The Cider Diaries-17/1/09
It was Ceri's birthday on Saturday so Fog and Ceri had a house party in their flat. I was pleased about this as it gave us the opportunity to celebrate the birthday of a good friend and let him know he's appreciated and we care about him and all that. Also, I suppose that it didn't hurt that it was a chance to try some new ciders. I was working late so I arrived to find a party already in full swing, Fog had a some cold ciders ready to go so we got straight down to it.
27. Churchwards Fruit and Cider, Cranberry and apple cider
This was yet another cider with a pinky purple hue and Fog was understandably concerned but even he had to admit that it actually tasted of genuine cranberrys, not pink flavourings. It was an enjoyable drink, light and refreshing but not one to impress cider lovers to be honest. There just wasn't much there behind the cranberry taste.
While we enjoyed this first cider of the evening my attention was drawn to a *Bonus Cider Related Item*. Fog's live in lover Emma had baked some gluten-free cider and apple cakes. I was dubious about these at first because I was pretty sure the cider Emma used had been sat around going flat for about six days but the cakes were moist and tasty with a subtle but distinctive cider flavour.
The only pity is someone had clearly stuck candles into the centre of the cakes and there was some melted wax in the top of each. Even though I was only eating around the edges I was sure that I was going to end up with a mouth full of wax and this put me off a bit but that's my own paranoia and in no way a reflection on the quality of Emma's baking.
Cath and Elliot were also at the party. I mentioned them in one of the really early cider diary entries. When they heard about our plan to drink so much cider they had offered us a cider they had picked up at a farmer's market. Actually, as I recall Elliot offered it and Cath tried to warn us that it smelt and quite possibly tasted of iodine. Elliot was keen for us to try this cider and it was fetched as soon as we finished the cranberry stuff.
28. Drunk Dewi
Elliot had in fact already given the cider to Fog and it was chilling in the fridge but Fog now gave it back to Elliot so that much could be made of the handing over of the cider. There were handshakes, photos were taken.* There was only one bottle of Drunk Dewi for me, Ceri and Fog to share between us but I was relieved to see that it did at least come in a bottle. After the descriptions we had heard of the stuff, I was half expecting a plastic petrol container with "cider" scrawled on the side in permanent marker. Drunk Dewi had a proper glass bottle with a label showing a dragon drinking. Fog pointed out to me that it did have the percentage scrawled on it pen. I think it was about 6.4%.
Fog opened the cider and took a sniff, "It's not as bad as I expected. Smell it." I approached the bottle but Fog whipped it away, grinning. "No, don't smell it!" Clearly then, I reasoned, the stuff must smell every bit as awful as we had been promised. I poured it out into three little plastic cups. It was very cloudy, opaque in fact and, worse, flat. I've never been a fan of flat ciders so I wasn't much looking forward to this one.
We began to drink and it seemed just about everyone wanted a sip. Our friend Mel said it tasted like the cider apples had been trampled to juice by someone with smelly feet. I told her she was being generous, that it looked, smelled and tasted like it had already passed through someone else's digestive system.
Actually though, it wasn't all that bad. Far from a favourite and without a face not my thing at all but it didn't have an unpleasant aftertaste or anything and after taking Cath's advice and holding my nose for the first gulp I found I could sip away at the rest quite happily. Fog didn't like the smell but coped with it just as well while Ceri thought it was horrible and had to down it to get it finished.
29. Jacques Cider with Fruit Orchard Fruits
*Most of these were taken by our lovely friend Anna, I think. Later on that night she had her finger broken and she did want a mention in the cider diaries so maybe this will salvage some good from the evening for her.
27. Churchwards Fruit and Cider, Cranberry and apple cider
This was yet another cider with a pinky purple hue and Fog was understandably concerned but even he had to admit that it actually tasted of genuine cranberrys, not pink flavourings. It was an enjoyable drink, light and refreshing but not one to impress cider lovers to be honest. There just wasn't much there behind the cranberry taste.
While we enjoyed this first cider of the evening my attention was drawn to a *Bonus Cider Related Item*. Fog's live in lover Emma had baked some gluten-free cider and apple cakes. I was dubious about these at first because I was pretty sure the cider Emma used had been sat around going flat for about six days but the cakes were moist and tasty with a subtle but distinctive cider flavour.
The only pity is someone had clearly stuck candles into the centre of the cakes and there was some melted wax in the top of each. Even though I was only eating around the edges I was sure that I was going to end up with a mouth full of wax and this put me off a bit but that's my own paranoia and in no way a reflection on the quality of Emma's baking.
Cath and Elliot were also at the party. I mentioned them in one of the really early cider diary entries. When they heard about our plan to drink so much cider they had offered us a cider they had picked up at a farmer's market. Actually, as I recall Elliot offered it and Cath tried to warn us that it smelt and quite possibly tasted of iodine. Elliot was keen for us to try this cider and it was fetched as soon as we finished the cranberry stuff.
28. Drunk Dewi
Elliot had in fact already given the cider to Fog and it was chilling in the fridge but Fog now gave it back to Elliot so that much could be made of the handing over of the cider. There were handshakes, photos were taken.* There was only one bottle of Drunk Dewi for me, Ceri and Fog to share between us but I was relieved to see that it did at least come in a bottle. After the descriptions we had heard of the stuff, I was half expecting a plastic petrol container with "cider" scrawled on the side in permanent marker. Drunk Dewi had a proper glass bottle with a label showing a dragon drinking. Fog pointed out to me that it did have the percentage scrawled on it pen. I think it was about 6.4%.
Fog opened the cider and took a sniff, "It's not as bad as I expected. Smell it." I approached the bottle but Fog whipped it away, grinning. "No, don't smell it!" Clearly then, I reasoned, the stuff must smell every bit as awful as we had been promised. I poured it out into three little plastic cups. It was very cloudy, opaque in fact and, worse, flat. I've never been a fan of flat ciders so I wasn't much looking forward to this one.
We began to drink and it seemed just about everyone wanted a sip. Our friend Mel said it tasted like the cider apples had been trampled to juice by someone with smelly feet. I told her she was being generous, that it looked, smelled and tasted like it had already passed through someone else's digestive system.
Actually though, it wasn't all that bad. Far from a favourite and without a face not my thing at all but it didn't have an unpleasant aftertaste or anything and after taking Cath's advice and holding my nose for the first gulp I found I could sip away at the rest quite happily. Fog didn't like the smell but coped with it just as well while Ceri thought it was horrible and had to down it to get it finished.
29. Jacques Cider with Fruit Orchard Fruits
This cider comes in a glass bottle that is about the size of a wine bottle. I would compare the flavour to something like a Shloer or Appletizer. Very light, very refreshing, very fruity. If you're looking for a non-alcohol alternative for wine this would fit the bill. Except that it's got alcohol in it. So it's pretty much pointless but quite pleasant all the same. Fog didn't mind it either but by this point people were trying to make Ceri drink punch through a funnel and I don't recall pinning down his definitive views on this one.
30. Hereford Orchard Farmhouse Dry Cider
This was my contribution to the evening. This cider was a fairly standard three litre, green plastic bottle number and it probably tasted fairly generic but to be honest I don't remember much about it. It was nothing special. I can tell you that I drank two whole pints of it, which is more than I did of anything else that night but that's probably a reflection of what was left to drink, rather any personal preference being exercised.
30. Hereford Orchard Farmhouse Dry Cider
This was my contribution to the evening. This cider was a fairly standard three litre, green plastic bottle number and it probably tasted fairly generic but to be honest I don't remember much about it. It was nothing special. I can tell you that I drank two whole pints of it, which is more than I did of anything else that night but that's probably a reflection of what was left to drink, rather any personal preference being exercised.
*Most of these were taken by our lovely friend Anna, I think. Later on that night she had her finger broken and she did want a mention in the cider diaries so maybe this will salvage some good from the evening for her.
posted by Chris Chopping @ 4:55 PM
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