Day 67 - Rockstar Hardcore Apple

I'm home this Friday night but that doesn't mean I can't run around and get a little crazy!  I am planning to be up for a while, drinking Rockstar Hardcore Apple while wearing some fun slippers that look like Chuck Taylors!  These slippers are awesome!

Rockstar Hardcore Apple is tasty.  It is quite sweet but better than a lot of energy drinks, doesn't have the medicinal flavor that some do.  It reminds me of a Jolly Rancher apple candy or Pucker Sour Apple liquor.  It has 240 mg of caffeine per can and is 260 calories.  It contains no juice.  It is a very natural toxic green color (judging by the toxic waste I have seen in movies)

I decided to mix it with some booze (like I said, weekend with the woot-woot and whatnot!)  I don't have any vodka, that would be good.  I tried some mixed with Evan Williams 1783 bourbon, not great.  Then, I mixed it with some Paul Masson Apple Grande Amber Brandy (see my Day 65 review) quite tasty.  Finally, I added some Fireball Cinnamon Whisky.  That was ok but I recommend going very light on it, the hot cinnamon taste easily overwhelms the apple flavor and we need to taste the apple.  If it was Skittles, we would want to taste the rainbow but I digress.

I don't drink energy drinks too often but when I do, Rockstar Hardcore Apple is not a bad way to go Mutherfucka!  Next time, I review Apple Toaster Strudel.  Crunch on!

Day 66 - Apple Jacks

A is for apple, J is for Jacks, cinnamon toasty Apple Jacks.  According to a recent review by Tony the Tiger, "They're grrrreat!"  After reading more of the famous tiger's reviews of other products I noticed all his reviews declared, "They're grrreat!"  He is very enthusiastic but I don't know if I can trust his opinion.

Apple Jacks is a brand of cereal produced by Kellogg's and introduced to the US in 1965 as Apple O's.  In 1971, the name changed to Apple Jacks.  Originally, all cereal pieces were orange and O-shaped.  In 1998, O-shaped green pieces were added.  The product is described by Kellogg's as a crunchy, sweetened three-grain cereal with apples and cinnamon.

Being a cereal targeting children, there have been some interesting mascots over the years.  In the 1960's, it was the crude and terrifying Apple Guy.  In 1971, the Apple Jacks Kids became the mascots.  As of 2004, the mascots are a care-free Jamaican cinnamon stick named CinnaMon and an accident-prone apple named Bad Apple.

Anyway, I like Apple Jacks.  I wasn't sure if they had any actual apples in 'em but dried apples are listed as an ingredient.  To make my Apple Jacks more apple heavy, I added some crushed up Seneca Apple Chips and it was good!

I am a fan of cereal in general.  I eat it most mornings, trying many types and sometimes mixing two or three kinds together.  I tried my Apple Jacks combined with a new cereal that just came out, Cinnamon Toast Crunch Blasted Shreds, boom and it was da bomb diggity!  This stuff has more cinnamon than I have ever seen on cereal and with 26% of your daily dietary fiber, it'll help to keep you regular.  That means poop.                                                                                                                                                   












Next time, I compare three different types of Seneca Apple Chips, the Original, Golden Delicious and Granny Smith style.  Crunch on and get yer chip on!

Day 65 - Apple Brandy Challenge

The people have spoken, at least the voices in my head.  They said Apple Brandy!  Today I taste and compare 3 kinds, Door County Distillery, Calvados Morin, and Paul Masson Apple Brandy.

As you can see, they each have a distinct color, from clear to dark amber.  Here is some info about all three.

Door County Distillery Apple Brandy is made in Wisconsin from apple wine and fresh apples.  It is 35% ABV and semi-sweet.  A bottle retails for aprox $19.99.  I really enjoy it.  It has a nice aroma, an authentic apple flavor and just the right amount of sweetness.

Calvados Morin has been making brandy in the Calvados region of Normandy, France since 1889.  It is derived from apple cider from a variety on tannin-rich apples.  This stuff is aged in Limousin Oak casks for 3 years.  It is 40% ABV.  A bottle retails for aprox $24.99.  It does have a decent apple flavor but zero sweetness and high alcohol content gives it quite a bite.  It is quality stuff but comes across a bit harsh to me.  I do think it would make an excellent mixer, I wrote and then, therefore mixed said spirit with some Ocean Spray Cranberry Pineapple juice.  It wasn't the best combination but I did finish it for science.  I think it would mix well with apple cider and I will surely try it.

Paul Masson Apple Grande Amber is up next.  It is 27% ABV.  A bottle retails for aprox $8.99.  It is made with premium grapes distilled in California and then aged for 3 years in Oak barrels and bottled in Kentucky.  The brandy is then mixed with apple liquor or flavoring.  I wasn't able to find any info on this part of the process.  Paul Masson Apple Grande Amber is the cheapest of the three by far.  It is the thickest and the sweetest.  I do like it, although sweet, it is not as sweet as Pucker or Amaretto for example.  The aroma is more like a candy apple than a fresh one.

In conclusion, my favorite of the three is Door County Distillery Apple Brandy.  It is a Wisconsin product made with nothing but apples.  It has just enough kick to get ya where you're going, just a little sweetness, a good consistency and it represents the apple the best.  Calvados Morin has the best aroma and I appreciate their long tradition of excellence in distilling but at $25 a bottle, I won't be getting it again.  Paul Masson Apple Grande Amber is surprisingly good.  At only $8 to $10 a bottle, if you like apple booze, give it a try.

Alright, in my next blog, I will answer the age old question, long contemplated in mathematics: A is for apples + J is for jacks = ?  Stayed tuned and crunch on!