DeMunck's Belgian Style Hard Cider

A hiatus is a generally understood as a brief pause, but I think eleven months transcends that definition. I guess a blogging coma would be more apt of a description.

Well anyway, I emerge yet again from the wonderful world of cider for more reviews, more information, and of course, more apples. Although absent on here, my palate have been consistently blessed with all sorts of ciders and apple drinks, so I have not been neglecting that aspect at least. It's simply the process of me translating though taste impressions and opinion to digital text form. I hope not only my expansions of brands and hard ciders bring a refreshing update here, but my investigation of actual apples varieties as well.

I've been yearning lately for a particularly dry cider, to which I allege the transition of summer to autumn for the desire. Although, to note, I likely did not want dryness to the degree that Commonwealth Ciders Traditional Dry totes. I was just wanting of a cider that matched the sudden drop in temperature and brisk evenings, not overwhelming in its sweetness.

Through a relatively blind investigation, I stumbled into DeMunck's Belgian Style Hard Cider and although the color scheme reminds me of summer, the taste was just where I needed it to be. For explanation, the green shown on the front of the bottle is fairly lively and I can only find myself associating it with a humid early summer day. I get a somewhat organic feel from the slightly more discrete sunflower pattern and seemingly topographical pattern on the primary apple.

DEMUNCK'S BELGIAN STYLE HARD CIDER
http://www.demunckshardcider.com/

• Gluten Free
• ABV ~5%
• Calories ~ 134
• Carbohydrates ~ 10g
• Sugars ~ 8g

My first observation with DeMunck's is its color that surprised me, especially when compared against other ciders. I find the yellow is much softer than usual, the drink being a very light gold color and almost showing signs of a green tint. Visually it may not have the same hue as a majority of other ciders, although liquid color is hardly the most important remark. Fact: No artificial color in THIS cider. (Depressingly enough I touched up the color on the photo here, mostly for the plants in the back, so the color IS less saturated than shown)

The aroma is rather unique too, so I'll stress the differences which are really beginning to pile up. While I do, of course, smell the essence of apple, the scent seems to have another element to it as well. DeMunck's cider boasts using their Belgian Abbey Ale yeast for the fermentation, so this may be the culprit for these differences. I have to admit, the first senses drawn from this reaffirm the detailing on the bottle, a very natural and lacking artificial cider. There are no artificial colors and DeMunck's proudly claim its minimal ingredient list of hard cider, water, carbon dioxide, apple juice as a back sweetener, and sulfates for freshness.

With my rants aside, onto the crucial flavor aspect of DeMunck''s Belgian Style Hard Cider. I bring this full circle back to my aforementioned crave for dry. The first impact, naturally, is the carbonation from the beverage, a short kick to the taste buds to wake up. Once the premier burst of carbonation settles, you're left with a pleasant dry cider. It may sound strange, but my initial comparison is to a dry white wine. I shrugged it off as a bizarre thought at first, but upon the second taste, the thought recurs.

Next on Review: Stella Artois Cidre 

Commonwealth Ciders Traditional Dry

Next up on the to-drink list is a little more local, broadening our apple horizon to extend coast-to-coast from last week's west coasted Crispin Original. This next beverage originates from the Philadelphia area and does not span very much distance from the Philadelphia Brewing Company itself. The Commonwealth Ciders Traditional Dry is the object of our taste analysis and investigation today. Autumn has now officially begun and what better way to ring it in with some of the Philadelphia (cider) freedom?

COMMONWEALTH CIDERS TRADITIONAL DRY

http://everyhostservice.com/commonwealthciders/ 

ABV ~ 5%

Calories ~ 160

Carbohydrates ~ 8g   

Sugars ~ 1g

Gluten Free

So for a short precursor to the review, it seems only right to begin with a little name dissection as I feel it does a perfect job on leading towards the flavor intent of the brewery. For initial note, Commonwealth is a term predominately associated with the British Empire for a political community for the common good of the people and synonymous with republic. While I find myself detached from politics in a painfully ignorant way, the immediate bonding to a more traditional and authentic English taste for the brew is an exciting prospect. The point is obviously accentuated and driven home from the subtitle 'Traditional Dry' for the hard cider. It seems only right from the get go to expect distancing from the newer aged sweet ciders introduced in the United States or possibly a hybrid pulling elements between the two. 

The design is an object of interest, the case displaying a hearty blue and gold palette. The nonabrasive blue displays an intricate floral design with the color scheme on the softer side, not flaunting a crisp and modern feel for the cider. The label of the bottle, as beautifully seen below from our photographer, retains the same color and abandons the blue. The floral patterns persists, bringing what could be described as a 'homey' feel to the drink and without doubt akin to wallpaper I would expect to find in a small wooded cottage. 

Photography by Danielle

The drink itself is very lively and animated and of course, naturally served on ice as seen above. Upon pouring, the carbonation is one of the most notable characteristics to distinguish this from the rest of cider-kind. The color undoubtedly of an amber hue made for, if anything, a beautiful display. So far, visually stimulating without question.

To date, this is the most dry cider I've had grace my taste buds. As advertised and speculated above, this is to be a tribute to the traditional English cider, renowned for their flavor and dryness. For a brief background reference for taste, dryness is the absence of sweetness. The description of tart is paramount for taste, almost reminiscent of champagne in a strange sort of way. As an advocate of carbonation, Commonwealth Ciders Traditional Dry definitely tickles that fancy. The beverage is not only visually animated, but also on the taste buds, deeming it lively in its own right.

Overall, a refreshing change of pace in comparison to other ciders I've enjoyed and while it suites a few of my likes, I can't say that I would recommend it for all. The dryness could be overwhelming to those who have a sharp sweet tooth. Don't let that deter anyone, sweet or not it is a well crafted cider that boasts its individuality above the rest of apple-kind.

A homey well carbonated drink is never a sore presence in my glass.

Next on Review: California Ace

Crispin Original

So brings the first of apple-kind to be added to the list of the enjoyed and the not forgotten. Crispin Original Natural Hard Apple Cider, a recently popular cider hailing in from the western United States, is the beverage of discussion today. The word Crispin itself is a type of apple dubbed as Mutsu in Japan, priding itself as a hybrid of Golden Delicious and Indo apples. Before I dive into the flavor breakdown, let me supply you with some basic information regarding the cider.

CRISPIN ORIGINAL NATURAL HARD APPLE CIDER

http://www.crispincider.com/

• ABV ~ 5%
• Calories ~ 150
• Carbohydrates ~ 15g
• Gluten Free 
• Naturally Fermented

Of course it goes without saying that this lively beverage is to be served on ice, with the bottle even courteous enough to instruct you. This is a cider greeting us from the western United States and while this post is strictly with reference to original, they come in a wide array of flavors and varieties. The classics are deemed "Blue Line", including Crispin Original, Crispin Brut, and Crispin Light. Another line of Crispin Ciders are primarily specialty ciders under Barrel Aged, including but not limited to Bird on a Wire and Joan of Arc. If you're feeling more adventurous the Artisanal Reserves group contains Honey Crisp, The Saint, Lansdowne, and Cho-Tokkyu.

The fun fact for the lastly mentioned, is that it is actually a cider fermented naturally with Sake yeast. Although I would love nothing more than to try this, the closest instance of Cho-Tokkyu is 361 miles. What this this boils down to is if you're taking a roadtrip to Michigan, keep me in your thoughts. For the equation x² you can call me 2x due to the fact I just went off on a tangent.

Back to the cider at hand! Before I rattle on about tastes and sensations, I have to first address the design for the bottles and packaging. As an avid cider hunter within the past two years, I have found that my eyes have crossed over a healthy number of ciders. One of the strong suites of Crispin is the packaging. The design and packaging are very precise and crisp in their own way, hopefully intentionally emphasizing the crispness the brand prides itself on. It is a very definite arrangement, not very cluttered or prone to visual chaos. All of the Blue Line and Artisanal Reserves follow this design, only varying color as a means of identification. The label colors are very well suited to compliment the color of the liquid. I personally would say this to start with tops a great number of ciders as far as the design aspect is concerned.

Photography by Danielle

Now onto the essence of the cider, it pours to a very light color as far as applekind is concerned. As gorgeously seen above I started with a set of ice cubes and poured this lively drink into my glass, for it would be a crime to defy the bottle itself and serve without ice.

The taste immediately gives a tingle to the tongue, crispness introduced without dispute. It seems already apparent just from the initial kick the major draw of the drink. The bite and dryness of the cider quickly separate it from the hyper-sweetened crowd of ciders. Au le champagne, it feels animated in a bright, but not overpowering sense. I find there to be a definite aftertaste, the residual apple flavor lingering on the tongue as a reminder and not leading to bitter resentment. It appears to be a better tribute to the pure English ciders with an American spin instead of an overpowering suger-filled apple juice. This is by no means a craft cider, it's rather mass produced, but mass production doesn't always have to mean a reduction in quality. It may not have the appeal and specialized taste of a craft cider, maybe a dash less love added in every batch, but it can still distance itself from a great deal of mass produced ciders.

Overall a refreshing and casual friend, always there but never a sore sight for eyes and tastebuds.

Next on Review: Commonwealth Ciders Traditional Dry

The Core Idea

And so here lies the modest beginnings of a little hobbyist cider blog. Here I will document and spew my opinions out to the world, provide some facts about many a cider, and introduce local hard ciders for all to admire! As a side note, puns will be an accomplice for my wordy endeavors. Anyone in my life will know what level of wordplay pains lie ahead of them. Now I boast no sort of advanced knowledge of this topic, these are the writings of an absolutely all-star amateur. If not a blog for reviews and viewpoints, see it as my expedition into an apple-filled bliss. Down the line I intend to incorporate delicious morsels to compliment the flavors of the drinks, but for the time being the poor beverages go unaccompanied. In the beginning I will primarily focus on commonly used types of apples as well as fermented ciders, sticking with larger more familiar brands before slowing dipping into local must-have's and marvels. A wonderful way to polish up my posts and really refine them before getting into the nitty-gritty of taste bud territory.

I feel a brief introduction is in order before you hear the audacious tales of my taste buds. I am a man of the business world, passionately driven by several well-determined interests. An individual who happens to have a certain affinity with colder weather and autumn. I've always been irked by humidity and beaming heat, so fall was always a lovely time to escape my irritation. I found indulging in mulled cider, spiced wafers, and pumpkin pie drove me further into the tranquilizing arms of autumn. Naturally, the lively zing and zest of the seasonal spices and absolute infatuation with apples was the debut of my cider fancy. It wasn't until I was visiting Baltimore that I truly sampled my first hard cider. Strongbow on tap was a glorious introduction to the alcoholic cider cosmos that awaited. For this point on I made it my objective to try as many ciders as I could within the fall/winter season and at the conclusion of it all, I only wanted more.

Before I establish this blog in the name of all that is apple, I would like to extend a huge thank you for the lovely photography work to be featured here. A grand shout-out for Dani for her seasoned skill in photography gracing the blog (and not to mention assistance with the name!). Noted above is her blog for Tea & Teacups which I highly suggest.

The orchard of the world is about to be opened and I can only hope to welcome any with interest to join. Alongside brandishing my debatable wit and wisdom, I march on with an open pallet and an open mind. Feel free to comment with any cider suggestions or chime in with an opinion if you happen to agree or disagree. Thanks for reading and hope the fruit-loving side of yourself enjoys.

First up to the plate: Crispin Original.