Kopparberg Naked Apple

We're revisiting a favorite brand with a new variety that I haven't tried yet, Kopparberg Naked Apple!

Kopparberg
The Brewery was reestablished in 1994 but its roots go back to the original brewery founded in 1882. Located in central Sweden, they are the main employer for its town of 4000 people. I first tried Kopparberg in Norway, and I have fond memories of sipping the Strawberry/Lime in Oslo. On their website they describe the Naked Apple cider as "stripped back so it actually looks and tastes like apples, without all the orange colors and oaky flavors found in other apple ciders."

Where Purchased:
Wise Owl Growler's near Town Center in Kennesaw

A locally owned growler store that has a knowledgable staff and a wide selection of beer. They have several ciders available in bottles, and this was a new one from Kopparberg for me.
Setting the Mood:
Our street was a sheet of ice during Atlanta's first 'snow-in' of the seaons, so Tidnab and I enjoyed a day of fur baby snuggles. I decided it was 5 o'clock somewhere at lunchtime. A nice fresh salmon salad and Ghost Hunters on the TV, it was time to enjoy some relaxing and a cider.

Reflections:
This cider is different than the other Kopparbergs I have enjoyed. Less sweet, than others from this brewery, I didn't find anything unique to make this cider stand out and worthy of the $5.99/bottle price tag. At just over a pint (500ml), the bottle is bigger than most and the carbs come in at 25 for the whole bottle.

Tidnab's Sip: Tidnab loves the strawberry/lime Kopparberg but found this one ok. In his words, "not too sweet, has an alcohol taste, definitely a hard cider."

Scoring:
Sweetness: 5/10
Right smack in the middle. Unlike other ciders from Kopparberg, which are much sweeter, it was a refreshing change and fit the name of 'Naked Apple.'

Tartness: 7/10
This cider was on the tart side, but not in an exciting way. I like my ciders more complex, and the 'naked' quality of this cider has it coming up short in complex flavor notes.

Smoothness: 4/10
The alcoholic taste of this cider takes away from the smoothness.

Fruit flavor: 3/10
The apple taste is not distinctive and the most prominent aspect is the tartness. Again, it lives up to the name of "naked apple," but I'm not sure that it is in a good way.

Dryness: 5/10
Not particularly dry, so if that is your thing, you may or may not like this one.

Carbonation: 8/10
Lots of carbonation in this bottled cider. The carbonation is good - maybe too good but would be perfect paired with hot wings.

Container & Size: 500ml bottle

Overall: 5/10

Meh, pretty much sums up this cider for me. It is a good solid cider, but the taste doesn't stand out which makes the price tag a bit too much for my wallet. Spicy food with more complex flavor notes would make the simplicity of this 'naked' cider stand out better. I may try it again, but at the $5.99 price tag it will have to be the perfect setting.

McKenzie's Original On Tap

I went into my first beer growler store - Wise Owl Growlers - in Kennesaw and was pleasantly surprised to find a couple of ciders on tap. After trying their selections I bought a small grower of McKenzie's Original.

Growler & Game Night!

You can find out more about McKenzie's cider at their website. They've been in business since 2011 and are manufactured in upstate New York.

Where Purchased:
Wise Owl Growler's near Town Center in Kennesaw

A locally owned growler store that has a knowledgable staff and a wide selection of beer. They always have two ciders on tap and several others available in bottles. Check them out if you are local!

Setting the Mood:
Time for some RPG'ing as our group of regular suspects gathered together to play Pathfinder. After dinner break, I decided a cider was in order.

Reflections:
I love this cider. It was sweet but not too sweet with just a hint of tartness at the end. It is smooth with hardly any hint that it is alcoholic. Beware, you'll be guzzling this one down before you know it. 

Tidnab's Sip: Because I bought a growler he got more than a sip this time. To say he loved it would be an understatement. His glass was empty before he knew it.

Scoring:
Sweetness: 6/10
Refreshing is the word I would use to describe this cider. It's on the sweet side of neutral, just right for my taste.

Tartness: 4/10
I like a little bit of tartness in my ciders, so for me a 5 is perfect. If you like a tart cider versus a sweet one, you may not be as happy with McKenzie's as I am. For me, this is almost the perfect amount of tartness.

Smoothness: 10/10
 One of the smoothest ciders I have ever had. I could drink it like water, and that would be bad.

Fruit flavor: 7/10
Taste reminds me of honey crisp apples with a second note of granny smith for the tartness.

Dryness: 3/10
If you are looking for a dry cider, you will want to go elsewhere.

Carbonation: 6/10
Good carbonation but not so much you think you are drinking a soda instead of a cider. Since it was a growler, I'm not sure how much this effected the carbonation. We drank it within a few days of purchase. I need to find it in bottles to taste the difference ;)

Alcohol content: 6%

Container & Size: I got a small growler!

Overall: 10/10

The hubby and I loved this one. When we both went to the Wise Owl Growler together we decided to purchase a big growler this time of the same. McKenzie's has several other varieties and I'm anxious to try more.

Let me know if you've tried McKenzie's!

Woodchuck's Barrel Select Private Reserve

Woodchuck's Barrel Select Private Reserve (hence forth WCBSPR) wins the worst name award, luckily what's inside the bottle is better than its name. I do like the label and matching packaging, but it doesn't speak to the complexity of what is inside waiting for you.

Photo from Woodchuck website

Setting the mood:
This review is brought to you by the power outage last night at mine and Tidnab's house.  Originally, I had pulled this one out to enjoy while we played WoW (Sunday nights is raid night for those in the know).  Sometimes being a healer in a group of 25 people is not the most relaxing endeavor, so I thought WCBSPR might help.  Before we had time to start playing, the power suddenly went out.  About half our street was dark, and the power company took two hours to get us back up and running.  By then, we were on our way to bed and I had long finished my WCBSPR.

Photo from Woodchuck webiste

The company:
Woodchuck is a Vermont brewery focused on local sourcing and the environment.  The more I read, the more I liked them.  So, check out their webpage to find out more - but I'll give you the basics.  Water and power conservation are priorities for them.  They are working to use less water (1 gallons/1gallon of cider) and working with the local power company to reduce usage during peak times.  They also buy locally grown apples, print their labels on recycled paper, and use (25% of their total usage) power generated by cow um...patties.  Pretty cool in my book.  They also have a wide variety of products, many of them seasonal, for our enjoyment (well, mostly).  Woodchuck was one of the first ciders I tried years ago.  Their website walks you through how cider is made and links to their store where the metal sign pictured at right can be found along with glasses, t-shirts and how to make custom labels.

WCBSPR is a seasonal release for Woodchuck.  Bottled for release in December if you find any hanging out at your local store - buy it now.  They refer to it as their "ultra-limited" cider, and I can see why.  Its aged in white oak Kentucky bourbon barrels, which gives it a unique taste.  I've included their seasonal calendar at the bottom for those that are interested.

Where purchased:
Total Wine - I bought some singles but after trying it grabbed their last six-pack.


Reflections:
WCBSPR has a special place in my cider bytes' heart next to Crispin's Stagger Lee (see my review of it here).  Though I'm not a big fan of Jack Daniels or other Kentucky bourbons my love of Irish whiskey does give me an appreciation for their taste.  The first sip of WCBSPR is like a mellow sip of Kentucky whiskey.  The notes of smell are there - but not in the way where your nose feels like the alcohol will burn it.  It's light and rich and full-flavored.  I adore this cider it's fabulous straight from the bottle and still has a rich taste after it warms up.  I wouldn't call it refreshing or crisp, but I would call it mellow and jazzy.  Since it is made in Kentucky bourbon barrels, maybe I should say bluegrassy, but it can transport you and make your cider sipping feel like a luxury experience.  I have to say sipping it in the dark made the power outage tolerable.

Tidnab's sip:
He didn't get one this time, but last time I had to pry the bottle from his hand.

Scoring:
Sweetness: 8
Tartness: 6
Smoothness: 10
Fruit flavor: 7
Dryness:6
Carbonation: 8
Gluten free: Yes!
Alcohol content: 6.9%

Calories 250
Container & Size:12 oz. bottle
Price: six-pack about $12

Overall:10 - Wonderful - if you don't like bourbon/whiskey you might not be as impressed.

From Woodchuck's website

Blackthorn - I should've known

I'm back in black - well, I should say I'm back drinking Blackthorn cider. This particular cider bytes experience made me realize a few things. First, I don't like dry ciders. Looking at my review template, I realize this shouldn't be shocking as I have no ratings for 'dry.' I'm going to fix that and add one, but I'm a sweet girl - and I like my ciders that way, so read my thoughts and adjust according to your taste! Secondly, I'm not fond of cider being delivered in a can and I will start to note the cider delivery mechanism (aka packaging) as well. Now, on with the review.

Where purchased:
Total wine - my favorite cider purchasing store. 

Setting the mood:
I got home after a long day filled with a workshop that really needed help to a great dinner followed by some WoW time with my husband and friends.  I grabbed a Yuengling for Tidnab and the Blackthron cider for myself.  Now, when I play WoW and enjoy a cider, I usually keep it in the bottle/can because I'll be sipping (unless things are going REALLY bad) and I don't want to have it over ice and have it melting before I'm done.  So, I'm drinking out of a can... blah!

The company:
Blackthron is made in the UK using mostly local products.  Here's what their website says about their apple sourcing - it made me a happy girl!

"We have long term relationships with 68 local growers from Somerset, Devon, Dorset and Herefordshire where all the finest cider apples come from.  We are also the biggest employer in Shepton Mallet and over 90% of our fruit comes from within 50 miles from here."


I really like the local sourcing utilizing so many growers.  They are obviously having an impact on their community and that can play a big factor when I'm choosing a cider.  I like my money to go to companies that care. They also support local sport clubs - another thumbs up for them! 


One thing I can't figure out is who is the company behind Blackthorn.  A brief look at the Wikipedia page about them says they are owned by Constellation Brands, who owns more than 200 spirit brands but Blackthorn is not listed on their website.  A look at the bottom of the Blackthron homepage points to Magners (the name for Irish Bulmers in any country but Ireland), so I wonder if they have been bought.  I'll just have to wait and see.


They have two ciders Blackthorn and Dry Blackthorn.  They describe the apples they use on their website as:
"We use a good number of ‘Bittersweet’ cider apples in our blend. Bittersweet cider apples have low acid levels and high tannins."


This helped explain to me why I'm not a fan of dry ciders anymore than I am of dry white wines - the tannins.  They add carbonated water to their mix along with sulfites.  If you are sensitive to them - skip this cider.  Now, on with my reflection and rating!

Reflections:
I was disappointed whey I popped the top on the cider - there was no sound to indicate any carbonation.  I'm not sure why I expected one, but I did, and I worried from the start my expectations wouldn't be met.  Also, I have discovered that I'm not a big fan of English ciders - my guess is because of the bittersweet apples.  If I want dry, I'll drink wine - which is actually what dry ciders remind me in the mouth feel and after taste.  The apple flavor was there but not over powering and the carbonation was very light.  I will say that as the evening progressed and the cider warmed up, I liked it better.  I might try it again in a bottle or over ice.

Tidnab's sip:
He had a beer and was playing in the other room - no sip for him!

Scoring:
Sweetness: 6
Tartness: 7
Smoothness: 7
Fruit flavor: 6
Dryness: 9

Carbonation: 6
Gluten free: Yes
Alcohol content: 6%
Container type & Size: 16.9 fl oz can
Price: I believe about $2.50

Overall: 6

Crispin - On TAP!

Yesterday, I had a most wonderful time at Jana Oliver's book signing for the third book in her Demon Trappers series, Forgiven.  After her talk and signing at Barnes and Noble, a group of us adjourned to the pub, Firkin and Gryphon for a celebratory dinner and drinks.  You can imagine my surprise when I saw Crispin Cider  - ON TAP! 

Jana's newly released book - the third in the Demon Trappers series!

I excitedly ordered my pint of Crispins and was asked if I wanted it over ice - woohoo!  A pub outside of Ireland that actually knew how to server cider.   I have to be honest, in Ireland they only give you ice with the bottled and can cider - if it is on tap, they just pour it straight.  Soon, my beautiful cider arrived and I marveled and drooled a little at the glass:

Notice the beautiful - Crispin - on the glass

The Compnay:

I've reviewed the Crispin/Fox Barrel company before, so I'll refer you back to my previous post for more about them but just know they use real apples and strive for excellent ingredients with no colorants, sorbate or benzoate preservatives. They are my current favorite of craft cider brewers.

Reflections:

It was lovely - it tasted exactly how I expected - crisp with a good, strong apple taste. The taste remained good through out my evening of chatting and dinner. It was smooth without the bite of other draught ciders. I would have one of these again in a heartbeat - matter-of-fact I would go back to the Firkin and Gryphon to do so!

Scoring:

Sweetness: 7

Tartness: 5

Smoothness: 9

Fruit Flavor: 8

Carbonation: 9

Gluten free: Yes!

Overall: 9

Amazing - and so happy to have another choice on draught!

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!