Cider beer for summer

It is summer HARD here in Ontario. Last night driving home from a friend's place Calvin looked at our car's outdoor temperature reading and said: "Wow, when's the last time it was 25 degrees out not including humidity at 10:30pm?" It's hot. 

In this weather most Canadians crack open a cold beer, and while I get on that train sometimes, I really just love hard cider. Call it a girly love of sweetness or my over exposure to gluten-free options growing up with a Celiac-heavy family or just being so used to promoting fruit and veggie consumption but I love a good apply (or peary) cider! They have anywhere from 4-8% alcohol and come in the same sizes - cans and bottles - as typical beer. Prices can be similar too. The main difference is that instead of fermenting barley/wheat/hops, hard cider is made from fermented fruit juice, using yeast. Because yeast eats sugar, the fermentation process will decide how sweet or how dry the final product is. Typically if it's drier (less sweet) it'll also have a little more alcohol content.

Nutritionally it's no easy choice. The nutritional profiles are similar to beer with a few more carbs per serving for ciders typically. Where beer is great in b vitamins, cider is rich in antioxidants and vitamin c. And many are made entirely of local produce! 

I've tried a good handful of ciders out there. From the big names like Strongbow, Magners, Somersby, Seagram and Grower's ... to the "side projects" of major brewers like Keith's cider and Stella Artois' "cidre" ... and a delightful cider by our friend's family orchard (Twin Pines Orchard) ... For me there's no clear winner. 

Another one I gave a go was Molson Canadian's new Cider. Calvin came home with a six pack of bottles and after his first one decided he'd prefer one of PC's new "cervezas". I didn't hate it but it wasn't anything special, and hey I just got myself sole access to the rest of the pack. Sweet (pun intended). 

But then!!!

We also had a chance to try Molson Canadian Stone Fruit which is made with peaches and apricots. Wow wow wow! This is going to be my rest-of-summer drink. It's sweet without being syrupy, more like a mild nectar with a boozy kick and that bitter hit that we all love from beer. It's anything but average with the unique flavour of apricots. I was stoked with every sip. 

I think you'll love this option whether you're into supporting local, need to eat/drink gluten free, or just appreciate good taste. 

Full disclosure: I was able to receive product free of charge for review. The opinions are 100% mine. 

Try It Tuesday: Serve Beer in the Right Glass

The beer enthusiast would argue that each sparkling glass contains an array of B vitamins and all the glorious benefits of fermentation, but let's be frank: beer isn't the healthiest thing on Earth.

Even so, there's something to be said of being dedicated to a craft and becoming a master of your interest. I myself laugh at the research articles that claim coffee is harmful to your overall health and choose to, instead, spend my time perfecting the classic French press.

In hopes of inspiring you to elevate your nightly brew to more than just a one-dollar can, I bring to you: How to Serve Beer in the Right Glass!

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Inspired by the wildly entertaining book: Show Me How
A compulsive library-grab from last week that has proven to be most aesthetically pleasing and strangely inspiring. It offers illustrated instructions on a variety of tasks, from quite necessary to ultimate party trick, including: How to Install a Tire Swing, How to Defend Against a Shark Attack, and, How to Tango.

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A Belgian ale or barley wine goes great in a tulip glass. The bulbous body and flared lip will make the most of its hearty aroma.

The Weizenbier glass is great for wheat beer because its shape showcases fluffy foam and golden hues.

A strong ale is great in a snifter because the big bowl captures aromas and concentrates them at the glass's lip.

In the US, ales and lagers are typically served in a straight-edged "poor man's pint" glass measuring a measly 475ml.

In England it's illegal to serve a pint less than 600ml and they use a glass with a slight bulge to allow for more head.

Anything with a malty flavour will taste best in a goblet as it traps the flavours and retains hearty head.

Lastly, a flute's elegant form, often used for champagne, boosts carbonation and will compliment fruity and lambic beers.

No matter what your favourite style of beer is it deserves the right glass. Serve anything from a hefty Guinness to a Bud Light to the new Rickard's Blonde (in sampler packs now!) and you're sure to impress. Just be sure that one of your guests knows they're on dishes duty.