Woodchuck Farmhouse Select

This particular Woodchuck Cider came to us as a surprise. As we had not seen it on the local shops until recent. Then Hawke researched it and found it was available year round. The cider promises a taste of the original Woodchuck Cider back when it was first made. They use Vermont apples and Belgian beer yeast to produce the flavor. Information about this and other Woodchuck ciders can be found at : www.woodchuck.com

Color:
Bailey thought highly of the champagne gold color. Not quite the usual tinge we have seen from the other Woodchuck products. She rates it with a 4/5 apples. Hawke was delighted by the slight yellow tinge and slight cloudiness of the drink. He gives it 4/5 apples.

Smell:
Bailey detected a smell of sweet apples, but it was very faint. It was almost masked completely by a more alcohol smell. The smell was however very crisp. She gives this cider a 2/5 apples for lack of a pleasing smell. Hawke smelled the alcohol that was strong but not quite overpowering. Under this was a slight apple smell, but it wasn't very prominent. Hawke wished the apple smell was more present. He rates it with a 3/5 apples.

Taste:
Bailey felt that this was a very light cider. She delighted in a sweet apple taste, with the alcohol taste not overpowering. This cider doesn't have a jaw-dropping powerful flavor, but Bailey did like it. She gives it a 4/5 apples. Hawke found the flavor extremely light filled with a mix of apples and alcohol. He also gives it a 4/5 apples.

Aftertaste:
Bailey detected a strong sour apple aftertaste. It reminded Bailey of fermenting apples, yet it did not linger for a long time. She very much enjoyed the short lived sour contrast to the sweet flavor. She gives it a 4/5 apples. Hawke felt a sweet aftertaste that does not linger but a minor alcohol flavor accompanying it. He rated it with a 3/5 apples.

Price:
$11-13. This bottle contains 750ml, the same as a wine bottle. Bailey felt one would get 4 generous glasses worth of cider. For the price it is a good quality cider.She gives the price a 4/5 apples. Hawke thought that it was a decent cider. He thought it was reasonable for those that want a change from the usual Amber cider. He rates it with a 4/5 apples.

Overall:
It is a good cider for summer or spring. The flavors are not necessarily as robust as the other ciders that have been sampled thus far, but it is still a high quality cider. Also, because it is so light, it can be paired well with a lot of different food.

Overall, Hawke gives this 18/25 apples or a yellow apple!

 Bailey also gives this cider 18/25 or a yellow apple!

Angry Orchard Apple Ginger Hard Cider

This week Hawke and Bailey try Angry Orchard Apple Ginger Hard Cider! We have tasted a few of the other varieties from this company and were eager to try their newest addition. Their website can be found here: http://angryorchard.com/ and it's a pretty awesome website (if we may say so.) This company is very creative, using bittersweet apples from France, and culinary apples from Italy which are sweet and acidic. This cider is 5% ABV. Here we go!

Color:
Hawke was a little apprehensive as soon as we poured this cider out. It is extremely clear, which can mean one of two things: it's over filtered and lacks taste, or the producers actually know what they are doing and made a quality product. On looks alone however, Hawke gives this cider a 4/5 apples. Bailey loves this golden color giving it a 5/5 apples.

Smell:
Bailey took one whiff of this cider and was in love. She immediately detected sweet apples (her favorite apples for flavoring cider.) She did comment however that there was no trace of ginger in the smell. She gives it a 3/5 apples for the lack of ginger. Hawke did detect ginger with his olfactory sensors, but not much of the apples. Instead he could smell the alcohol. He did enjoy the smell though, and gave it a 4/5 apples.

Flavor / Complexity:
When Hawke sampled this cider, he tasted sweet apples and alcohol. The ginger was not prominent for him. He did comment that the quality of the cider (even without the ginger taste) was very good. He gives this a 3/5 apples for lacking ginger taste. Bailey did get a very sharp ginger flavor, but that wasn't the first thing she tasted. What stood out for her the most was the very crisp, sweet apples. It was like biting into the juiciest apple ever! The ginger taste was there for her, but it was short lived and did not stand out as much as she would have liked. She rates this cider with a 4/5 apples because the taste was great either way.

Aftertaste:
And...cue the ginger. Both of us found the sharp ginger in the aftertaste. It didn't last very long, but it was definitely there. Hawke rates this with a 4/5 apples. Bailey really enjoyed the aftertaste because for her, ginger can sometimes taste very spicy and be overpowering. In this cider, it is enjoyable, but doesn't knock you out of your seat. She rates it with a 4/5 apples also.

Price:
$7-10
This cider comes in a six pack of bottles and is very reasonably priced. With the gap allowing for tax and difference in price due to different areas, we purchased our six pack for less that what beer might cost. Both of us agree that the quality of this cider closely rivals Woodchuck ciders (one of our favorites.) Both of us rate the price with a 5/5 apples!

Overall:
All in all, this cider is excellent! This is an excellent pick to add a tiny bit of spice to your drinking agenda. We highly recommend trying this cider along with all the other Angry Orchard varieties.
Hawke rates this cider overall with a 20/25 apples, or a green apple!

Bailey loved the crispness of this cider and the sweet apples! She rates this cider overall with a 21/25, or a green apple!

Vander Mill Apple Blueberry Cider

This week is an epic tale of two bloggers making a bike trip to a music festival and almost losing their booze along the way. We traveled to the Ravinia music festival in Illinois this past weekend and wanted to review our cider while listening to some amazing music. Unfortunately, our wine glasses and most of our alcohol did not survive the perilous biking journey because the cooler was haphazardly fastened to the back of Hawke's bike. However, although the bottle of Vander Mill cider lost its' top, there was enough left inside for us to review.....Huzzah! This cider is made from fruits grown in Michigan, and promises a balanced flavor. It is 6.8% ABV and the website can be found here: http://www.vandermill.com/ciders.htm

Color:
Although you can't see it because shattered wine glasses are not fit for use, this cider has a really nice color. It resembles a deep red wine if you were to mix in some blueberry juice. Hawke and Bailey both rated this cider with a 4/5 apples.


Smell:
We both agreed that the smell of this cider was delightful. The apples were most prevalent in this cider, but the blueberries were definitely detectable. There was a light alcohol smell in the mix, but it was not overpowering like some of the other ciders we have tried. Hawke rated this cider with a 4/5 apples. Bailey was a little put off by the alcohol smell because in the past this usually foreshadows a lack of taste. She rates it with a 3/5 apples.

Taste / Complexity:
This cider does most certainly give a very balanced flavor. It is an even balance between apples, blueberries, and alcohol. Bailey really liked how everything was very balanced and none of the flavors overpowered the others. Hawke also liked this cider, but was expecting a little more blueberry flavor than was present. Bailey gives this cider a 4/5 apples. Hawke rates the flavor as a 3/5 apples.

Aftertaste:
Bailey detected mostly blueberry in the aftertaste with a small alcohol burn. The aftertaste did not linger very long however. Hawke didn't think the aftertaste was much different from the original taste, but did comment that it wasn't overpowering. Bailey rates the aftertaste with a 4/5 apples. Hawke also gives this a 4/5 apples.

Price:
$11-13
This bottle is 750 ml, so it the size of a normal wine bottle. Depending on serving size, one should get around 4-5 glasses out of a bottle. Bailey thinks that this cider would be good for a date night or special occasion. She rates it with a 5/5 apples for value. Hawke rates it with a 4/5 apples because he normally wouldn't spend this much for a everyday drinking cider.

Overall:
We both enjoyed this cider, however Bailey feels like it would be more appropriate for a nice dinner or special occasion. The price is a decent value for the amount you get, and also has to reflect the use of blueberry juice, which is not cheap. Hawke would have liked the blueberries to take center stage in this cider, but thought it was still a solid drink.

Bailey rates this cider overall with a 20/25 apples, or a Green Apple!

Hawke rates this cider overall with a 19/25 apples or a Yellow Apple!

Doc's Draft Original Hard Apple cider

This week we decided to try Doc's Draft Original Hard Apple cider. This cider promises a semi-dry taste with a crisp fruit taste. The website can be found here: http://wvwinery.com/cider/

Color:
Hawke was a fan of the clear brass color to this cider. He also noted that upon pouring it was carbinated. He gives it a 4/5 apples. Bailey defined this as a butterscotch color and noticed it was very clear and thus filtered. She rates it with a 5/5

Smell:
Bailey detected a wave of apple smells. Accompanying this wave was another of alcohol. She noted that it felt like it was 50/50 apples and alcohol scent. She gave it a 3/5 apples. Hawke felt a strong odor of apples upon smelling this cider. A slight alcohol tinge was also noted but did not seem to be as large as other ciders reviewed previously.  He rated it with a 4/5 apples.

Taste/Complexity:
Bailey felt that this particular cider had a little sweetness, but the flavor was mostly alcohol based, rather than apple. She had to give it a 1/5 apples. Hawke got a mostly carbonation flavor to this cider. The other flavors were slight apple and the remainder being alcohol. He rated it with a slightly higher 2/5 apples.

Aftertaste:
Hawke felt that the after taste had some apple flavor, but did not linger very long. It was not sour, or bitter. He gives it a 2/5 apples. Bailey detected an apple aftertaste, and a mixture of sweet and sour. She was disappointed with how short the aftertaste lasted. She feels as though the aftertaste has more flavor then the initial flavor. Bailey gives it a 3/5 apples.

Price
$5-8 at the local store. Bailey thought it was good for the price, but any more would be a tad discouraging. Hawke thinks the cider is okay for the price, though there are some better options. About 4 glasses were got out of the bottle, making it a decent value. Bailey: 4/5 apples. Hawke: 3/5 apples.

Overall:
This cider is good if you just want a cheap option to drink. It is not a terrible cider, but it does not preform well in comparison with some of the previous ciders, nor is it high quality. Likewise, Hawke feels that the carbonation of the cider may distort the flavor too much. Bailey: 16/25 apples, or a yellow apple.

 Hawke gives it an overall score of 15/25 apples, or a yellow apple.

Blackthorn Fermented Cider

This cider was found at the local store and we decided to try an English cider this week. Imported from the West Country of Britain, the cider promises a distinctive crisp yet dry taste. This particular variety would offer an interesting taste, as it is made from fermented apple juice and carbonated water.

Color:
Bailey thought quite highly of the color, which was a bright golden color, with no particles floating around. She also enjoyed the crisp color it offered. Hawke was intrigued by the clear coloration, the golden color is not one that is normally seen in ciders, especially this clear. Suggesting that it has been filtered several times. Bailey: 4/5 Hawke: 5/5

Smell:
Bailey detected more of an alcohol smell rather than apples in the cider. Suggesting a lack of apple flavor in the future. However she noted that the smell wasn't overpowering.  Hawke as well noted a white wine smell, and a distinct lack of apple scent. However, it did have a little sweetness added to it. What he expected coming from the type of bottle, as the bottle is more reminiscent of a wine bottle rather than a cider bottle. Bailey: 2/5 Hawke: 3/5

Taste / Complexity:
Bailey tasted a sweet and sour flavor with little apple taste, and a slight alcohol finish. Which while not impressive, was not bad either. Hawke noted a lack of apple flavor, but otherwise not a harsh taste as with other ciders previously experienced. Bailey: 3/5 Hawke: 3/5

Aftertaste:
Bailey felt a slight sweetness, doesn't last very long. She had really hoped for a longer after taste with this cider. Hawke got a very quick apple flavor, does not linger, not bad, but could be better, surprisingly not bitter after taste. Bailey: 2/5  Hawke: 2/5

Price:
$8-10 Bailey felt that the cider is very good for the price, as it is a middle of the road cider, that isn't great but it is not terrible. Hawke would be considered a starting cider, as it is not overpowering in its flavor, yet is also very sweet compared to some European ciders that have previously sampled. Bailey: 4/5 Hawke: 4/5

Overall:
If you are new to ciders, this one would be a great place to start. It isn't too sweet or bitter, and would give your pallet room to grow.

Bailey gave this a 16/25 or a yellow apple.

 Hawke gave this cider a 17/25 or a yellow apple.

Time out for some food! An interview with Takashi Yagihashi

Good day Cider Press readers! This week we are going to do a post that is a little different from the norm. We were fortunate enough to be invited to a special cooking demonstration and interview with renowned chef Takashi Yagihashi! Hawke and I thought, what pairs better with hard cider than food? So we jumped at the chance.

First off, here's a little info about Mr. Yagihashi for anyone who isn't familiar with him:

- He was born in Mito, Japan and has moved back and fourth between Chicago and Detroit, MI.
- He started cooking as a teenager at a local restaurant, and would try recipes out for his family.
- He opened his first restaurant in Detroit, MI and it was rated a 4-star establishment.
- He now has 2 restaurants in the Chicago area: Takashi and The Slurping Turtle. His culinary style is        Japanese with some French influences.
- He has been featured on Iron Chef America and is a member of the Macy's Culinary Council.

We sat down with Chef Takashi and asked him a few questions about his love for cooking:

Hawke asked where the inspiration for most of his dishes came from. Chef Takashi fondly remembered his days in Japan as a young boy. He told us about how his mother and father worked most of the time and usually would get take out from lots of different places for the family dinner. He was exposed to a lot of different dishes this way. He told us that he never lets himself be afraid to try any combination of ingredients until something great comes of it.

Bailey asked about how and when he decided to pursue professional chef as a career. He smiled as he told me that when he started cooking in Japan, chefs were considered a "lower class of people" back then. After high school he was accepted to an Interior Design school which he attended for awhile, but then decided it wasn't for him and dropped out. After that he returned to working in restaurants and realized that cooking was his passion.

Hawke then remarked that Chef Takashi liked to use Ramen noodles in some of his dishes and asked how he felt about the stigma around them in the U.S as food for poor people and college students. He got a good laugh out of this question and said that was a good point. He told us that it is frustrating sometimes when people come into his restaurant and see Ramen on the menu and think: well that's easy to make. Although dried Ramen noodles have been Americanized, they are an authentic Japanese food. Chef Takashi then told us that he takes great pride in making all his noodles from scratch, sometimes taking 12-16 hours in total preparation time from mixing to drying and cutting.

Bailey wanted to ask a question to tie all of this into the blog's main focus, so she asked him if he was familiar with any hard cider or if it was a popular item in Japan. Unfortunately he was not very familiar with any hard cider and told us that it was not a largely sold item in Japan. Although, he did promise to try some and even add it as an ingredient to some of his dishes!

Overall, Chef Takashi was a wonderful man that clearly puts a lot of pride and passion into his work. We were very lucky to get samples of his dishes during the cooking demonstration and let me tell you....It Was Delicious! I highly suggest that if you find yourself in the Chicago area, do yourself a favor and visit one of his restaurants. Also, you can pick up a copy of his cookbook: Takashi's Noodles which will allow you to make some of his favorites at home.

Sarasola Astigarragako Sagardoa Basque Cider

Sarasola Astigarragako Sagardoa Basque Cider (yes it's a mouthful) was a new addition to our local liquor store, so we decided to give it a try. This cider is traditionally from the Basque region of Spain, which borders France. This cider is not filtered or pasteurized, which promised a unique taste. We were also curious to see how it would compare to the other European ciders that we have tried, including the Dupont cider. We could not find a website for this company.

Color:
Hawke commented that it was a very brilliant bronze tint with a bit of gold. He rates this with a 5/5 apples.
Bailey also really liked this color, it was a very rich gold that looked delicious. She also gives it a 5/5 apples.

Smell:
Bailey could smell some faint sweet apple aroma, but mostly there was a wine or alcohol smell that was overpowering. She rates it with a 3/5 apples. Hawke also felt the wine smell was a bit much, but also detected a sour apple smell. He gives it a 2/5 apples.

Flavor / Complexity:
When Bailey took a sip from her glass, she was very surprised at the texture of this cider. It was somewhat thick with a creamy feeling. Not being used to this in a drink, she was a bit unsure how to feel about it. Next, the sour apple taste set in. This cider will definitely make you pucker. She gives it a 2/5 apples. Hawke was taken aback by the bitter taste this cider gave him, but didn't mind the alcohol taste as much. He rates it with a 3/5 apples.

Aftertaste:
After a few drinks, Bailey just couldn't taste anything but the bitter apples. She was somewhat disappointed  with this cider and ranked it with a 1/5 apples. Hawke agreed that the aftertaste was just a very strong sourness and a bit vinegary. He also gives it a 1/5 apples.

Price:
$10-12. We got about 4 glasses out of it. Bailey thinks that the price of this cider does not match the quality by far. She gives it a 2/5 apples. Hawke was thinking the same thing, giving it a 2/5 apples.

Overall:
In our opinions, this cider was a very low performer compared to some of the others we have rated. However, we realize that there are some liquors out there for people who like sour tastes (pucker comes to mind.) So if you wish you could blend up some sour patch kids and eat them, this might be the cider for you. When it comes to apples, Bailey strongly feels like this cider did not do a good job of representing flavor. Who knows though, maybe this is the flavor they really enjoy in Spain.



Hawke gives this cider 13/25 apples, or a red apple.

Bailey also gives this a 13/25 apples, or a red apple.