At some point this year I got onto the press mailing list for Nashi Orchards of Washington, when I received a press release about the cider maker’s new non-alcoholic perry (cider made from pears). I’ve been reviewing a number of non-alcoholic and lifestyle beers and similar beverages, but a non-alcoholic perry was new and sounded interesting.

I reached out to the cidery about samples, and Nashi sent me three bottles to review. My wife and I split one on a hot afternoon to see how it drinks.

Nashi Orchards produces a variety of ciders of various alcoholic strengths, and the about page says of the company:

Nashi Orchards uses sustainable practices to grow the finest Asian and European pears and heirloom apples to handcraft award-winning hard cider and perry. Our orchard, production facility, and tasting room are located on beautiful Vashon Island, Washington, where we’re part of a growing community of artisan food, wine, and spirits producers.

Nashi Orchards is located on 27 acres of beautiful Vashon Island, Washington, about a 15-minute ferry ride from Seattle or Tacoma. We grow numerous varieties of Asian pears, European perry pears, and heirloom apples to make our perry and cider. The orchards and surrounding farm and forest are home to our St. Croix sheep, Bouvier de Flanders dogs, barn cats, and an abundance of birds and other wildlife.

This non-alcoholic perry was crafted with Korean Giant Pear, hence the name, and was released to celebrate the orchard-cidery’s 10th anniversary. As part of its new “Hana” series, there will be two more alcohol-free beverages released this fall.

For this one, the nutritional stats indicate 120 calories per eight ounce serving, with 30 grams of carbs. No added sugars or flavorings are included, it’s made entirely from pear juice.

My notes: Super pale gold/yellow in color, with a slight unfiltered appearance, and mildly fizzy in the glass. The aroma is light pear, slightly syrupy, slightly earthy, and maybe a hint of sulfites. A touch of vanilla perhaps? It has a sweet flavor! Sweet pear with some honey. Is this simply sparkling pear juice? Or did it go through a fermentation and then have the alcohol removed? Because it tastes just like pear juice with a slight tang of carbonic acid (carbonation). It’s sweet and refreshing, and would be good as a mixer or a punch base.

See my questions in the middle of my notes. My expectation was that this went through a fermentation process, which develops flavor and aroma characteristics you wouldn’t otherwise get by leaving the source entirely unfermented. But, it tastes simply like straight pear juice—which is fine, by the way, if that’s what Nashi did.

I did reach out to the agency that sent the bottles to find out if this is the case, but haven’t heard back.

Regardless, it tastes good, and I’d be interested in seeking out some of the company’s other ciders to see how the alcoholic offerings taste.