Hannah's Ciderama - Winter 2011

I'm not a huge fan of most alcohol. My preferred tipple is 'alcohol that doesn't really taste like alcohol' - cocktails usually do the job, but are expensive, and thus rarely imbibed, and while Emma is doing a valiant job to make me like wine, it occasionally still makes me do this face.

However, cider is my very best friend. Bloody love the stuff, and will embrace any opportunity to try the ever-growing number of weird and wonderful varieties that seem to be quite popular du jour. This winter in particular seems to be The Winter of Cider Makers Putting Crazy Shit in Their Produce (or something much catchier), and there have been SO MANY delicious varieties to pour into my face. And that I did!

Why is this not a year-round beverage? It should be.

I first thought of doing a wee written review of each cider, but thought that would be far too dull. My decision: to review them all in HAIKU. God I bet you're glad you read this ridiculous blog, right?

Kopparberg cranberry and cinnamon
Cranberry tartness:
A perfect compliment to
The cinnamon warmth.

Rekorderlig vanilla and cinnamon
Served warm - delicious,
If a little sweet for some
(It smelt awesome, too).

Magners spiced apple and rhubarb
This is not toward.
I asked for rhubarb, and was
Thwarted. Not impressed.

German apple wine (Manchester Christmas markets)
Apple wine? Get out.
You are not cider, so stop
Pretending to be.

Mulled cider (The Old White Swan, York)
Sticky and scrummy.
Like hot apple treacle. Scrum-
-diddly-umptious*.

Hannah's shit version of mulled cider
Warm pan, add cider,
Cinnamon and brown sugar
(Not recommended).

Family-made mulled cider
While not the nicest,
Made at home with loved ones, it
Was untoppable.

*The syllable structure of 'scrumdiddlyumptious' is contestable, I concede, but I make the rules, so nyah.