The Tradition of the Snakebite

We’re rooted in English tradition here at Portland Cider Co., due in large part to owner Lynda Parrish’s English beginnings. 

One of those fun traditions is creating Snakebites, a “beertail” drink that is equal parts cider and lager (or stout here in the US). This drink rose in popularity during the 1980s in the UK, and is perfect for those who want just one more pint but can’t decide between a pint of cider or a pint of beer. 

This drink is smooth and fruity from the cider, but it packs a bit of “bite” from the added beer - hence the name! The snakebite also has endless possibilities of how to create it based on the combination of beer and cider you choose to use in it. 

In years past, we’ve paid homage to this beertail by hosting the Snakebite Showdown in our pubs in a few different ways:

2016:

This was our first year hosting The Snakebite Showdown. For this, we teamed up with four local breweries and had each brewery pair a beer of their choice with one of our ciders. Served at both their taprooms & ours, guests voted on their favorite which was the Pelican Brewing Kiwanda Cream Ale and our flagship Sorta Sweet. 

2017 & 2018:

Our second and third years hosting this event, we adopted the traditional Beerfest format where we had over ten different Snakebites to sample from over 20 Pacific Northwest cideries and breweries. From sour beers to stouts, the Snakebites came in all varieties. Winners included the blend from Santiam Brewing’s Pirate Stout blended with Anthem Cider’s Cherry (2017) and 2 Towns Ciderhouse’s Pacific Pineapple with Flat Tail Brewing’s Lemon Verbena & Hops Dam Wild Sour (2018).

2019:

We launched a more intimate version of this event where we offered a Snakebite Flight at Portland Cider House where twelve cideries and breweries participated to create six Snakebites. Guests fell in love with our rich & fruity blend with Ecliptic Brewing - Capella Porter and Peach Berry which was our winner this year.

This year, we’ll be bringing the Snakebite flair to our social channels on Facebook and Instagram and turning to the community for creative submissions. 

Variations:

As the drink has evolved, a few options to put a spin on this classic Snakebite have emerged:

1. Snakebite & Black Currant AKA The Diesel - This interpretation of the cocktail is still half a pint of cider and half a pint of lager, but with touch black currant syrup added in on top. 

2. Budget Friendly Black Velvet - The Black Velvet is typically a drink made with one part stout to one part champagne, so the “Budget Friendly” Black Velvet is one part stout and one part cider, skipping the champagne entirely.

Pro Tip: 

To create that photo-worthy layered lager on-top-of the cider effect, use the “back of the spoon” method. To do this, pour the cider into your pint glass, then slowly pour the lager or other beer of your choice over the back of the spoon. This allows the beer to pour down the edge of the glass and rest on top of the cider, forming those pretty layers. 

If you want to show off your Snakebite for our 2020 Virtual Snakebite Showdown, simply create your perfect cider and beer blend, post it with #SnakebiteShowdown2020, and tag us. We’ll be reposting some of our favorites.

Portland Cider Company is committed to making the best cider in the Pacific Northwest - it’s in our roots! Portland Cider Co. was established in 2013 with the mission of bringing together cider rooted in the English tradition with a little Portland personality and culture. Combine those things, and you’ve got the Portland Cider Company.