I’m Back with Crispin

In my first post reviewing Crispin Ciders from early February I shared my thoughts on two of the free samples that were sent to me take for a test drive. For this installment I offer tasting notes on three more.

First up is the Browns Lane Classic English Dry Cider which is produced entirely in England and imported into the US for distribution.

Browns Lane

Made from English bittersweet cider apples and comes in at 5.8 % ABV.
Gold color, with columns of small bubbles from the bottom of the glass.
Unripe apple aromas.
Very fine carbonation, but lots of it.
Super tart and dry.
Savory apple flavors, liked with baked ham.

I really liked this, but dry ciders are more my thing than Margot. This is the style I know from Quebec and the UK imports we can get in US. I would never tire of having this around!

For the second review we return to the Artisanal Reserve line and The Saint, a cider brewed with Belgian Trappist Yeast & organic maple syrup.

The Saint Artisanal Reserve

Pale, almost cream colored & unfiltered.
Smells like sweet cider & spices.
6.9% ABV
Tartness in the finish.
Yeasty, with spicy sweet bread flavors.
The flavor combination reminded me of the warm apple gallete w/ caramel sauce and bourbon cream glaze I had over Christmas.

This is one that I would stock at home and could have a good deal of fun with in different pairing scenarios. Dessert pairings are the first to spring to mind, but I also think a roast pork tenderloin would make for a good match as well.

The last review is of a pear flavored hard cider from the Fox Barrel line, which is the brand of a company Crispin acquired in 2010 located on the west coast.

Fox Barrel Pear Cider

Flavor reminds me of the pear wine we made in 2008.
Subtle aromas, I couldn’t pick out the fruits.
Gold color with moderate carbonation.
It had a good bite of acidity and a clean finish.

I can’t say I either enjoyed or didn’t enjoy this cider, it just was. It would be immensely refreshing on a hot day and since it presents itself quite simply, it should appeal to a wide audience.


Cheers!

Jason




Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”