LCBO Food & Drink Autumn 2021

Barrelhouse ciders Most Ontario ciders are made in barrelhouses, where makers buy fresh apple juices from farmers and then blend and ferment them inside their production facility. Some houses age in wood using the naturally occurring yeast in the juice, while others blend fruit purées and spices into freshly fermented cider to create culinary-inspired bevvies.

Ernest Apple Strudel LCBO 128009, 473 mL, $3.65

Pommies Cider LCBO 453118, 473 mL, $3.40

All of the elements of a strudel are in this bubbly concoction: Nutmeg and cinnamon lead to apple pie notes, finishing with vanilla and pastry. Sip with pecan or fruit pie.

Made with six varieties of Ontario apples, this sparkling straw-hued tipple is like drinking a crisp, juicy Ida Red with a sweet Golden Deli- cious centre and a tart, clean finish.

Cider styles around the world Ontario’s ciders are influenced by Old World styles, from San Sebastián, Spain, to Cornwall, England. Here’s what you’ll taste. England English cider styles range from cloudy scrumpies to commercial golden ciders like Strongbow. Try Hex Press ( LCBO 13701, 473 mL, $3.55), an English-inspired tipple made with Ontario apples. Spain Funky and very sour, sidra is an unusual treasure from Spain’s Asturias and Basque regions. Try a tamer version with Kupela Bizia ( LCBO 15161, 750 mL, $7.50), a French-Spanish hybrid. France Dripping with rich apple charac- ter and complexity, Normandy cider is worth hunting down. Look for these rarities in the Vintages section or the cider aisle with these key words: “Cidre Normandie.” NewWorld Most New World ciders (apart from those from orchard-based producers) are made with dessert apples rather than heritage variet- ies and are often punched up with different fruits, herbs or spices.

For the best dessert pairings, choose sweet, sparkling ciders like Ernest Apple Strudel.

Pecan Pie Bars Find the recipe at lcbo.com/fdautumn21

Two barrelhouses on our radar

N iagara Cider Founded in 2019, this cidery came out of the gate strong, winning a gold medal for its No. 1 Apple Cider (LCBO 11562, 473 mL, $3.70) at North America’s most prestigious cider awards, the Great Lakes International Cider and Perry Competition.

Revel This tiny cidery has made a big name for

itself thanks to its ded- ication to working only with wild Ontario yeasts and its knack for creating subtle, swoon-worthy flavours. Order direct from Revel online.

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FOOD & DRINK AUTUMN 2021