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. 

Lemon-Ginger Labourade

Here is my recipe for a large jar of Lemon-Ginger Labourade, the quintessential chilled beverage for any mom who knows that a) birth is a marathon that needs fuel and b) lemon and ginger taste great!

1/2 tsp magnesium powder - I used a sweet, flavoured powder called Natural Calm, you could also open up a magnesium supplement capsule 
1 pinch sea salt
1 pinch baking soda
2 T honey
1 ginger tea bag, or 1 inch fresh ginger root
1 litre coconut water
1/4 cup lemon juice

Dissolve magnesium powder in 1 T water that has just boiled. Add sea salt, baking soda, honey, 1 additional cup of boiled water and ginger and stir to combine.
After 5 minutes remove the tea bag or fresh ginger. For added ginger flavour you can add a pinch of powdered ginger.
Pour in coconut water and lemon juice and chill until ready to use.
 

Amy's "Amaretto Sour"

It was at a Red Lobster probably six years ago that I heard my friend, Brittanie, order an amaretto sour.

It was delicious. Perhaps the first time I'd ever really enjoyed an alcoholic beverage. The unreal mix of amaretto's sweet buttery almond-cherry flavour cut with the acidic punch of lemon. Heaven.

For several years now I've been making a total unauthentic version of this drink based on things I actually keep in the house: butterscotch liqueur, fresh lemon juice and almond extract.

But then...

Recently I realized that J.R. Watkins isn't just * the best natural beauty brand ever * they actually make many other products. From laundry detergent to bug spray to bathroom cleaners to gravy mix, they have it all. And it's totally natural. I love it! Where am I going with this?

I was able to get my hands on J.R. Watkins' line of 100% natural extracts for cooking, baking, etc. (Full disclosure: I did not have to pay for them, in exchange for writing a completely honest review.) The almond extract took one look at me and said: Make me into an amaretto sour. So I did.

Here is my recipe, perfectly by my new addition of J.R. Watkins' 100% natural Pure Almond Extract (which tastes like everything that is good in the world). Keep checking back as I post new recipes using this line. (Spoiler alert - lemon and vanilla are coming up!)

Amy's "Amaretto Sour"
1 part butterscotch liqueur (I use Butter Shots)
1 part fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 part filtered water
1 drop of J.R. Watkins Pure Almond Extract
ice cubes
lemon slices

Combine and shake to mix.