.”
Kirk is experimenting with letting the cider age, a technique he learned about while working on a farm in Wales.
“I treat the cider a bit like wine. You can age it up to four years, and the flavour you end up with is amazing,” he says.
The cider at the Craft Fair will be aged one year, which makes a notable difference, says Kirk.
Like wine, this cider has layers of flavour that unfold after the first sip.
As Denman’s first cidery, Crooked Warden is writing a new chapter in the island’s long history with apples. “Back in the early 1900s, Denman Island was one of BC’s biggest apple growers. Apples were shipped off Denman to all over the province until the Okanagan took over,” says Kirk.
Denman still has hundreds of heritage apple varieties and many acres of apple trees, some of which produce the apples that go into Crooked Warden cider.
Crooked Warden is growing its own apples—varieties chosen specifically for this purpose—in the field behind the cidery. The trees are young, but in a few more years, Kirk, much to the delight of his finicky heart (and palate), will have more control over the cider-making process.
Kirk joins over 80 artisans and makers at the 43rd Denman Island Christmas Craft Fair, Dec. 2 and 3, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Denman Island Community Hall & Activity Centre. Free shuttle from the ferry. Lunches available on site. Free admission. For more information, visit www.denmancraftfair.com