The Cider Diaries-8/2/09
Fog had a pretty epic hangover yesterday and while I picked ciders in the shop next to Koko's for our by-now tradtional Sunday drink at Fog's it was all he could do to lean against a shelf edge and groan. I didn't feel massively sympathetic because his hangover had led us to miss this weeks radio show completely and I wasn't about to take pity on him.
Still, he did look very pale and his colour didn't improve when we spotted yet another Brothers' cider. At this point Fog was in no mood for any ciders whatsoever but unfortunately for him he didn't have a lot of choice in the matter. I bought the ciders and we took them home. Still, I'm not entirely cold hearted and I did allow him the length of the Wales/Scotland six nations rugby match to steel himself for the drinks. He wasn't quite ready for the Brothers so we went instead for our other selection.
53. Country Choice Pear Cider
Sadly for Fog, and for me come to think of it, this cider wasn't very nice at all. When you first sip or swig it it has quite a strong, nasty flavour and this is hardly redeemed by the only slightly unpleasant pear aftertaste. Fog agreed that it was horrible but contrary Ceri quite liked it. After these it was time for the dreaded Brothers stuff. Brothers, we mustn't forget, have consistantly produced some of the worst ciders we have had the misfortune to try.
54. Brothers Toffee Apple Cider
Actually, me and Fog had tried this cider once before. We had a bottle each over lunch at Koko's one weekend last year. It's a very sweet drink that doesn't really compliment a Sunday roast, ordered by me more out of curiousity than anything else. So, knowing it was out there somewhere, we've been keeping an eye out for it but most pubs have stopped selling the stuff because no one wants to buy it. So when I saw it in the shop this morning I knew we had to get it while we could.
The name would be enough to put most people off, toffee apple cider? But it was the smell that got Ceri. "Ugh, that smells disgusting. If it doesn't taste any better than it smells I can see myself struggling with this one."
"It tastes better than it smells," I assured him blithely. I could see Fog over Ceri's shoulder, grinning and shaking his head.
Ceri winced on his first sip. "This is horrible, it's gonna be difficult to drink this."
"I think," Fog suggested, "It's one to drink as quickly as possible, get it out of the way." But when I was finishing my bottle off Ceri still had over half a pint left. An hour later again and it looked like he had barely touched it. Eventually it was gone but he hadn't enjoyed the experience. To nobody's great suprise Fog didn't care for it either.
I actually didn't mind it. Yes it was sweet and sticky and no, you couldn't drink more than a bottle at a time but it did have a distinctive toffee flavour which I thought was quite a pleasant novelty. The trick is, think of it as a sweet, soft drink like a milkshake or smoothie. It's not the same pleasure you get from a satisfying pint of good cider but it is a pleasure nonetheless. Because of this it may well be my favourite of all the Brothers ciders but I still can't imagine any of us bothering with it again.
Still, he did look very pale and his colour didn't improve when we spotted yet another Brothers' cider. At this point Fog was in no mood for any ciders whatsoever but unfortunately for him he didn't have a lot of choice in the matter. I bought the ciders and we took them home. Still, I'm not entirely cold hearted and I did allow him the length of the Wales/Scotland six nations rugby match to steel himself for the drinks. He wasn't quite ready for the Brothers so we went instead for our other selection.
53. Country Choice Pear Cider
Sadly for Fog, and for me come to think of it, this cider wasn't very nice at all. When you first sip or swig it it has quite a strong, nasty flavour and this is hardly redeemed by the only slightly unpleasant pear aftertaste. Fog agreed that it was horrible but contrary Ceri quite liked it. After these it was time for the dreaded Brothers stuff. Brothers, we mustn't forget, have consistantly produced some of the worst ciders we have had the misfortune to try.
54. Brothers Toffee Apple Cider
Actually, me and Fog had tried this cider once before. We had a bottle each over lunch at Koko's one weekend last year. It's a very sweet drink that doesn't really compliment a Sunday roast, ordered by me more out of curiousity than anything else. So, knowing it was out there somewhere, we've been keeping an eye out for it but most pubs have stopped selling the stuff because no one wants to buy it. So when I saw it in the shop this morning I knew we had to get it while we could.
The name would be enough to put most people off, toffee apple cider? But it was the smell that got Ceri. "Ugh, that smells disgusting. If it doesn't taste any better than it smells I can see myself struggling with this one."
"It tastes better than it smells," I assured him blithely. I could see Fog over Ceri's shoulder, grinning and shaking his head.
Ceri winced on his first sip. "This is horrible, it's gonna be difficult to drink this."
"I think," Fog suggested, "It's one to drink as quickly as possible, get it out of the way." But when I was finishing my bottle off Ceri still had over half a pint left. An hour later again and it looked like he had barely touched it. Eventually it was gone but he hadn't enjoyed the experience. To nobody's great suprise Fog didn't care for it either.
I actually didn't mind it. Yes it was sweet and sticky and no, you couldn't drink more than a bottle at a time but it did have a distinctive toffee flavour which I thought was quite a pleasant novelty. The trick is, think of it as a sweet, soft drink like a milkshake or smoothie. It's not the same pleasure you get from a satisfying pint of good cider but it is a pleasure nonetheless. Because of this it may well be my favourite of all the Brothers ciders but I still can't imagine any of us bothering with it again.
posted by Chris Chopping @ 3:00 AM
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