More Love of Crispin

I was checking out the Flying Saucer calendar today and - how timely ...  On the last week of March, Wednesday night is Crispin glass night and Thursday is Four Musketeers night. Though the shape of the glass is still unknown (maybe it's this one!), they're tapping kegs of all four Four Musketeers - all at once - on Thursday the 31st. Descriptions of each are below, taken from Crispin's site.

Athos: Stately, courtly, bold, noble and elegant. Aged in a Cabernet Sauvignon barrel.
A deep plum color lends into the aroma of clover honey with a hint of anise. An elegant refined sweet start moves to a plum honey flavor, with hints of black licorice and a clean rich finish on your mouth.
ABV: 5.7%
Appearance/color- plum, deep purple.
Aroma- clover honey with hints of anise.
Mouthfeel- very full upfront with a clean soft finish.

Porthos: Fun, lively, very full bodied & robust. Aged in a Zinfandel barrel.
A rich red Rose' colored cider with an aroma of elderberry, cranberry & oak. Upon swirling it in your mouth you get a rich, full, lightly sweet feel. Opens to tart, round fruit & rolls into light tannin, with a rounded full finish.
ABV: 6.8%
Appearance/color- Rosé & rich, while still remaining translucent
Aroma- Elderberry, Cranberry, vinous oak
Mouthfeel- Rich, full, slightly sweet

Aramis: Sexy, smooth and silky, fragrant & perfumed. A slightly dangerous edge. Aged in a Merlot barrel.
Pinkish hued with a slight haze, Aramis has an aroma of rose & pomegranate. With a delicate, soft roundness in the mouth, and a light lingering bite. The flavor is subtle with a soft vinous start, while the middle is semi-sweet fruit.
ABV: 5.3%
Appearance/color- light pink, slight haze
Aroma- rose, fruit, pomegranate
Mouthfeel- delicate, soft roundness with light crisp bite.

D'Artagnan: Spicy, lively. Peppery temperament. Aged in a Pinot Noir barrel.
Soft, light, peachy appearance & hue. The aroma is of spicy ginger with faint hints of fruit. A slightly sweet flavor with light ginger notes up front & a round honey dew like finish with a slight hint of warmth.
ABV: 4.8%
Appearance/color- Soft, peachy, light
Aroma- Spicy, ginger, faint fruit
Mouthfeel- Velvety & soft with a backbone of ginger warmth.

See you at Flying Saucer on the 31st!

For the Love of Crispin

I haven't been much of a cider drinker the past few years, despite the prevalence of cider in the area. We have plenty of options with Woodchuck, Strongbow, Ace, Scrumpy's, Hornsby, and Blackthorn. We even have several varieties of Aspall, which is a fantastic cidermaker out of England. Additionally, Magner's has made its way into the metro area's liquor stores, yet I haven't tried it anywhere but The Gaf on tap and was satisfied with it but not overwhelmed.

Enter Crispin (which also owns Fox Barrel). I tried my first Crispin cider at the National Homebrewers Conference last year in Minneapolis and thought it was quite good, despite it being served over ice. It took a little while to try some again, but on a whim a while back I picked up a bottle of The Saint - apple juice and maple syrup fermented with Trappist yeast (presumably Westmalle). It's very interesting; sweet, spicy, earthy, and fruity - not at all like your typical cider. 

Crispin extends its line of Artisinal ciders brewed with ale yeasts with Landsdowne, a cider with added molasses and fermented with Irish stout yeast. I've had it twice, and honestly didn't care for it. The molasses overpowered the aroma and the flavor, and really took away from the depth of flavor. Disappointing, as it sounds more interesting than it actually is. You won't see this here in KC (yet?), and honestly aren't missing much. The Saint & Honey Crisp (cider & honey) are far better, and available at most liquor stores with craft beer as well as Brookside Market.

Those are in the Artisinal series and earn points for creativity, but their Blue Line and Import ciders are just as wonderful and more in line with what you'd expect with cider. I'm a huge fan of the Blue Line brut cider, as it's clean, crisp, and dry and very refreshing. However, I prefer the Brown's Lane traditional English cider. It comes in a 500ml can, and is fermented with both cider yeast and Brettanomyces. It has a strong apple flavor and aroma, but the finish is moderately tannic, completely dry and slightly earthy.

Now where to get it... I've seen Crispin's Artisinal & Brut ciders at Cosentino's in P&L, Brookside Market, and Royal Liquor, but Rimann in Prairie Village has the broadest selection I've seen in the area. They carry a couple of the blue line labels (brut & original), the Brown's Lane, and the Saint & Honey Crisp artisinals. As mentioned, I haven't seen Lansdowne here nor have I seen their limited "Jacket" cider (a blend of all their Artisinal ciders that is aged in bourbon barrels - fantastic cider and highly recommend it if you come across it).

Pick some up for a slightly different take on cider. It's worth it.