Flinterberry Cider

If The Far Reaches were a country, its national drink would be Flinterberry Cider. Every respectable inn or tavern within the region has at least a few barrels fermenting in the basement, and no self-respecting businessman will close a deal without a mug to hand.

Give the People What they Want

Every tavern, inn, and brewery in the land has a slightly different recipe for cider, but they all serve it. The spices may change, the fermentation may lengthen, but every Reacher has had his share. They say it goes with everything. That may be the drink talking, but so long as the cider flows, there is business and adventure to be had, and Aldie Chesk swears that a steady supply of Flinterberry Cider is what keeps civility fresh at The Iron Bloom.

The Making

Flinterberries want to fall before they're taken. The best cider comes from those near bruised and dusk-heavy - tart, tannic, and sun-wrung. Harvest them in late fall, just after the first hint of frost. Sweet berries will do alright, but you'll need twice the patience or half the pride.

— -Danick Shai (Obelisk Brewing)

The process for making Flinterberry Cider can range anywhere from three weeks to five years, depending on how potent the brewer intends to make the final product. Most brewers begin the same way with crushing and pressing the berries themselves. This is where the similarities end. Every innkeeper has a slightly different recipe, and every Reacher has a preference. There are as many different variants of Cider as there are brewers in the Reaches. Each one will tell you that it's in the spices where the true magic happens.

The Waiting

Three weeks gives a drink you can laugh with, three moons gives a drink you can mourn to, and three years gives a drink that you can forget why you were mourning in the first place.

— -Aldie Chesk (The Iron Bloom)

Perhaps the one commonality in all inns and taverns in the Reach is that they have multiple barrels of Flinterberry Cider tapped at any given time. Regulars know to ask for the proper age for their evening needs. No one engaged in serious business goes higher than three months while no one grieving will settle for less than a year. They say any Reacher can tell a new immigrant from the way they order cider: if they don't specify a time, they've been in The Far Reaches for less than a month. They also say that anyone who tries to do business without a mug of cider in their hand is a swindler, especially in Redoubt.

The Recipe

Crush the fruit however you like - my grandfather used his boots - but don't pulp it to paste. Pulverize just enough that the juice weeps with a press. Keep the skins on. The skins bear the wild yeast, and the nature spirits put it there for a reason.

— -Danick Sahl (Obelisk Brewing)

Ingredients

• 2 Cups Sugar
• 10 Cups Purified River Water
• 4 Cups Cleaned Flinterberries, Crushed, Skin On
• Spices (varied by location)

Steps

• Collect juice in a clean bucket or jug (don't trust any man who says the dirt adds flavor)
• Let rest overnight in an open container to let solids settle and natural wild yeasts bloom
• Pour juice into a a clean vessel (cask, jug, or whatever adds your flavor). Add spices by recipe. Do not seal tightly; cover with a cloth to let gasses escape.
• Set in a cool dark place (but not too cold).
• Watch for bubbling (that means it's working!) Ferment as desired for strength (1-3 weeks for basic cider - up to 5 years for the most potent stuff).
• Rack your cider for best results to remove sediment and create a clearer, cleaner product.
• Store in sealed wooden barrels, ceramic jugs, or glass bottles if available for up to 1 year.