Samuel Smith's Organic Cider

I was introduced to this gem by my friend, the lovely Trish (pictured below) on a recent visit to Kentucky. I have gone looking for it in the DC area to little success, but I'm going to keep trying. This is one that I wouldn't recommend letting get away.


Samuel Smith is a Vegan, Organic, Traditional, and about-every-other-term-you-can-use-to-identify-a-craft-beer kind of brewery located in the north of England. They make a wide variety of highly acclaimed craft beers. Mixed into their lineup, almost as an afterthought, is their Organic Cider and Cider Reserve. I remember seeing the Cider Reserve on tap in a pub or two when I was in England last year and now regret not having it then, as the Reserve is only available as a draught in England. The Organic Cider, luckily, is served in 18.7oz 'Victorian Pint' bottles. These lovely (if oddly sized) bottles of awesome are imported to US shores by Merchant du Vin, a specialist in importing foreign beers based out of Washington state.

The cider its self is a mild, dry cider with a medium body and little aftertaste. One thing that becomes immediately apparent about this brew is the amount of fizz and head it offers. Pouring a glass of this stuff puts a head on the mug to rival a Guinness under the tap. The fizz also serves the purpose of adding a sharp, clenching element to the cider. I found that a swig of Samuel Smiths between courses in a late meal did a great job of clearing the palate, the lack of aftertaste making it a clean sweep.

The medium body and mild base flavor mean that this is a cider that is probably best served just below room temperature. The great, if subtle, taste would be in danger of being numbed out of existence if it were served ice cold. The fizzy sharpness this cider opens with as it hits the mouth is similar in character to Magner's, but without the accompanying sour undertone. There is a thin bitterness that appears as it rolls over the tongue, delivering on the promise of every dry cider. At the risk of belaboring a point, the lack of aftertaste leaves the mouth with only a memory of what has taken place, and a desire for more.

I found this to be, in some ways, a dangerous cider as it went down as easily and smoothly as a glass of cool water, and with an equally quenching effect on my thirst. Instead of sipping as is proper with any quality cider or beer, I found myself knocking this back without a thought or effect on me beyond the great enjoyment it elicited. I can honestly say that I cannot think of a circumstance under which this would not be a good choice of drink to have on hand. The flavor, while not extravagant is elegant in its simplicity, making Samuel Smiths a great recommendation as a table cider for every occasion. Now I just need to find someone to sell me a case or two...


Samuel Smith Brewery Website
http://www.merchantduvin.com/pages/5_breweries/samsmith_organic_cider.html


Merchant du Vin
http://www.merchantduvin.com/

ChaioGoo Straight Bamboo Needles, Mystery Yarn, Late-Night Airports, and the Great Snowpocolypse of 2009

I have a confession to make. My next project after the hat for my Aunt Nan, I was supposed to get started on a scarf for my friend Trish. It's going to be a beautiful scarf. A lot of cabling and swapping between earthy jewel tones. Great stuff.

This has not happened. Let me explain.

I finished the Hat for Aunt Nan just as the snow was starting to descend on the DC metro area. In the morning, I looked out and saw white as far as the eye could see (excepting the big brick building across the street, that is). This seemed an opportune time to start getting things together for the Great Scarf. Then I started digging out.

First, I tried to dig out my pickup. And the surrounding street. From the fourteen inches of snow packed around it.




After I had that mucked out, I moved on to clearing the sidewalk in front of my building, as well as in front of a friend's house. Then I moved onto the storage units used by my employers. (The damage to the roll up door seen here was caused by the plow the building had hired)


All of it done with this vintage Trenching Shovel.




Through all of these adventures, I discovered that I was in terrible need of both gloves and a scarf. Also ahead of me loomed a good deal of travelling as I went home to Iowa for the Holiday. The scarf which I have in mind for Trish is going to be a mastepiece of intricatly woven color and pattern. This translates to being horrible travel knitting. All of these factors combined led me to pick up a project that was started roughly 3-4 years ago and has been languishing at the bottom of my project bag since.



The pattern is a simple 3x3 Moss stitch (knit 3, purl 3, maintain pattern for three rows, then invert) that I came up wiht mostly to play with a new yarn I found while working at my old yarn store. The yarn its self is a VERY loose 2-ply yarn made of 100% wool, completly undyed. More information, i am at a loss for, as I can no longer find the tag, the store I purchased it at is now closed, andi can't recall enough information to find out anything usefull in a Google search. Still it is a plesant yarn to work with, if a bit rough, and is taking the pattern well.

I am having to be very careful with my tension (something I have had perrenial problems with) to prevent the yarn from pulling apart, but i class this as 'Good Training' and just make on with it. The stitch its self was choosen to give the work a bit more pattern than a straight garter stitch would while still letting the work lie flat. A simple stitch like this also allows the qualities of the yarn to shine for themselves.

I started the roject on a pair of Boye US9 14" aluminium needles, but haave switched over to ChiaoGoo US9 bamboo needles, mostly becasue they are shorter and thus far easier to deal with in a Coach class seat. To be honest, I vastly prefer wooden needles over metal ones anyway, so I was biased towards the switch once I decided to pick the project up again.

ChaioGoo is a very popular brand of bamboo craft needles and accessories. I have found them in a number of large chain stores, as well as in a great many smaller specialty shops and yarn stores. They most often fill the 'budget' end of the display and are fairly inexpensive as a rule, with straight needles being found for under $5 prety much everywhere I go. I own a couple of pairs of straight needles as well as a set or two of DP sock needles made by the brand. Also, all of my circular needles bear their mark. I fear that last isn't much of an endorsement, I really don't like using circular needles, so I never want to spend much money on them.

The needles themselves are made from a coated bamboo with a polished finish. The brand and size of the needle are printed or laser-etched into the shaft near the head of straight needles and just to one side of center on the DPs. The look of the needles are fairly uniform, although quality control beyond appearance is a little more sketchy. Most retailers will accept and replace broken needles, acting as agent to the distributor to fulfill the warrenty.

In use the needles generally work very well. The finish on the needles does wear off over time, but it take a good while. Even then, the needles are generally polished enough by use to remain workable. Over time (and, on rare occations, straight out of the package) the bamboo neeldes do warm and bed to fi the hand that is using them, resulting in gently arcing needles. I have never found this to hurt whatever project I was working on with them, but it is a good example of the living wood.

The great danger with these needles is that they will split over time and use. sometimes the amount of time and use needed to cause such breakage is depressingly little. this is most frusrating for me on sock projects where I cna be cranking along the body of the foot and not notice that I've been pushing a couple of plys of yarn down an ever-widening split in my needle. Sometimes the needlws can also fail in more dramatic fashions, one DP fell apart in my hand into 4 pieces simultaniusly, leaving a bit of work to pick the stitches up again.

All in all, ChiarGoo needles are fine, inexpensive needles to perform for small projects or parts of a pattern where you don't want to pour a great deal of money down for just a couple hundred stitches. Likewise, I often give these needles away to those I'm teaching how to knit, as I still find them more comfortable than metal needles to work with, while being inexpensive enough to not be bothered if the student doesn't end up sticking with it. Not heirloom tools by any means, ChiaoGoo still makes a fully functional needle that, more often than not, will get the job done.




(The author waiting to check-in at BWI airport Dec. 22)



http://www.chiaogoo.com/

Original Sin

This is a cider that I remember having sampled in Minneapolis a good while ago but couldn't remember a thing about it. When I saw it on the shelf of my local shop, I jumped on it and haven't really been disappointed.

Bottled in Florida but founded and operated out of New York City, Original Sin is a very American cider in terms of management. The website for the company is pretty and flashy without giving too much information about the history of the cider. It is a very good resource for finding vendors and bars where you can buy and enjoy the stuff, though. Interestingly, the site also recommends some mixed drinks using Original Sin as well as how to use it as a cooking base. A level of sophistication not often seen in the cider realm.

The cider its self is very much an American answer to BlackThorn (Reviewed earlier in this blog). While it lacks the nearly overpowering yeasty smell that accompanies a warm BlackThorn, Original Sin does still share some of the flavor traits. I believe this is due to both of them claiming 'Champagne Yeast' as a primary ingredient. In the past, I've noticed that Champagne usually gives me a hangover out of proportion to what I've imbibed. These ciders share that trait so be well warned if you're going to binge on it.

A very dry cider, there is practically no sweetness to it at all, and only the tinge of tartness on first hitting the tongue. It is fairly carbonated as ciders go, lending it an edge, leading easily into the full flavor and body of the drink. There is a fairly present aftertaste reminiscent of apple skin. Original Sin is also a somewhat stronger cider at 6% Alcohol by Volume. This is most noticeable in the sigh after a good long pull on the bottle.

Original Sin has a firm label in my mind as a 'Meat and Potatoes' kind of cider. I have enjoyed it greatly over a fairly simple meal of traditional 'Manly' fare (read hamburger and fries) and I imagine it going very well with steak. Likewise, it was great accompaniment to a pile of chips and a bowl of chili-cheese dip while sitting on the couch. As a sipping drink all on its own, it perhaps has something still to be desired. But in the right culinary company, this is a trustworthy cider for the burly among us.


http://origsin.com/

A Hat for Aunt Nan - Hats that Fit by Nancy Lindberg

In previous posts, There was mention of the wonderful Goldwater Springs Alpaca yarn from a farm near Panora, Iowa. As well as some great Birchwood knitting needles from Brittany. The two have now been used to great effect to produce (drumroll) a Hat!

Normally, I'm not one that follows patterns I buy too strictly. I'll see something, like the idea, and make measurements and gauge swatches and make my own. I think watching my costume-designer-mother work when I was young might have influenced this line of thought. Still, when I'm learning a new technique, I usually pick out a pattern or book that describes it pretty well and try it until I figure it out. This pattern, one of the first I ever bought when I first started knitting, is my first outing with that method.

Purchased in a lovely yarn store in Minneapolis (the name of which I can't remember), I have used the measurements and method shown in this pattern ever since as the basis for all of the stocking caps I've knit. The pattern is intentionally versatile, with varied suggestions on cuffs, shapes, and ways to finish the tops. The real gold, however, is in the method shown to figure out the size of the hat based on measurements. This is something that very strongly falls into the category of 'Oh! That's so simple!' but not until you see it.

Ms. Lindberg is very fond of circular needles, and recommends them often in her pattern. Personally, I go for Double Pointed needles whenever I get the option, so I substituted DPs for the vast majority of the pattern. This really didn't affect the outcome at all, it's just a matter of preference. I will say, however, that using DP needles through the body of the hat means you're already using them when the pattern directs you to switch over from the circulars once you've reduced the top smaller than is practical on circular needles.

The hat I made uses a Rolled cuff, Patterned body (a simple 6 stitch Cable in 4 points equidistant around the hat), and a Round top, finished by just pulling the tail through the last 8 stitches. I kinda wish now that I'd tied it off a bit earlier to prevent the little point which has popped up in the method used. Once again, it's a matter of what look you're going after and how you want to get there.

All in all, this is a great basic pattern which has been a reliable and trustworthy basis for a great number of projects for me. As with any pattern offered by another knitter, your own style of knitting may mean that subtle changes in the pattern are required to make it work for you. Don't be afraid to do so. Some of the best stuff in the world comes from saying 'I wonder what happens if I...' For myself, I've got a hat which, although maybe just a bit later than I'd hoped to have it done, is still ready to be given or the holidays.



http://www.yarn.com/webs-knitting-patterns-nancy-lindberg/

Strongbow Cider

The lovely Erica at AK O'Conners in Des Moines, IA serving the author a Pint of Stongbow at the beginning of December.


Another old standby, this is the cider which introduced me to alcohol in a way that didn't involve my gorge going on strike and taking my lunch with it. I first met this Classic o the Orchard in Berlin over the Christmas of 2000. I will ever be indebted to my dear colleague on that trip who suggested it when the Killians Red in my hand just wasn't cutting it.

Strongbow originated in England, being produced by the Bulmers Cider company. In the US, the recipe is licensed to Green Mountain Beverages, who also license Woodpecker from Bulmers for North American production. The taste of the English and American versions of the cider are early identical, being differentiated only by the N.A. version being 0.3% poorer in alcohol. In England, Strongbow is as ubiquitous on tap in pubs as Bud or Miller are here, though Strongbow on draught is rapidly gaining popularity in the US. On both continents, it is widely available on tap as well as in bottles and cans.

Similar to Hardcore, Strongbow has a medium body with very limited fizz out of the tap or can (the bottle somehow breeds more bubbles, though letting the bottle breathe for a moment will alleviate this). Strongbow is nearly unique in the way that it has little or no after taste. While not bitter, this cider also lacks any super present sweetness. Instead, the tip of the tongue briefly flashes a hint of tart before the body of the taste buds receive a strong feeling of ripe red apples.

Strongbow is described as a dry cider, and in comparison to Woodchuck Amber(Also distributed by Green Mountain in the US) or the unforgettable J.K. Scrumpy, it certainly is. In kind, this cider also lacks the cutting, highly fermented feeling of Blackthorn or K's. What we are left with is a quenching drink which proudly displays it's apple orchard origins without giving into the sugary tartness of so many American ciders.

Strongbow is a cider for the Ages and any given occasion. A standard metric by which all others can be judged and debated. Fast gaining popularity in the US, the appeal of this brew cannot be denied. A cliff, dear reader, which has an ever-growing crowd waiting to leap. Get in line. It will be worth the ride.



http://www.bulmers.co.uk/hpbulmers/
http://www.strongbowcider.us/

Hardcore Premium Hard Cider

This is one of my old standbys, holding a place on a short list of ciders that I always have one or more of on hand whenever I can get them.

While there are a handful of pubs around North America that I've found with Hardcore on tap, it is most often found as 12oz. bottles in 6-packs. The label describes the cider as "[Combining] the flavor intensity of American ciders with the drinkablity of dry European ciders..." This is about all we are given for information on the cider by the brewer. Hardcore is made and distributed by the Boston Beer Company, the same folks who produce the Samuel Adams line of beers. While Boston Beer has a very pretty and intricate website for the popular Sam Adams line, there is nothing more than a single line on the Investor Relations webpage to acknowledge the black sheep of Hard core in the Boston Beer family.

This is a very good middle-of-the road cider. It's got a hint of sweetness without a sense of being a liquid Pixie Stick. It is a semi-dry cider with just the slightest hint of apple-peel bitterness as it goes over the sides and back of the tounge. The carbonation is enough to keep things interesting and not allow the flavor to fall flat. While I'm not sure I would characterize this cider as smooth, the zing in the bubbles is in good proportion to the body of the flavor.

While ciders like JK Scrumpy are more rich in flavor to be savored, Hardcore is a cider you buy by the 6-pack and drink as such. It is a refreshing workhorse of a drink that will sit next to a steak on the table just as easily as it will fit in your hand for a football game. My only caution would be, when drinking with friends, make sure they bring their own.


http://www.bostonbeer.com

Doc's Draft Hard Pear Cider

I've not had great luck with Pear Ciders in the past, but Doc's was recommended by one of the clerks at the shop I go to here in DC. Besides, it has a cool bottle.

Doc's Draft is another of what I am coming to refer to as Craft Ciders. It has a very pale color to it, with just a hint of yellow-green, and comes in a single 22oz bottle. It is manufactured by the Warwick Valley Wine Company, a small winery in Warwick, NY with a cute and informative website. According to both the site and the bottle, Doc's Pear Cider is made with "Pressed NY state apples, fermented with champagne yeast, pear juice, and malic acid."

The champagne yeast seems to leave a heritage, as Doc's Draft seems to have much of the character of a sweet, light champagne. There is quite a lot of bubbling going on, and the cider has the characteristic sharp hit that champagne has always carried for me. The tart sweetness of the pear is definitely present as you first sip, with a dry under layer that plays as it moves back in your mouth. The sharpness is an ever-present companion to the flavor, following it through all the stages and into the aftertaste.

I had started by drinking this cider poured into a traditional pint glass and going to it. After being fairly influenced by the powerful, sharp aroma of the open glass, I tried a swig straight out of the bottle. The sharpness in the flavor was, if anything, enhanced, and I wasn't blinking away the edgy feeling wafting up my nostrils, but the more subtle colors of the cider were largely lost. In the end, I let the glass sit out for a few minutes to breathe and was rewarded with a much more enjoyable experience all around.

Although I'm sure I will still review Pear Ciders in the future, I'm still not quite convinced enough to keep a stock of my own. Doc's Draft would make a lovely half-way point between real Champagne and Ginger Ale on New Years. Likewise, for those who are looking for a heartier alternative to a Riesling, this is well worth a look. For myself, this is going to be something I may keep a single bottle around for special occasions. Next time, however, I'm going to let the bottle breathe a bit before going at it.


http://www.wvwinery.com/cider_02.html

Brittany Birchwood DP Needles

While I have heard of the never-ending virtues of polished steel or brass needles, and a knitter whom I very much respect swears by a line of coated plastic needles, I am unabashedly attracted to wooden needles. They make up the vast majority of my knitting arsenal and Brittany make some of the best.

Brittany needles and crochet hooks are manufactured in Elk, CA using sustainably harvested Birch wood. Although it is a small operation (5 people in the company, according to their website), Brittany is very nearly ubiquitous in most respectable yarn and knitting shops around the US. They are often used as the standard by which all other hardwood needles are measured in terms of quality and consistency. Great care is taken by the company to maintain accurate sizing for all of their products.

Birch is a smooth-grained hardwood, making it perfect for use in tools such as knitting needles. Brittany uses these aspects of the wood to the fullest, with a smooth, warm surface straight out of the package that is a pleasure to hold and work with. Coatings or finishes are not used, preferring instead to let the wood work for its self. This means that the action of the needles will only get easier over time as the yarn polishes the wood, without having to worry about any waxes or finishes flaking off or wearing down through use, as is often the case with inexpensive metal or bamboo needles.

Currently, I am using a set of Brittany US10 DP needles with the Goldwater Alpaca yarn previously mentioned in this blog. I've already used this set of needles for half-a-dozen or more projects using sheep wool, making the needles already smoothed and well-formed to my hands. The combination of these old friends and the slick softness of the Alpaca is making the hat I'm working on a dream to knit.


http://www.brittanyneedles.com/default.html

BlackThorn English Cider

This is a cider that I was a bit surprised to find in Washington DC. Traveling on the left coast, I've run into BlackThorn on tap and in bottles in Washington, Oregon, and California, but never back East. So far, the only form of it that I've found on the Atlantic side of things is in Pint (500ml, 16.9oz) cans, available in 4-packs at a handful of DC area shops.

It says on the can "A Distinctive Crisp, Dry Taste". I will heartily agree that the taste is certainly distinctive, and dry. the crispness is something that only ever comes out when it's well and truly chilled. Unlike many ciders that get a sort of warm bite to them as they warm up in your hand, BlackThorn tends to just get harsher and acquires a vaguely yeasty aroma that can put you off if you're not expecting it. There is an almost acidic bitterness that sweeps the back of your tongue on the way down your throat. There is very little sweet about this cider (in contrast to Woodchuck Amber or Scrumpys Organic), though there is a hint of tart that comes through when it is chill.

With many ciders (and beers, I'm told) room temperature is supposed to be the best for getting the full body of flavor from your drink. The aroma which accompanies this libation when warm, however, tends to overpower the otherwise refreshing crispness which makes this cider worth keeping around. The label around the neck of the can says "Serve Chilled" and I would take it one step further: Don't even think about it unless the frost forms up the glass as you pour. But if you can keep a couple of cans or bottles at the back of the fridge or the bottom of the ice bucket, savor this smooth cider while you can.

http://www.blackthorn.uk.com/home.asp

Goldwater Springs Alpaca

Just before moving to DC, I was given a skein of tan Alpaca/wool blend Goldwater Springs yarn. It's been traveling with me for the last 4 months and I've finally done more than ball it and stare at it with longing abandon.

The farm is in West-Central Iowa, and produces a great deal of fiber and 'Home' products such as lip balm and bath scents. Their fiber and yarn had won awards in competitions sponsored by Spin-Off, a notable trade magazine in fiber arts. The online store has something to be desired, but email questions and orders are usually responded to in good order. If you are in the upper mid-west, they are also present at many central Iowa farmer's markets in the warmer seasons.

The yarn its self is of between worsted and DK weight, 3ply with a fairly even color that makes me wonder if they haven't added some dye to keep the color solid. As this is my first experience working with alpaca, though, I won't stand too firm by that. The feel of the yarn is absolutely heavenly. It has the slick softness of silk, with the flexibility and stretch of wool. I am told that Alpaca also preserves many of the temperature and moisture-wicking characteristics of wool, though i haven't had a chance to put that to the test. I will say that it is a dream to move through your hands, even to make a quick gauge swatch.

The yarn is well spun, with the plys locking together nicely to help prevent splitting the yarn while working with it. The project I have it in mind for will be using Brittany US10 Double Point needles, the gauge for which on this yarn is about 4.5 sts/in and 5 rows/in. Just doing a gauge watch with this yarn is a pleasure, with the soft smoothness sliding through your fingers. The stitches pop fairly well, leading me to believe that it would display cabling like a charm.

I have this yarn on the needles right now as a hat for an ailing relative. So far, it is knitting up a dream. Above the brim, I plan on using cables to add a bit of flavor to the pattern. Pictures will be added both here and on my Ravelry page with the results. In the mean time, find yourself some Alpaca yarn and just run it through your hands. I think you'll be impressed.

http://www.goldwaterspringsalpaca.com/default.html

J.K. Scrumpy 'Orchard Gate Gold'

This is a cider, ladies and gentlemen, that speaks to you before it's even out of the cooler at the shop.

It comes in a tall (22 oz) amber bottle with a proud "USDA ORGANIC" label adorning its long neck. The description on the label as a "Farmhouse Cider" led me to think of the Apple Jack I'd had years ago back in Iowa. Or the Weston's Organic ciders I'd had in England. Both of which were strong, almost bitter brews that still smelled strongly of the apple peels the juice had been wrung from and had a kick like a Kung Fu master. In that regard, Scrumpy fairly surprised me .

The brew has a mild fizz to it, similar to Strongbow or any of the other popular brands. Whereas, however, Strongbow, K's, Blackthorn and others proudly state that they are 'Dry' ciders, Scrumpy is nothing of the sort. As soon as you pop the cap off the bottle, the sweetness fills the air like a caramel factory. It took me three tries to take the first sip out of the glass I'd poured it in for the thickness of the fruity scent. On tasting, it goes down much like it smells. I was reminded often as I drank that first glass of Apricot Jam. I honestly have no idea why Apple cider should be reminiscent of Apricot jam, but there you go.

Unlike some ciders (Woodpecker Amber, for example) which start out sweet and then seem to mild as you make your way through the pint, Scrumpy's seemed to get even sweeter as I went on, each sip drawing a pucker and a smacking of the lips. The alcohol content is not terribly great, especially compared to many organic ciders out there, a mere 6.0%, so the kick is not much to get worked up over. The sweetness of it, I fear might lead to some nasty headaches in the morning, though, and I might recommend laying in a good stock of Asprin before you get started.

I have to admit that after the first bottle, I needed to open up something else just for a break from the fruitiness so sweet that it might just give Rainbow Bright pause. This is not something to be taken on a binge, or after you drink is well and truly on. If, however, you are looking for a less alcoholic alternative to Mead, Scrumpy might well be for you. Like with mead, however, I would recommend splitting a bottle between friends and served in small glasses or tumblers. A good social drink, not to be indulged in haste, but savored over good conversation.

http://organicscrumpy.com/index.html