Thursday, Jul. 02, 2009
cider house rules
You would have to know Kristi to understand how she, my wife, would be a proper connoisseur of hard ciders. Woodchuck Amber is her favorite, but she'll settle for Hornby's Crisp Apple in a pinch, and she thought Original Sin Hard Cider was OK.
Last week, we shared two big bottles of organic hard ciders.
Beer, wine and cider have been around for ages, so it ought to be weird to see some of those beverage labels advertising "USDA Certified Organic." But in our time, agriculture isn't so much about Mother Earth and her goodies; it's about chemicals and bio-engineering. So maybe it isn't weird to see certified organic libations.
Maybe it's just reassuring.
We first opened a 22-ounce bottle J.K. Scrumpy Hard Cider. Pouring it into clear glasses, I realized it was a very cloudy, unfiltered sort of cider.
"It smells like vinegar," Kristi said, then tasted it.
That initial vinegar smell shouldn't be a surprise or a turn-off, because whatever the aroma, J.K. Scrumpy's flavor reminded me of glass jugs of regular, no-alcohol apple cider Mom used to purchase from the health food stores and the grocers - unfiltered and heavier in my mouth than most apple juices.
"It's thicker," Kristi said.
I thought it had a full flavor of apple cider, but it wasn't crisp like Woodchuck and Hornsby's. "It finishes dry across the roof of your mouth," I said. I haven't had many beverages that seem to drag their dryness only across the roof off my mouth. Different, but good.
The next night, we opened a 17-ounce bottle of Sam Smith's Organic Cider.
This one poured crystal-clear. Maybe Sam Smith's cider was technically organic, while J.K. Scrumpy was going for organic attitude as well as certification.
"It's quite light," Kristi said.
Unlike Scrumpy, this one was crisp and clean. The problem was, it didn't have much apple going on. Sam Smith's is not bad, it's just not much.
J.K. Scrumpy retails around $5.99; Sam Smith's around $3.99.
carolina distributor expands
Carolina Craft Distributing of Rock Hill played a big role in the inaugural Myrtle Beach Beer Fest back on March 28. If you tried anything by Founders, New Holland, Smuttynose, and Foothills brewing companies (among others), you could thank Carolina Craft for bringing them to the Grand Strand on a regular basis, as well as bringing them to the beer fest.
I enjoy several of the beers they carry, but now, for the second time in roughly a year, Carolina Craft has expanded its wine offerings. The company has purchased the North Carolina distributions division of Turner Wine Imports in Morrisville, N.C., according to a press release that went out Monday. Turner Wine Imports distributes vino from 12 countries plus the U.S. Last year, after buying Chavon Distributing of Charleston, Carolina Craft was able to add several fine wines, along with a few specialty beers like Old Speckled Hen.
bell's at green's
Green's Discount Beer and Wine, 2850 N. Kings Highway in Myrtle Beach, recently brought in six beers from Bell's Brewery of Kalamazoo, Mich. For the warmer weather, the best bets sound like: Oberan, according to the store's descriptions is "wheaty with citrus fruit hints."
Amber, said to be "richer, fruity malt body with a well-balanced hop complement."
Pale Ale, which has a "medium malt body, with a little hop aroma, and a long bitter hop finish."
Bell's beers range in price from $9.99 to $11.99 for six-packs at Green's. Contact Colin Burch - the Beerman - at or visit his beer blog at http://maltyhops.blogspot.com.