Grower's Best Organic Apple Cider

Where purchased:
When I started this blog, I thought I would review only hard ciders.  I changed my mind after a recent visit to the grocery store.  Kroger was having their 10 for $10 sale and one of the items was an organic apple cider, Grower's Best.  I thought I would give it a try as we needed a 10th item.  After I tasted it, I knew I needed to blog about it.

Setting the mood:
Truthfully, I love apple cider regardless of whether it is of the kid-friendly or adult-friendly variety.  Mulled, spiced, hot, cold, alcoholic or boxed - I want to try them all.  There is just something wonderful to me about an apple in a glass that captures my tastebuds, and this apple cider did just that.

The Company:

I was surprised to find out that Grower's Best was from TreeTop.  Surprisingly, the brand does not have its own website but is supported under the TreeTop site.  The opening page allows you to enter the UPC and Product numbers from your particular bottle to find out more.  When I did this, I found out the following from mine:

FRUIT VARIETY	LOCATION
Fuji Apple	Lake Chelan Yakima Valley
Gala Apple	Lake Chelan Yakima Valley
Honeycrisp Apple	Columbia Gorge Lake Chelan Yakima Valley
Red Apple	Columbia Gorge Yakima Valley

BOTTLING DATE	LOCATION
Oct 07, 2011	Selah, WA

Pretty cool!  The apples are all 100% USA sourced and they are certified organic by Washington State Department of Agriculture (here's hoping they have good standards).  The ingredient list is too complicated for words: organic apple juice.  That's it.... I love it!  Also of nutritional note, the bottle is one serving and not two and is 150 calories, which is about what a bottle of hard cider would cost me.  On with the review!

Reflections:

I loved this cider.  It had a pure apple taste that was smooth and inviting.  I love having different drinks in the fridge for afternoon treats and pick-me-ups, and this is one that I will be adding to the list.  It is on the sweet rather than tart side of the apple scale.  My product tracking information about the particular batch I bought suggests that this is from the inclusion of the Fuji, Gala and Honeycrisp apple varieties.  Honeycrisp are actually my favorite variety hands down (great on a salad with arugula and strawberry balsamic vinaigrette btw).  I'm interested to see what my next bottle will be made from and how much that changes the taste.


Tidnab's sip:

Um... he didn't get one :)

Scoring:

Sweetness: 9
Tartness: 6
Smoothness: 9
Fruit flavor: 10
Carbonation: 0 (there isn't any)
Alcohol content: 0 - kid safe!
Bottle Size: 10 fl. oz.
Price: $1


Overall: 10 - I can't wait to have another bottle

Apricot Pear by Fox Barrel

Where purchased:
I picked up a four pack of these at Total Wine.  The price was moderate, about what I would expect for a four pack of craft ciders.

From the Fox Barrel Website

The Company - Fox Barrel:
Earlier this month, I reviewed the Fox Barrel Blackberry Pear cider. The company stresses its use of only pear cider with no additional additives.  I also like the lack of preservatives as well.  And, of course, it is gluten free.  Here's a quote from their site about the differences with their cider: "Filtered cold for extra purity and infused with natural apricot juice. With no added malt, spirit, grape or apple alcohols colorants, sugar, sorbate or benzoate preservatives."

Setting the mood:
I wanted to enjoy this cider in several different circumstances before I reviewed it.  Fox Barrel's  Blackberry Pear while a delightful cider was a bit harsh unless over ice and I was not sure it would go with most meals.  This time, I wanted to try the Apricot Pear cider both with and without food.  I drank a bottle while gaming one night and consumed two on different nights during dinner.

Reflections:
I found this cider to be different in several ways from the Fox Barrel Blackberry Pear cider.  First, this one is great right from the bottle.  When I game, I prefer the ease of grabbing a cider from the fridge and going to play.  The carbonation is not overwhelming and the flavors are easily discernible without a glass and ice. 

Second, I found that this cider's flavor pairs better with food than the Blackberry.  The apricot was good with the spicy brats we had as well as pizza.  I could taste the apricot but it didn't over-power my pallet and actually added a nice dimension.  Many ciders are not good with food because of their sweetness - this one was just right and I would definitely stock it in the fridge again for a 'with dinner' adult beverage.

I look forward to more flavor-infusions from Fox Barrel as I prefer pear ciders to apple, and they do a great job making a pure-pear one.

Tidnab's sip: He enjoyed it. I'm probably going to have to hide my last bottle.

Scoring:
Sweetness: 7
Tartness: 8
Smoothness: 7
Fruit flavor: 9
Carbonation: 7
Alcohol content: 5.5%
Bottle Size: 12 Fl Oz
Price: Medium

Overall: 8

A great tasting pear cider for multiple situations.

Crispin Honey Crisp

Purchasing:

While shopping at Total Wine & More, I saw this very attractive and eye-catching label.  I also happen to love mead, and the "honey" part of this one caught my attention (mead is honey wine).  I also liked the unfiltered aspect and the fact that the label talked about it being served over ice.  The 22 oz. bottle meant it was higher priced and one that I would have to enjoy on a two-cider night.

Setting the mood:

Tuesday is one of my long days at work, and this Tuesday was complicated by the need for me to vote in the city election.  After voting on a few local government seats, I checked 'yes I'd like to buy alcohol from a store on Sunday in my city' box and rushed home to cook dinner before rushing back to work.  At then end of my whirlwind working day, I arrived home to find out that my fair city had passed the Sunday alcohol sales bill and decided to celebrate with my hubby.  I also decided to share my Crispin Honey Crisp with him - it was that or forfeit it - and that wasn't going to happen.

The company:

Crispin is associated with Fox Barrel, but I am not entirely certain in what ways or if they have the same parent company.  Fox Barrel produces pear ciders and Crispin apple ciders - so perhaps that may be the reason for two different division names.  On their website, Crispin describes themselves as, "Always true to the apple, Crispin Hard Ciders naturally fermented in the USA use fresh pressed apple-juice, not from apple juice concentrate, from a premium blend of US West Coast apples, with no added malt, grape wine or spirit alcohol. Crispin’s unique USA produced ciders are smoothed with pure apple juice or from natural sugar sources like organic honey or organic maple syrup, and contain no added colorants, sorbate or benzoate preservatives."

Reflections:

My husband brought me my half of this cider in the bottle, and it was then that I realized two things: 1) that you are suppose to "give a full bottoms-up tilt and swirl to disperse residual apple-wine sediment evenly" and 2) serve over ice.  I did not get to mix the cider as I realized the need for this as I was pouring it over ice and glancing at the bottle.  I believe we bought two of these, and I plan on trying the full bottoms-up tilt and swirl next time I drink it.

Over all this cider has an amazing apple taste to it.  The aftertaste is particularly wonderful and pleasant on the palette with a hint of pure apple.  The taste was as if I had eaten fresh apple - so their claims about taking great care of the apple are true!

Crispin is a good name for this brand as it has a crisp and refreshing flavor.  Also, the cider is sweet but not cloyingly so, and I think you could drink it with dinner or with dessert.  Actually, I think it would be nice with spicy foods to calm the heat down.  I would also say that for me, this cider has the perfect amount of carbonation - even when I took a sip straight from the bottle, I wasn't over-whelmed.  

On their website they do mention that they do NOT use honey crisp apples in this cider - even though it has the variety's name on the label.  Honey crisp apples are by far mine and Tidnab's favorite, but they explain that they just don't make good cider. The name does come from their use organic honey combined with their apple cider for this artisanal reserve flavor. 

Overall, I would say that this is a very wine-like cider and that the taste is true to its apple beginnings.

Tidnab's sip: "I liked it" -hopefully, I'll get more out of him on this one the next time around!

Scoring:

Sweetness: 8

Tartness: 7

Smoothness: 9 over ice

Fruit flavor: 10

Carbonation: 8

Alcohol content: 6.5%

Bottle Size: 22 Fl. Oz.

Price: High

Overall: 9

I love this cider, and hope to keep it as a regular in our 'beverage' fridge.

Here's a YouTube video from the company about Honey Crisp - I'm really not sure of the point, but I like the music clip and want the fake ice cubes in it! Cheers!

Blackberry Pear by Fox Barrel

Purchasing:
I don't often buy cider when we go out, but since we were at Taco Mac, I thought it would be in the spirit of their establishment.  There are several different 'flavors' of Fox Barrel available, but I had not tried this one.

Setting the mood:
A group of us helped a good friend clean out her garage and then take three truck loads over to Goodwill!  We adjourned to Taco Mac to enjoy each other's company - and for some of us, a refreshing adult beverage.

The company:
Fox Barrel is a California company that uses west coast pears in their creations that breaks their products into three categories:  Black Label, Cidery Reserves, and Limited Releases.  Their ciders are Pear based, not apple and this one is infused with blackberries. Their big selling point is that they don't use concentrate.

Reflections:
The first sip hit my mouth intensely.  This cider has a fair amount of carbonation and less sweetness than I usually like.  The carbonation and bite took over my pallet and I couldn't taste the pear or the blackberry very well.  I asked for a cold glass and some ice to pour it over - and viola! it tasted much better.

Once over the ice, I could taste the pear and the blackberry.  It also eased the carbonation.  I would suggest drinking it in a glass at the very least if you try this one.  Overall I like the flavoring of the blackberry and that I didn't get an 'apple' taste.  I'm still surprised about the difference of the cider from in the bottle to in the glass - and I will have to remember this the next time I try a Fox Barrel or any other cider that is too carbonated for me from the bottle.

Some people wonder about me pouring it over ice.  I picked that up in Ireland where they serve Bulmer's (better known as Magner's in the US) over ice.  At first I thought it was nuts, but when I saw the old timers doing it, I figured they must know something.  The ice mellows out the cider while keeping it at a good cold temperature.  For the most part (bananas not withstanding), I like my fruit cold, and so I like my cider the same.

Tidnab's sip:
Tidnab really liked this one straight from the bottle, as did Gariath.  Both wanted more, and I had to guard my bottle.  I think both of them enjoyed their first sip more than I did, but both are beer drinkers and may be more accustomed to 'from the bottle' sipping than I am.

Scoring:
Sweetness: 7
Tartness: 9
Smoothness: 7
Fruit flavor: 6 from the bottle, 9 in a glass
Carbonation: 10
Alcohol content: 5%
Bottle Size:
Price: Moderately High

Overall: 8
I may buy a bottle or two from Total Wine and try a 'first sip' from a glass!

Kopparberg Pear

Purchasing:
When I saw the Kopparberg Pear bottle in our local Total Wine store, I was very excited.  I had not seen it in the US and had good memories of drinking it in Ireland and Norway.  I grabbed two 500ml bottles, and tried not to think about the price.

Setting the mood:
I've had a hellish week, and yesterday (Friday) I figured I deserved something special for surviving - Kopparberg was my reward.  While my husband and I played WoW, I enjoyed this cider.

Reflections:
This Swedish cider comes in just the right size bottle for my light-weight drinking abilities.  One is enough to make me feel good and relaxed.  Pear ciders are my top choice, and Kopparberg Pear is probably my very favorites.  In Norway, where prices are extremely high for almost everything, I paid $9-12 a bottle at a bar or restaurant.  At Total Wine, I believe it was in the $3-4 range, so the price is high enough that I cringe when choosing a bottle for my six pack variety.

It's smooth and sweet - almost too sweet, which is hard since I like a very sweet cider.  The pear flavor is prominent and you know you're drinking a pear cider and not an apple cider.  If this cider fall short anywhere it is in tartness and carbonation.  If the tartness was turned up just a wee-bit, then I would call this the perfect pear and maybe perfect cider out there.  Overall, I think most people would enjoy trying Kopparberg Pear, but many would find it too sweet.  It's a great dessert or stand-alone drinking cider, but not a good one to enjoy with a meal.  The sweetness and lower carbonation just doesn't pair well with savory foods.

Tidnab's sip:
My husband, Tidnab, is a beer drinker, but he likes a good cider too.  I let him have a sip of this one - a sacrifice on my part - and I had to grab the bottle back.

Scoring:
Sweetness: 10
Tartness: 7
Smoothness: 10
Fruit flavor: 10
Carbonation: 8
Alcohol content: 4.5%
Bottle Size: 500ml
Price: High

Overall: 9 

I can't wait to have it again...

I'll have a cider please...

I'm not much of a beer drinker, but you give me a cider and I'm a happy girl.  I wanted a place to record my explorations into the sweet side of brewed beverages and this it.

Please, feel free to share with me your finds in the cider world.
 ~Fidelma