Week 41 in The Year of Drinking Adventurously. Ice Cider. (*buzzer sound* Fail!)
Ok, not totally. I am going to talk about cider this week. And next week, thanks to a new friend of mine, I am going to revisit Spanish cider. Ice cider is mainly a Canadian product, with a few varieties available from producers close to the Canadian border – like Vermont and New Hampshire. Unfortunately, much like my experience last week, the Fascist liquor store and beer distributor didn’t carry any of these styles of cider, either. However, I picked up a sampler 12-pack of Angry Orchard ciders to try. Although, there are a plethora of other cider producers to choose from, I went with the AO because our guide recommended their Ice Cider as one of his picks. So in my mind, I am sort of sticking to the plan. I hope that made sense. I’m thinking it didn’t…
In my 12-pack, of which I am currently on bottle 2, are the following types: a dry cider, a light cider, a crisp cider and an apple cinnamon cider. I started with the dry cider. Right out of the gate, I am wishing I bought something else.
My first cider experience was with Bulmer’s Irish cider on my first trip to Ireland. The Bulmer’s brand is available here in the USA but it is marketed under the name Magner’s and I have no idea why. I am rather fond of the Magner’s/Bulmer’s cider, not only because it is delicious and apple-y, it conjures good memories of drinking in the afternoon, whilst sitting outside of The Huntsman Inn at the end of Lough Italia (part of Galway Bay), with the sun setting over the Atlantic Ocean, and dreaming of fairy princes and giants tossing rocks into the sea to make The Aran Islands….
What was I saying? Right. The dry cider, which I think is supposed to be an English style cider was rather flavorless. The second one I tried was the crisp cider. This was better but still… On to the next. The light cider. (I am writing this in real time. Aren’t you the lucky ones? Ha!) The light cider is about as flavorless as the dry cider, but has a little more sweetness. I’m really not impressed. Ah, well, win some, lose some. I think we’re done here. The cinnamon cider can wait. (For my unsuspecting girlfriends upon whom I will foist it.)
I hope Lula found some ice cider in her neck of the woods. Next week, if the postal service doesn’t inspect the package too closely, I’m anticipating a Basque Cidre from my friend Javier.
I have had very little experience with cider though I have a friend in the UL who grows and makes her own apple cider and I keep planning to order it from her. Thank you for the critique it’s very helpful. Enjoy your adventures!
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That sounds like a fabulous idea! You will have to let me know how you like it when you try it. 🙂
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I will. I will also let you know where I got it. This lady has a small business selling her cider but I can’t think of it’s name. I will have to go back to the poetry site where I found her !
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That’s great! Thank you!
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Oh gosh…I love cider. Especially on a hot day. I really enjoy drinking cider 4 days a year. Lol. Also-have you tried Ice wine? Very sweet…too sweet. Its a dessert wine. Not for me…please pass the Port! 😉
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I have tried ice wine and I agree, too sweet. Not for me!
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I mean…I like sugar but come.on. 😉
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Ice Cider is insanely sweet, that’s what the whole freezing process is for; just like for ice wines. The only one I’ve ever had is by Angry Orchard and it was called Iceman (http://www.angryorchard.com/our-ciders/cider-house-collection/iceman).
I can’t say I particularly enjoyed it as I shy away from cloying drinks. I do believe is available year-round, but not sure which markets carry it.
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That is the one I was looking for. The Canadian ciders are nowhere to be found around here. I knew I could find Angry Orchard locally, at least, but no one carried the Iceman. This was a big letdown week, so I’m really looking forward to the cidre for next time!
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I enjoy a good, tart cider. Like mejiajav, I find ice cider a little too sugary (when it overpowers the tartness, that’s it for me). The horror film fan in me has been looking for Blake’s Black Phillip Cider everywhere, but I can’t find it locally. It sounded promising with its blood orange and cranberries (like a wicked holiday beverage ). Guess I’ll just have to make that stuff at home this year.
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Yes, I’ve heard cider isn’t too hard to make at home. Might give it a try myself!
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We had bloody hundreds of apples from next door’s tree that overhangs our garden so we looked into making cider (we are rather fond of it).
Turns out it’s far too much of a pain in the arse to do as a small one-off so we didn’t bother. Mind you, we’re easily put off if we don’t know what we’re doing!
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i need to get that book, that sounds like a fun project.
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It has been a lot of fun. And I think the author is doing a follow up, or a revised edition, soon.
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This sounds perfect for fall – much better than pumpkin beer!
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My feelings exactly. Cider is fantastic for fall!
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I have your same thoughts on AO. It is the coors light of cider; for people who want to “think” they are drinking cider. It’s a shame it’s taken over the market instead of real, good cider.
My fail was slightly more indulgent that yours and there was no cider in sight. You get credit for making the attempt.
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I’m sorry I bought it, I like cider but this stuff was awful. I should’ve stuck to what I know and like or at a minimum tried a British cider, for something different. Ah well…
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There are some amazing ciders coming out of the Pacific North West. See if you can find any of those in your fascist stores.
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Ahahaha! Ok, good idea!
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I can’t say I’ve ever really been a fan of cider, but I haven’t tried all that many. There’s a great orchard about 45 minutes north of us though, in southern Indiana, that makes their own, along with numerous wines. I like theirs, especially when on a hay ride or around a bonfire. Just fits the season. Most of the mass produced ones are pretty blah. I think Lula’s description is spot on: the Coors Light of ciders. 😃
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Ugh, I know. Huge mistake. I shouldn’t have gotten sucked in by the book recommendation of the Iceman cider from AO. Faulty reasoning! 😀
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Live and learn, right? I think the small orchards who produce their own are much, much better anyway. 😃
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Its true! We have a great orchard near us, I should try making my own. I understand it’s not that difficult.
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I’ve never tried making cider. When I was in college though, we used to make our own wine in one of the tubs in our frat house. It was horrible…but effective. 😃
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Oh that’s funny! We make our own beer, so I’m thinking it can’t be any harder tan that. 😀
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I thought y’all did. I’d think it’s easier than beer or wine.
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We love a nice cider (visited Henry Westons cider factory last year – yum!) but tend to stick with standard Strongbow / Olde English / Bulmers in pubs that don’t have the oak-aged bottled products.
Apparently, the reason why it’s ‘Magners’ outside Ireland is because Bulmers Ireland is not the same company as Bulmers in the UK, one of the biggest makers of bottled cider.
And what is it with this new fashion of sticking ice in cider? Stop it! (Unless it’s not already chilled and it’s a hot day, of course).
My first bout of drunken vomiting came after drinking about four or five pints of Woodpecker cider (cheap and sweet, I don’t think they make it anymore). Happy times…
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Aha! There’s my answer. I wondered about the Bulmers/Magners. I should try the Strongbow, that is available locally. I rather like cider. And I’m looking forward to trying the Spanish Cidre I missed last week.
We have a brand in the US called Woodchuck cider… 😀
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Strongbow is ok, but only as mass market chuck-it-down-yer-neck stuff. The stuff that’s matured in massive oak barrels (usually ex-Sherry barrels) for several months is so much smoother and tastier. This stuff: http://www.westons-cider.co.uk/shop/henry-westons/_product/6/henry-westons-vintagebr-12x500ml/
😀
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Excellent! I’ll have a look for it!
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I’m assuming you are talking alcoholic cider here, which I’ve never heard of. Oh, except for hard cider, of course, which I tend to pour down the drain. Maybe I’ve put rum in hot cider once or twice before. Ha ha. You are a very adventurous drinker, Meg. The variety pack sounded like a good idea. Sorry it was so disappointing. On to the next adventure…. 🙂
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I came across this weird anomaly last year. Apparently a lot of Americans think cider is some kind of soft drink, when to everyone else it’s usually more potent than most beer. If you ever come over to the UK we’ll get you smashed on it 🙂
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Yes, it’s around 5% alcohol or stronger. Woo hoo!
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At least 5% and often around 8%.
Woo (hic!) hoo indeed…
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😀
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Not that we’re encouraging irresponsible drinking of course. We are getting on a bit these days 😉
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Ha ha ha. I plan to get there some day!!! I’m a sleepy drunk though, so I have to limit myself to one. To Americans, cider is more like natural apple juice without all the processing – just mashed right out of the apples with a big press 😀
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I don’t go much beyond 2 myself (particularly when drinking pints of reasonably strong stuff). Gettin’ old!
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Yes, hard cider, alcoholic cider si really very good, depending on the brand. Obviously, I should’ve stuck to the one I know or tried an English variety instead. Ah, well, live and learn!
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All part of the adventure, Meg.
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Meg, what a disappointment. I think I would avoid the cinnamon cider too! Thank goodness for the memories of the Bulmer’s cider! ~ Mia
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I did try a ginger-spiced cider at the local pub’s beer & cider weekend last year. Quite nice for the first few sips but a third of a pint was too much
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Love the spiders with the apples: neat! I am behind with my blogging … but the housework is mostly done. Crazy trying to look after a house and a cat: it doesn’t leave much time for anything else. Sympathies and understanding to all women world-wide.
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You have your priorities straight! The home and the cat will not wait! 😃 I’m a little behind today too. Glad to hear you are managing though.
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Clare calls regularly and other friends keep in touch. We have our literary group tonight at 7, with a guest. Tomorrow I have Molly Maid and a carpenter in. That should be fun. Another visit planned for Thursday and lunch with a friend on Friday. I guess I’ll do some Spanish cooking. Busy, busy, busy.
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Nice! Sounds like you have an enjoyable week ahead. And Spanish cooking? Wonderful!
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Up early tomorrow for carpenter and breakfast. It’s going to be a fun couple of days.
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It’s called Magners in N.Ireland too, strangely enough. Prefer Stella Cidre and many other Irish cidres before it though.
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Thanks for the recommendation, I’ll try to find it locally!
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Bunkers is marketed in the U.K as Magniers as that is the name of the manufacturers, hence for export it is under license as Magniers. Hope that clarifies this matter for you Meg.
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Aha, ok makes sense. It’s he only cider I had tried to this point. Any recommendations? Or not a cider guy? I have a Basque cidre being sent to me.
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Bulmers is the best, Orchid Theives is proving competition but it is very sweet and is popular with 18-25 mainly female demographic
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I don’t care for sweet drinks so I’d give that a pass
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Bulmers is the best over ice cider
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That’s the way I first tried it. But I’ve also had it on draft
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I prefer the pint bottles
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I only find the 12 oz bottles here. I’m thinking of attempting to make hard cider at home. There’s an orchard near here.
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Ha, I was hoping your post would devolve as you kept drinking but I guess it’s good you didn’t like them too much. I normally hate cider but I tried Citizen Cider, Unified Press and it was good. It’s local to VT. I hope you like the Spanish one!
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Yeah, just couldn’t do it. If I’d had a better cider… 😜 I find it strange that I can’t find some more domestic ciders. I’ll have another look for the Citizen Cider.
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