Insider on Cider

I spent most of last week in the business of research and espionage – finding out the incider secrets to producing, kegging, and partying with cider.  The friendly, but unsuspecting victims of my espionage?  Sulker’s Cider [now brewing cider at a secret location in Guelph] – more specifically  Matt and his partner N. I blogged about them last year in Cider: The Final Frontier.  I infiltrated the world of cider through friendly connections – my daughter, M, who has played the role of “best friend” to these people for years – heh.

What i found was dry  cider flavoured with hops, kombucha , passionfruit, rose-hips and hibiscus, and several other ciders that i do not pretend to understand [actually i pretended to understand everything while i helped Matt and N keg and sample the cider].  Later this weekend I partied with them at a launch party at Her Fathers Cider Bar in Toronto [a good city to stay anonymous in – important in the espionage business].

When any of these get on tap at a bar near you demand one from your server. Or ask politely.

These were my my favourites from the launch party.

1. Sulker’s Dry-hopped Kombucha blended cider. 6.0% – blended dry-hopped cider and kombucha. It appealed to my sour loving palette
2. Sulker’s Super Dry. 6.3% – clean with minimal sweetness- hints of tannin
3. Tie – Sulker’s Super-Dry with Rose-Hips and Hibiscus because they remind me of collecting rose-hips for gramma, and the Super-Dry with Pasisonfruit because who doesn’t love passionfruit – the most alien looking of all fruits.

This is what the party looked like …

Kombucha and Rose-Hip / Hibiscus

Pretty Sulker’s Cider bottles

While at the party i snooped the basement and found this source of nectar

This is what the research looked like …

Me pretending to sample while i took note of the wall of hardware behind me

I don’t pretend to know what this is – but i pretended while espionaging

I actually did know what these were – but i pretended not to

Oh, i didn’t bother to change anyone’s name to protect anyone in this article.  All the characters are NOT fictitious.

Combating Water

In the beginning there was Spring. Or maybe Summer. But definitely not Winter!

Spring is here. That means it’s time for my annual water rant. I promise you this one is not unjustified or unfounded and it may be even Biblical.

I’m so sick and tired of “water people”. Honestly, last week i mentioned that i might have a slight sinus infection and somebody says to me “maybe you’re not drinking enough water”. Then my stomach growled in a meeting, “maybe you’re not drinking enough…” – Hey jerk! Maybe you’re not drinking enough water!

If I’ve learned anything from the weather network [and i haven’t] it’s that the Springtime is no time to drink water. It’s raining enough as it is! Seriously, i haven’t watched a high school rugby game yet this year without getting soaked to the butt [thx for the expression uncle Harold].

So enough of this water stupidity. Let’s combat water. Get yourself a large umbrella, a fabulous rain jacket, and a bottle of Muga – the people’s rosé. Muga is the finest of rosé that you can find at the LCBO and it reminds you that warmer weather is on the way, while being delicious at the same time. That’s a win, win, win [at least]. May 13 the LCBO released this year’s vintage of Muga rosé, which is technically a rosado [that’s the way they roll in Spain]. It’s a perfectly delightful rosé and you cannot go wrong serving it, bringing it to a party, or sipping it in secret in your backyard or basement.  Better yet, stay inside and watch something on Netflix.

I have it on good authority that the Spanish don’t waste their time drinking water. Why should i?

Combating water indoors with a cozy scarf

Combating water with Netflix and time travel

Combating water with a daughter drinking grapefruit juice – heh

Previous water rants

2010 Drink More Water? 

2011 Still Drinking Water?

2012 Water – I’m not convinced

2013 Water. Again?

2015 Hyperbole

2016 Water Research