I sent a text yesterday as we have both been traveling, but I felt like he deserved more than that (though I’m sure we’ll celebrate in person when we see each other next). So here’s to my pal DB — hope you had an awesome birthday. Much love, my friend!
Cheers!
Anyone who regularly reads this blog will not need help identifying which bottles are mine and which are his…please don’t hold the flavored vodka against me — it makes an excellent smoothie!
I know, I know, it’s a cider, not a beer. But ever since I got wind about a cider made with hops, I have been dying to try it. And, since Anthem’s Cherry Cider is the most popular hit out of all of the beer I’ve covered, I felt it was necessary to review this one as well. That my excuse — I’m doing it for the people!
Ahem.
Anyways. I’ve mentioned that I love hoppy beers. I especially love the season when many Oregon micro breweries do their “fresh hopped” beers. These tend to be less bitter and more herbaceous and floral than their regular run-of-the-mill counterparts. While this cider is dry hopped, not fresh, I still held on to the hope that the palate might be similar. I was also hoping it would blow me away — which Anthem’s cherry version failed to do.
Let’s just say, as visions of apples and hops danced in my head, I was pretty anxious to open this bottle!
I have mentioned before how much I enjoy New Belgium’s beers. In fact, their sour beer is still one of my top favorite beers of all time. So when I spotted a 22-oz bottle of their Pink Peppercorn IPA at a specialty beer store, I picked it up immediately. It’s from their Trip Series, which means it’s a collaboration beer between New Belgium and Elysian (a well-known Seattle brewery to those of us in the PNW).
Here, this says it all:
I should also mention that, like a good little Oregonian, I love IPAs. So as you can imagine, I’ve been very excited to drink this beer!
Last night, when I finally sat down after doing loads of dishes and laundry, it seemed like the perfect time to crack it open. I usually try to save beers like this for when my husband is home so he can enjoy them too, but the last time we split a beer, I sucked my half down in record time and he left his to languish on the table. It was still there — untouched — the next morning. Alcohol abuse like that is not tolerated in my household.
About a month ago, my friend DB and I followed in our non-existent German ancestors’ footsteps and began making rumtopf. We each have our own crock, full (so far) of rum, strawberries, blueberries and nectarines.
I added some more goodies — fresh local blackberries and Bing cherries — to my crock this weekend. While I was in there, I tasted some of the liquid, rum with sugar and fruit juices. It is so amazingly good, I can’t even believe it.
In fact I’m tempted to start another batch now, because as soon as December hits I am going to plow through this one.
Blackberries and cherries macerated in sugar
Rumtopf crock brimming with goodness!
Want to start your own crock of boozy fruit? Check out the first post to see how!
