Attn: TomB. Re: The Taste of Magners

avanutria · Post by **avanutria** » Sat Aug 06, 2005 2:39 pm

This is your brain.

This is your brain on Magners.

Any questions?

Martin Milner · Post by **Martin Milner** » Sun Aug 07, 2005 12:22 am

Haha! Well I see the our fellow Chiffers are finally stunned into silence.

TomB asked people to describe the taste of Magners (Cider) - being a man of few words, ahem, I thought we'd try to do it visually. Passing the Golden Lion on Friday evening, after a long hard day at the office listening to the Test Match, a glass of the stuff that cheers seemed a good idea. Well, it perked me up, anyway.

Seriously, Tom, in the UK there are few choices for the determined cider drinker. The draft choice in London is usually one of Strongbow, Dry Blackthorn, Olde English, Woodpecker, or occasionally Scrumpy Jack. I don't recall a single pub that offers more than one choice. Bottles Magners is now available occasionally, mostly in pub with an Irish connection, and often in pubs that have sessions, though there is a current advertising campaign, so the stuff is spreading.

Strongbow is pretty good, but probably stuffed full of chemicals.

Dry Blackthorn is quite close to Magners in taste, quite appley.

Olde English and Scrumpy Jack are definitely less good to my palate, the latter being just a step up from drinking the dog's water.

Woodpecker and I go back many years, Woodpecker Sweet Cider was the alcoholic choice allowed at family Sunday lunches - a great swill to wash down roast pork. Sadly, a minor disagreement with a 1 1/2 litre bottle of the stuff on my 16th birthday (I'm sure it must have been off) and the subsequent coversation on the porcelain telephone put me off Woodpecker Cider generally.

These days Magners is probably the best of the slim choices available. It comes in two sizes of glass bottle, the larger (illustrated above) being bigger than a pint. At 4.5% alcoholic volume, it's pretty strong, as are most of the ciders.

Tyghress · Post by **Tyghress** » Sun Aug 07, 2005 7:42 am

ROFL!

I nearly snorted my coffee on this one!

Well done....well done......

peteinmn · Post by **peteinmn** » Sun Aug 07, 2005 9:20 am

Martin Milner wrote:
....just a step up from drinking the dog's water.

.... a minor disagreement with a 1 1/2 litre bottle of the stuff on my 16th birthday (I'm sure it must have been off) and the subsequent coversation on the porcelain telephone.........

Martin, you made me spill my coffee!

Post by **Nanohedron** » Sun Aug 07, 2005 12:36 pm

Cider tastes good --well, as Martin pointed out, some better than others-- but it's gotta be full of fiber or something. It gives me the day-after trots every time I down a few.

Azalin · Post by **Azalin** » Sun Aug 07, 2005 12:41 pm

I so miss my Bullmer's!

Redwolf · Post by **Redwolf** » Sun Aug 07, 2005 1:14 pm

My very first (unintentional) bender was on Cider. I was 19, and riding up to Victoria, BC, on the old Princess Marguerite with my parents. At the time, BC law allowed people to drink at 19, so I took myself into the bar and asked the bartender for suggestions. He figured I'd like cider and, to his credit, he DID warn me that it's much more alcoholic than it tastes (this was Grower's Extra-Dry from BC). It was a hot day, and that cider was so cool and refreshing...like apple juice, only not so sweet! I was reeling when I got off the boat, much to my parents' dismay!

I still like cider, but I never can drink it without that song "Johnny Jump Up" running through my head!

Redwolf

TomB · Post by **TomB** » Mon Aug 08, 2005 6:00 am

Thanks, Martin and Ava. That's great.

Martin: I actually have had Old Woodpecker's, back in the early 80's, when I was over in London. I liked it, but was busy trying out the ales and learning of Guiness, so cider took at back seat at that time.

All the Best, Tom

Brian Lee · Post by **Brian Lee** » Mon Aug 08, 2005 6:58 am

Woodpecker Cider

Bloomfield · Post by **Bloomfield** » Mon Aug 08, 2005 7:44 am

LOL, Martin!

Sorry but nothing you get in the UK or US beats this stuff:

TomB · Post by **TomB** » Mon Aug 08, 2005 8:31 am

Bloomfield wrote:LOL, Martin!

Sorry but nothing you get in the UK or US beats this stuff:

OK, the picture is not large enough, at least for my eyes, to see the label. Is it Apfelkorn?

Tom

Bloomfield · Post by **Bloomfield** » Mon Aug 08, 2005 8:39 am

TomB wrote:OK, the picture is not large enough, at least for my eyes, to see the label. Is it Apfelkorn?

Tom

French Cidre Bouché brut. Best stuff comes from Normandy.

Martin Milner · Post by **Martin Milner** » Mon Aug 08, 2005 2:12 pm

Bloomfield wrote:
TomB wrote:OK, the picture is not large enough, at least for my eyes, to see the label. Is it Apfelkorn?

Tom
French Cidre Bouché brut. Best stuff comes from Normandy.

Haven't seen this stuff in the UK. I guess most people are still wary after the last Norman Invasion.

jsluder · Post by **jsluder** » Mon Aug 08, 2005 2:26 pm

Martin Milner wrote:Haven't seen this stuff in the UK. I guess most people are still wary after the last Norman Invasion.

I thought the last Norman Invasion was in Los Angeles...

... or perhaps you meant this one...

TomB · Post by **TomB** » Mon Aug 08, 2005 2:32 pm

Martin Milner wrote:
Bloomfield wrote:
TomB wrote:OK, the picture is not large enough, at least for my eyes, to see the label. Is it Apfelkorn?

Tom
French Cidre Bouché brut. Best stuff comes from Normandy.
Haven't seen this stuff in the UK. I guess most people are still wary after the last Norman Invasion.

You know, Martin. Even though I've now seen numerous pictures of you, when I read your posts, in my mind's eye the words are coming from the dude in your Avatar.

Now, if I can just peg the voice.

Tom