Hard Cider Reviews: Redd's Apple Ale

So I've decided to start keeping track of the different alcoholic beverages and their tastes along with my overall evaluation.  For no reason than just my own personal uses.  Though feel free to read along!

The first thing I'll say is that I do not like beer, nor do I have much liking for the taste of alcohol in general.  However, I've learned in the past months that there are certain beverages I can tolerate fairly well, and others that actually appeal.  These are the hard ciders, for the most part, plus a few other "exotic" drinks.  Most of these can be found at just about any standard grocery store.  My store has this special, you can purchase a single regular-sized bottle of off-brand drinks for a much reduced price.  You can also mix-n-match these oddities to make up a "tester" 6-pack.  This is what I like to do, because it gives me the ability to try a bunch of different ones.  I simply ran into the problem that I can no longer remember which ones I'd already tried and liked, and those I didn't.

Dilemma solved!  Ya'll get to hear my reviews!

So this first one is not actually my first, though I hadn't noticed it on the shelf before.  There was only 1 bottle of it it the mixers, so I popped it into the pack to try.  The brand is Redd's and this is a 'crisp' apple ale.  Apparently they do make other styles, though I didn't see any other singles.  This one is a clear glass bottle with twist-off cap and red label.  The liquid inside is a light amber in color.  The fragrance is a light apple, not too overpowering.  First taste shows is to be quite light and refreshing, with a slight tingle and bite if held too long on the tongue.  Barely any aftertaste, with no bitterness.

This one definitely wins my seal of approval.  I could certainly see this one accompanying a meal... though probably in an actual glass.  I wouldn't class this as a favorite, but certainly one to enjoy.

Changing Direction: Rabbits

It's interesting to think that I've been in rabbits for almost 20 years.  And yet, in all that time I really can't say that I've genuinely excelled with any single breed.  I've encouraged the kids to have their own, gone to great lengths to help them get the best and watched them succeed.  Both elder girls have won both BIS & RIS trophies.  I myself even won an RIS once... long ago.  But that's no more than a memory.

I think of other people I've known over the years, some haven't been in as long as I have, winning high stakes with their ONE breed.  I think of others who've been raising the same, single breed for at least as long as I have.  And then I wonder, why can't I settle on a single breed?  I have never truly had a passion for just one, I love them all.  So I always have to try something new.  Even when I first started, I had 2 breeds: Mini-rex and Holland Lops. 

I've raised cavies for only about 10 years, with about a 3 year gap in between while having my youngest kids.  And even though I've tried out different ones of those as well, I've always gravitated back towards a single breed: American Satins.  I'm even down to just the 2 compatible colors: cream & white (necessary to breed creams, not because I'm particularly fond of them).  So why have I never been able to drive myself to the same level with the rabbits?

Over the years I've had:
Mini-rex
Rex
English Angora
French Angora
Lionhead
Polish
Dutch
Netherland Dwarf
Holland Lop
Mini-lop
French Lop
Flemish Giant
Californian
New Zealand
Lilac
Havana
Himalayan
Belgian Hare
Jersey Wooly
American Fuzzy Lop
Mini-Plush Lop
English Lop
Mini Satin
English Spot

That's 23 out of 47 breeds!

Now I'm getting ready to clear out all "non-essential" breeds from the rabbitry.  I plan on leaving only my Hares and the Dutch.  Everything else will go.  That will actually reduce me down to less than 10 rabbits if I can actually pull it off.  The problem here is that I can feel the restlessness coming on.  I don't have the ability to go full-out with the Hares.  I love them dearly, but most of my cages were not built to house Hares (who require special accommodations), so I'm very limited in the numbers I'm able to maintain.  The Dutch are the property of one of the girls and I have little interest in them honestly.  So now I'm at my wits' end.  I want to specialize, I really do.  I just cannot seem to find that ONE special breed that is meant for me.