Reader Recommendation: Strongbow

One of my readers tweeted me saying that they are having a Strongbow Cider right now and I have to try it. I happen to doing my traditional beering-while-catching-up-on-work-at-the-Saucer Friday, so let hit it right now.

Beer Log: Right now

State: Pretty hungry, at the Saucer, need to catch up on Project reports

Strongbow Cider

Clear amber/gold color, kinda like the off-spec gold Georgia Tech football wore in Paul Kelly's first year. Maybe the glassware is off, but this thing is all effervescent with bubbles all over the glass. No real head but the nose has a bitter-beer smell which too me back to my days as a kid when Dad would let us take a sip of his Keystone knowing we would hate it. Taste has a moderate apple, leaves a filmy residue on the tongue (no homo), and some sort of a grain backbone. It's actually a little confusing and I may have to look this one up before we walk away. Right now I'm still not a cider guy though I'm expanding my reach into ciders, scotch, and cigars. That's it, that smell reminds me of gasoline. Just weird all around. The taste is just fine, and I'm sure is very refreshing on a hot day on the links in the UK. Cold day in Houston when I could be drinking some Ranger Creek... 2 stars.

Some Old French Beer

I'm sitting here sipping some gatorade and just turned on Punisher Warzone on DVR. Just finished a huge steak the wife made for me with some alfredo and asparagus. I had this French beer one of the boys brought over months ago.

Beer Log: A few minutes ago
State: A little dehydrated after a nice run on the treads, just absorbing water

La Bete Dos Vosges
This beer advertises itself as DAMN, the PUNISHER IS STRAIGHT FUKCING THESE PEOPLE UP IN THIS ONE. SON OF A B!TCH! I am 5 minutes into this movie and he's already killed like 25 people. Frank Castle baby! Anyway this beer looked straight like apple cider, cloudy and copper, no head. DAMN THIS DUDE JUST POPPED HIS OWN NOSE BACK IN PLACE. Good sugar sweetness and light body. At first it's cool, but it quickly gets sickenly sweet and pineapply. Low carbonation probably from how long we aged it. Low hops. Just a sweet liquor like thing. 1 Star.

I liked the beers I had in Paris a lot better.

Live Blogging: The Cider Brotha?

Well I'm supposed to be studying for the PE exam, but I feel like taking a break. As I cannot find my beer notebook right now to get some more of the old posts on here, I just figure I'll try something new. We bought this Woodchuck Draft Cider some time ago as one of the boys doesn't like beer but loves this cider. We were at the Saucer and I put him on to it as he pretty much refused to try a beer, damn shame. Anyway, he liked it so much he got a case of it and has it at his house at all times. I never tried the stuff myself, so here we go...

Beer Log: Right now
State: Full, should be studying

Woodchuck Draft Cider Granny Smith
I have no clue what glass this should go in, so I'll use the basic Barack Obama pint glass. I get the feeling I'll be able to get the smell off of this cider without a cupped glass. Yup, I open the green clear bottle and already got that sour apple smell. This stuff is CRYSTAL clear, like a tinged water. The fizz goes away fast even with a quick rough pour. A subtle sour apple smell. OMG. Tastes pretty sour with sour apple. I guess I should have told you I don't care for sour apples. It has a low carbonation yet kinda rough of on the drinkability. Kinda gotta fight to get it down. Maybe a little filmy apple aftertaste. Light-medium body. I have a slight sensation going on in my sinuses that feels like I'm tearing up. So emotional. You know what, that's what I get for now studying. For the Smirnoff Ice drinkers, they probably look at this as manna from the gawds. For a beerman like me (who will get half a glass of homebrew IPA to get the flavor out of my mouth after I finish the glass), it's firmly in the 1 Star realm. I still have a ways to go on the sour beer to begin with, but sour apple just ain't happenin. It's a little better the more I get used to it, and I won't have any trouble finishing it. Back to work...