Crispin Honey Crisp Artisanal Reserve

This week Hawke and I tasted a cider that I have been very pumped about. For this variety, Crispin uses apple wine smoothed with organic honey. Honestly, they had Bailey at apple wine, the honey did make her eyes gleam with excitement though. It says on the website that wine can be a mix of 3 to 5 different apple varieties. You can check out their full line at : http://www.crispincider.com/cider/

Color:

After pouring a glass, Bailey remarked that it resembled a light Chardonnay. Hawke agreed, adding that it also is close to the color of a light Champagne. It is a bit cloudy, but from reading up on this particular cider, it's supposed to be that way because of the unfiltered apple wine used to make it.

Bailey:  4/5 Apples

Hawke: 4/5 Apples

Smell:

The aroma of this cider is quite delightful. Bailey was very happy with the boldness of sweet apples and a slight white wine smell. She didn't detect any of the honey, but Hawke said he could. He also commented that it smelled very crisp and fresh, but he felt it was lacking something.

Bailey:  5/5 Apples

Hawke: 3/5 Apples

Complexity / Flavor: 

Bailey took a hefty swig and got a surprise. This cider seemed to have a very overpowering flower, or blossom taste. There was almost a slight berry taste that couldn't quite be pinpointed. She was a bit disappointed in this. This means that the honey used came from the pollen of different flower strains and not clover, which is her favorite. Hawke picked up the apple wine flavor right away, and did not pick up any honey or sweetness. He thought the flavor was definitely lacking and not strong enough to impress him. 

Bailey: 2/5 Apples

Hawke: 3/5 Apples

Aftertaste: 

For Bailey, the very pungent flower and berry flavor gets stronger in the aftertaste. It completely voids any of the apple taste that she detected before. Hawke didn't get much of an aftertaste in this one, but did pick up a slight sweet fruit flavor.

Bailey: 2/5 Apples 

Hawke: 3/5 Apples

Price: $6-8

The alcohol is 6.5% abv. The price is fair, and if you like a more flowery bouquet (no pun intended) you will like this cider. Hawke thinks there is definitely room for improvement on this one.

Bailey:  4/5 Apples

Hawke:  4/5 Apples

Overall:

This one was a bit of a let down, however we would like to mention some determining factors. Obviously everyone's taste buds work a little differently. Where Bailey picked up flowers right away, Hawke did not taste them as much. So, just because we aren't over the moon for one of the ciders doesn't mean it's not worth trying. Also, because they are using honey as an ingredient, this means that each batch may not taste exactly the same. Since honey is made from pollen picked up by bees, each batch is going to be made from a different mixture of plants and flowers every time. It could be that this batch was not the best year for the honey they used. 

Bailey :  17/25 or a Yellow Apple

Hawke: 17/25 or a Yellow Apple:

Dupont Reserve

Hawke and Bailey came across this bottle of French hard cider at a local store and were immediately intrigued. The Dupont Reserve is just one of many products from Domaine Dupont. You may find all of their products including Ciders, Givre, and Calvados (an intriguing alcohol) on their website: http://www.calvados-dupont.com/
This particular hard cider has been aged 6 months in Oak Casks that were previously used to store Calvados.

Color:

Bailey was intrigued by the color of this cider. Pouring out the cider into a glass revealed a slightly cloudy, almost golden color. Hawke was curious about the the bright color. 

Bailey: 5/5

Hawke: 5/5

Smell:
 Hawke eagerly smelled the cider. Detecting a slight vinegary smell, but also gathering hints of apple, and possibly some wine. Bailey also detecting the apple smell, but also got a smell best described as blossom smelling. She also got a faint smell of alcohol. 

Bailey: 4/5

Hawke: 4/5

Taste:
 Wasting little time both had curious sips of the beverage. Bailey initially had a sour taste, filled with apples and again more blossom flavor. Hawke savored his drink, tasting a slightly bitter taste that was filled with a strong apple flavor. 

Bailey: 4/5

Hawke 4/5

Aftertaste:
Replacing the initial taste of the cider was the aftertaste. Hawke noted the taste turned to that of sweet taste, reminiscent of brandy. This makes sense as the cider was aged in Calvados casks. Bailey also got the sweet flavor, but detected more of a butter scotch taste. 

Bailey: 4/5

Hawke: 5/5 

Price:
 Both Hawke and Bailey are concerned about the price tag regarding this cider. At ~18-22 dollars a bottle, it is fairly pricey. Similarly, the bottle only fills about 4 glasses before being empty. Though at 6.9% ABV, Bailey feels that it is worth the price. 

Bailey: 3/5

Hawke: 2/5

Conclusion: Hawke and Bailey were both delighted by this cider. It is an excellent cider, though the price has some drawbacks. However, the Dupont Reserve is a recommended Cider. 

Bailey: 20/25 or a Green Apple

Hawke: 20/25 or a Green Apple

As always thanks for reading and Happy Valentines Day!

Original Sin Cherry Tree

This week Bailey and Hawke obtained a bottle of Original Sin Cherry Tree hard cider. This cider uses heirloom apples and tart cherries to create its' flavor. Made and bottled in Oregon, but the company is based in New York.

Color:

Hawke was immediately surprised by the color of this cider, a red clear cider, as opposed the traditional amber color. Bailey was also pleasantly surprised by the light cranberry color, in fact she thought you might mistake it for sparkling cranberry juice.
Hawke gives  5/5 Apples
Bailey gives 5/5 Apples

Smell:
The smell exuded by the drink is sweet, with a hint of cherry. Also present is the smell of alcohol, consistent with a wine smell. Other than its sweet smell, there is no direct apple smell from this Cider.
Hawke: 3/5 Apples
Bailey: 4/5 Apples

Complexity/Flavor:
The flavor on this cider is almost overwhelmingly cherry. The main flavor does feel to be real cherries, as opposed to artificial cherry flavoring which both Bailey and Hawke feared would be the case. It has a strong tart flavor, suggesting real cherries were used. Bailey was saddened as she couldn't taste any apples. Hawke noted that it would be more like a cherry flavored sparkling wine. Sadly, the flavor is not that complex and feels straight cherry throughout.
Hawke: 4/5 Apples
Bailey: 4/5 Apples

Aftertaste
As mentioned before, this cider is overwhelmingly cherry. Usually in most ciders the flavor changes to have an aftertaste as it slides down ones' throat. In this case, the change did not occur and the flavor was consistently cherry. While not a bad thing, it was not what was expected in an apple cider. Bailey was not pleased with this aspect of the cider. While Hawke was a bit more lenient as he assumed cherries are harder to work with due to the infrequent appearance in hard ciders.
Hawke: 3/5 Apples
Bailey: 1/5 Apples

Price:  $8-11 This hard cider comes in a 750ml bottle and 6.7 abv. Both Hawke and Bailey noted that it is strong cider, and the price is reasonable for what one receives.
Hawke: 5/5 Apples
Bailey: 5/5 Apples

Overall:
Hawke: 20/25 awarding this a Green apple.

Bailey: 18/25 awarding this a Yellow apple.

Samuel Smith's Organic Cider

Today Hawke and I review Samuel Smith's Organic Cider. This one comes all the way from Yorkshire, UK.
We couldn't find a website to link for this one, but if your palate perks up for more bitter tastes, you are going to like this one.

Color:
 Even though this one is organic, like the previous cider we reviewed, Samuel Smith's is filtered. The color is a very light blonde, with lots of bubbles rising to the top. Bailey gives this one a 5/5 apples for being very clear.

Hawke gives this one a 4/5 apples.

Smell:

Bailey took one whiff of this and was already disappointed. In her opinion, this smells more like champagne than a hard cider. It's very heavy on the alcohol smell and not much of apples. She gives it 3/5 apples. 

Hawke was reminded of non-alcoholic sparkling cider when he took his turn sniffing the glass. He did detect a slight twinge of apples. He also gives 3/5 apples for smell. 

Complexity / Flavor: 

When Bailey tipped the glass up, she was very surprised at the bitter flavor. This is where it started to really resemble a champagne more than a hard apple cider. There was barely any apple flavor present, and there really wasn't much complexity to the taste. She scores this with a 2/5 apples. 

Hawke also puckered a little after tasting this variety. He commented that he got a slight vinegar taste along with the alcohol, but also not much apple flavor. He rates it with a 2/5 apples.

Aftertaste:

Following the face that quite possibly looked like she had eaten a lemon, Bailey detected a very brief sweetness in the aftertaste, but it didn't linger more than a few seconds. This could have been the only time the apples were prevalent in the taste. She rates it with 2/5 apples.

Hawke did not get the sweetness in the aftertaste, but he did say that he thought he could very faintly taste apples. He also give this a 2/5 apples. 

Price: $5 - $7

Bailey commented that it seemed they got what they paid for. She would have been a bit upset if she had spent more money on the bottle. She gives it 4/5 apples. 

Hawke agrees, also rating it 4/5 apples.

Overall:

Now obviously we didn't enjoy this one as much as we have some of the others. In Bailey's opinion, this might be the PBR of the hard cider world, so there will be some of you out there who like it. Like we stated earlier, if you do enjoy a bitter tasting drink this one is for you. But it is cheap, so if that's a factor, it's not too bad. 

Bailey's overall: 16 / 25 apples

Hawke's Overall: 15 / 25 apples

J.K.'s Solstice Hard Cider Farmhouse Organic

Bailey and Hawke had received this bottle as a Christmas present from a friend. This cider is made specifically from organic apples, and it is unfiltered. It comes from a family owned farm in Michigan, and if you would like more information, here is their website:  http://organicscrumpy.com/index.html

Color: To our surprise when pouring out this cider we discovered a dark gold color. It has cloudiness to it, owing to its' unfiltered nature. Bailey was taken in by the color giving it a 5/5 as it was not very cloudy. Hawke was also impressed and giving it it a 5/5. He was impressed by how clear it was despite being unfiltered.

Smell: The smell of this cider is what sold us. It is quite potent, bringing Bailey into reminiscing about her younger days; Stating that it smells like an apple storehouse. Hawke was also impressed. The smell of apples was quite potent and there is a hint of fermentation behind it. Bailey: 5/5 Apples Hawke 4/5 Apples

Complexity/Flavor: The initial taste Hawke and Bailey received was that of fresh apples. Bailey thought of it is very sweet, with a little bitter flavor added into the mix. Hawke also thought of it as sweet, but detected more of a wine flavor in the concoction. For those that have had Apple Wine, this taste will seem quite familiar. Bailey scored it at: 4/5 Apples While Hawke did the same at 4/5 Apples.

Aftertaste: Despite the smooth flavor of the cider, there is a strong aftertaste. Bailey was critical of the strong alcoholic aftertaste. Hawke was also unsure about the aftertaste, feeling it was more like wine at the end, something he is not a fan of. The aftertaste does not linger in the mouth however. Bailey gave this 3/5 Apples As did Hawke.

Price:  $7-10. This is a fairly reasonable price. Especially considering the 6.9% ABV. As well, it only seems to come in one size bottle, rather than a 6 pack like many other brands.
Bailey: 5/5 Apples
Hawke: 5/5 Apples

Overall: Bailey comments that this would be a good summer variety, ideal for picnics. Her score adding to 22/25 or a Green Apple.

Hawke scored a 21/25 or a Green Apple as well.

Like all alcohol please Enjoy Responsibly. It should be noted however that this one has quite the kick to it. 

Enjoy 2012 Responsibly. Happy New Year!

Woodchuck: Winter Limited Release

With the winter season upon us we decided to open with a seasonal blend from Woodchuck Cidery. (Found at Woodchuck.com). The website states that this is a,

"Somewhere between a delicate snowflake drifting down to your tongue and a hard-packed snowball to the teeth, the power of this winter Cider is a balanced culmination of Premium French and Traditional American Oak, giving the cider great complexity and broad characteristics that neither style could produce on its own." 

Woodchuck is produced in Middlebury, Vermont, and although we were unable to find the variety of apples used in this cider, this cider almost certainly gets its' distinct flavor from the oak barrels it is stored in. 

Color:

      Winter Blend has a clear light caramel color to it representing a quality batch of cider. We used a Champagne flute to better showcase the color.

     Hawke and Bailey both agree that the color is excellent and rate this with a 5 out of 5 apples.

Smell:

     Bringing the bottles to our noses Bailey and I delighted in the scents that came our way. The blend has strong scent of oak. Underscoring this is a lingering scent of vanilla. 

     Hawke thinks the smell was a little overpowering and rates it with a 4 out of 5 apples.

     Bailey concludes that all the flavors blend together and get lost in the smell, rating it with a 3 out of 5 apples.

Complexity/Flavor: 

    Finally Allowing ourselves a chance to drink the cider, it trickled into us. Bailey delighted in the flavor as she relished the "woody, earthy taste, with a hint of vanilla. The subtly flows from a wood flavor to that of vanilla." 

    Hawke detected a strong wood flavor, which brought back fond memories of being in front of a fireplace with the cold wind blowing outside. He, unlike Bailey, did not pick up the exact taste of vanilla at the end, but did get a glimpse of sweetness.

    Hawke give the Complexity a 3 out of 5 apples.

    Bailey absolutely loves this one, so she will give it a 5 out of 5 apples.

Aftertaste:

    Several gulps later, reveling in the flavors and feeling very satisfied, we both pondered on the description of the aftertastes. Hawke said he got a smooth aftertaste rather than a crisp one, still bursting with the wood flavor.

    Bailey exclaimed that she felt like she was drinking a cider "champagne" of sorts. It's almost as if you get the sensation of small bubbles tickling your taste-buds. Bailey experienced a light and sweet aftertaste. 

    Hawke was expecting a more crisp aftertaste rather than smooth, so he rates this one with 3 out of 5 apples

    Bailey loved all the complex flavors of this blend and gives it a 4 out of 5 apples.

Price:

    In the range of $8-$11 depending on store and region.

    Hawke rates this very reasonable with a 4 out of 5 apples.

    Bailey agrees and will rate with the same 4 out of 5 apples.

Overall: 

    Altogether Hawke rates Woodchuck's Winter Limited Release with a 19 out of 25 apples.

    

    Bailey adds her score up to be 21 out of 25 apples. 

Judging of the Ciders

Hawke here. Judging a food or drink is not an easy task. Bailey and I went back and forth for a long time on the various aspects of cider that need to be judged and graded. Bailey with her research, myself with my gut instinct. In the end, we've narrowed it down to a few key categories that each cider shall be judged by.

Color:
-Cider's vary in color from clear, to murky. Ideally, a cider is of good quality is transparent, yet this is not always the case.

Smell:
-Just like flavor, the smell of the cider can be rich or exotic.

Complexity/Flavor:

-The taste of the cider is a integral part of the cider experience. Flavors can vary based on the conditions present and the ingredients used. An example being: Cider made from Granny Smith Apples can have a strong bitter flavor compared to those made from Macintosh apples.

Aftertaste:
-After the cider slides down the throat, it leaves behind a particular taste to please the taste-buds, this can be a strong taste, to a subtle one.

Price:
-Very Important. A hard cider has to be well worth the price that it commands on the shelf.

Overall:
-The total of our thoughts and opinions on the cider. All the previous categories are worth 5 apples for a total of 20. The overall score are these "apples" combined. The 0-10 range will be represented with a red apple. A rating between 10-20 with result with a yellow apple. Finally, anything that makes the 20-25 range will get a shiny green apple!