Day 85 - Rockin' Hard Cherry Apple Cider

From the quaint Wisconsin vacation region of Door County, comes Rockin' Hard Cherry Apple Cider!  Taken from the Door County Visitor's Bureau, "With 300 miles of shoreline, you can watch a sunrise and a sunset over the water without leaving the county. See thousands of acres of orchards, explore art galleries, devour cherry pie, sip on local wines and brews, splash in the lake or paddle along the bluffs, stroll through five state parks or tour 11 historic lighthouses. No matter what you're looking to get out of your vacation, our 19 unique communities allow you to live life well."

The region is known for it's many apple and cherry orchards and for it's vineyards.  I have never been there but someone from the Door County Visitor's Bureau visited the TV station where I work and brought some wine and apples.  I snagged a bottle of Rockin' Hard Cherry Apple Cider from Door County Cider Co.  

It is estate-grown, fresh-pressed tart and sweet cherry juice and apple, fermented with a slight effervescent and a crisp taste.  They also make Hardcore Apple Cider and Stone Cold Cherry Hard Cider.  They are all 5% ABV and cost aprox. $12.00 for a 750 ml bottle.  The website describes it as semi-sweet but I found it to be quite sweet!  It was just alright for me dawg.  I probably would not try it again but I would love to make it to Door County someday for some nice rest and relaxation, apple picking and booze drinkin'!

Next time, take out your teeth, you don't need em'!  Think back to those care free days when you wore a diaper (I'm wearing one right now!)  I will review/compare apple sauce and apple baby food.  Crunch on or just gum on!

Day 84 - Cosmic Crisp

Cosmic Crisp, proponents have called it the Beyonce of apples!  Is it worthy of this fierce description and lofty name and does this in turn, make Beyonce the Cosmic Crisp of the music world?  It's supposed to be all that and a peck of apples.  Millions have been spent to promote it as the next big thing.  Read on for the shocking results and photographic evidence!

Back in the 1980s', former Washington State University horticulturalist Bruce Barritt became concerned there was too much focus on lame-ass Red and Golden Delicious apples.  He launched a breeding program at the university and in 1997, Barritt crossed a Honeycrisp with an Enterprise and created what came to be known as Cosmic Crisp.  The goal was to create an apple with exceptional, flavor, crunch, juiciness, flexibility, slow browning and long shelf life.

The name Cosmic Crisp came about based on focus groups who thought the striking lenticels on the apple surface reminded them of outer space and the cosmos and of course, they were derived from an apple with crisp in the name.  I think Enterprise probable put thoughts of space in their minds as well.

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the shocking photos regarding the alleged long shelf life of said apple.  Would Queen Bee approve of this?!!!!!!!!!

THE FOLLOWING MAY BE OFFENSIVE TO SOME VIEWERS

They (the apple people from outer space) claim Cosmic Crisp should stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to a year.  Imagine my horror when I saw this!  I had this apple for about a month BUT you know what?  Chicken Butt.  I think it must have gotten bruised in the fridge, making it much more prone to mold and decay.  I do believe they last a long time and they are slow to brown.  Here are pics of apple slices right after cutting and after 2, 4 and 6 hours.

They did not brown much which is impressive.  Most of the discoloration occurred after hour 2, interesting.  There are plenty of apples that start to brown within minutes.

My experience with the Cosmic Crisp, very hard flesh with a tart forward but balanced flavor, a loud, snappy crunch that could be heard across the Universe.  The skin was thick but not bitter, thick skin is sometimes bitter, 'twas a large, uniform specimen with a red and yellow, blemish free appearance.

Hubba-hubba Cosmic Crisp!  I hope this picture of Beyonce will get those nasty bruised apple pics out of your mind.

Next time I review Rockin' Hard Cherry Apple Cider.  Crunch on music lovers! 

Day 83 - Fanta Green Apple Soda

If you like a Jolly Rancher green apple candy and bubbles, you probably would like Fanta Green Apple Soda or pop if you prefer, though they call it soda and I call it soda.  It tastes to me just like a delightful Jolly Rancher.  It has a strong apple aroma, the flavor is sweet and quite tart.  There is a pleasant amount of carbonation.  It tastes a lot like Dekuyper Sour Apple Pucker liqueur, see my Day 6 apple review, https://mikegrunertblog.blogspot.com/2017/02/day-6-fuji-pucker-apple-raisin-bran.html, though Pucker is thicker and sweeter and boozier as it is booze.

Fanta Green Apple Soda has a neat toxic green color.  It is produced by The Coca-Cola Co.  The label displays "100% natural flavors".  Government regulations define natural flavors as those that derive their aroma or flavor chemicals from plant or animal sources, including fruit, meat, fish, spices, herbs, roots, leaves, buds or bark that are distilled, fermented or otherwise manipulated in a lab.  

The ingredients are: CARBONATED WATER, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, NATURAL FLAVORS, CITRIC ACID, MALIC ACID, CARAMEL COLOR, SODIUM CITRATE, SODIUM BENZOATE AND POTASSIUM SORBATE, (sarcastic Yum!)  But seriously, it is tasty, just not a health food option, probably best not to drink every day! 

The 20oz bottle has 280 calories and 75g of sugar, 149% of your recommended daily  value!  It is caffeine free.  This tangy concoction can also be purchased in 7.5 or 12oz cans or 2 liter bottles.

Next time, I will take you to an orchard far, far away with the Cosmic Crisp apple.  Drink up and crunch on!

Day 82 - Pink Pearl

Ahoy Mateys! From the land oceans of northern California comes the Pink Pearl, arrgh!  It was developed in 1944 by Albert Etter and is a descendant of the Surprise apple, an old English variety.

The Pink Pearl is medium sized with a creamy yellow to green skin.  The inner flesh is pink to bright red.

The flavor is quite tart with nuances of raspberry or grapefruit.  It is juicy and crisp.  They have a short growing season and are harvested in early Fall while supplies last.

The Pink Pearl is pretty neat, a little lip puckery for my taste but if you like 'em tart, it might be for you.  I have now reviewed two apples in a row with a wild red/pink center.  More apples with this type of look inside are being developed now and I predict you will see more in stores soon.  Some other varieties to look out for:  Clifford, Taunton Cross, Apricot Apple (Orange inside), Giant Russian, Mountain Rose, Red Wonder, Greneva Crab.

Next time, quench your thirst for apples with Fanta Green Apple Soda, drink and crunch on!

Day 81 - Lucy Rose

My name is Mike.  It's been 9 months since my last apple blog.  If I had relations with an apple then, I could have a little pome baby now.  I think that's how that works but life got in the way, issue with and of the heart, political upheaval, brain matter and sleep.  So back to it...

My wife was at Sendik's Food Market in Germantown a couple weeks ago and picked up a couple Lucy Rose apples.  They are very interesting indeed.  Don't worry, your gums aren't bleeding!  The inner flesh is not just white but pink or even red.  I wish I had taken pics of the other apple I had (VERY red  inside)  This is a pic of apple number 2 cut open, not as red but you get the idea.

The Lucy Rose was developed by Chelan Fresh in Washington state and is part Honeycrisp.  The red interior looks cool raw or for baking.  I have not seen apples with this much color inside before in person.  It is a sweet, tangy and crisp apple but not very juicy with notes of berry.

Lucy Rose has a uniform, somewhat conical shape and lenticals (spots) which remind some people of a strawberry.  Personally, it reminds me of an apple.  It has a sister apple called Lucy Gold which is orange to gold on the outside and has a more tart and tangy flavor.  See some more pics below of both.

Next time, I review another apple with a unique pink flesh, the Pink Pearl.  Crunch on!

Day 80 - EverCrisp

EverCrisp is a sweet and juicy, yummy apple that holds a powerful, mighty and manly crunch!  That is more or less what the Midwest Apple Improvement Association website says.

Technical name, MAIA-1, EverCrisp debuted in 2016 and is a combination of a Honeycrisp and a Fuji.  It is a durable, late season variety that will stay good up to 4 months and in fact has an even better flavor after several weeks.  It is grown in 32 states and is quickly gaining a reputation as a top-notch piece of fruit.

I like the EverCrisp quite a bit but don't have much to say about it.  Give one a try, yo!

Hey Lucy, I'm home!  Next time, I review Lucy Rose.  Crunch on MOFO's!

Day 79 - SugarBee apple and The Brown Note beer

The SugarBee apple is the latest Honeycrisp cross to hit the market place. It is unknown what other apple is it crossed with. This new apple was created by the bees doing their thang of pollinating the apple blossoms.  They were developed in Minnesota in the 90's but are now grown in Washington state, a great state for apples!  The sticker on the apple is cute, there's a little bee on there, precious!  It is very similar to a Honeycrisp, a good snap to the bite, thin skin, crisp, juicy and very sweet.  The sweetness does seem more honey-like as opposed to sugar.  There are some floral notes.  I really enjoy this apple.  I found them at Woodman's.      

Now, a beer review with one of the most disgusting beer labels I have ever seen, depicting a dude who has shit himself!  This is The Brown Note from Against the Grain Brewery out of Louisville, KY.   It has a ABV of 5%, IBU 20.  According to their website:  The brown ale to end all brown ales. Enjoy it, because there is no longer any reason to drink another. You’ve reached the pinnacle. A healthy blend of traditional British malts give this popular style a semi-sweet, biscuity, slightly roasted flavor. Oats thicken the mouthfeel, and a handful of specialty malts add complex chocolate, toffee, and caramel notes. The hops are mostly traditional, earthy British hops, but we cocked it up a bit with some Cascade late in the boil just to show those snooty Brits that we don’t approve of that Constitutional Monarchy crap.   

Against the Grain also cautions this beer is so good, it will make you shit yourself!  I did not shat myself but this stuff is a good Winter/Fall brew.  It is rich and robust, has quite a bit of carbonation and just moderate head.  The mouth feel was kind of thin but I did taste notes of chocolate, toffee and caramel.  I bought a 4 pack of 16 oz cans at Total Wine & More for $10.99.  I don't always spend that much on beer but had to give it a try.  Shit, I would try it again!

Next time, I review the EverCrisp apple.  Crunch on and get yer shit-faced drank on!