Crispin Lansdowne:
Greetings one and all and welcome back to the lighthouse in a storm of beer.  Not sure how that can happen but if there can be a flood of molasses, there can be a storm of beer.  Speaking of molasses, let’s look at a cider that was not only made with cider, but also with stout yeast.  Yes friends, a combo like that can only belong to the good people of Crispin and their cider, Lansdowne which, believe it or not, is made as a tribute to Irish ruby teams (the name comes from a Lansdowne Road stadium that was torn down in 2007).  The cider pours a nice and surprising amber color with no head or lacing to speak while there is a nose of candied apples and brown sugar notes.  The ciders taste starts out a nice champagne-style dry taste that mellows as it moves across the palate to develop mellow taste of brown sugar that really develops through the back end and aftertaste but is never very sweet, just mellow and dry.  This is probably the best cider I have had from Crispin and it’s unique look and taste is enough to warrant it being tried by any beer drinker who is curious about ciders.  The cider does a good job bridging the gap between the two styles with a palate satisfying array of flavors and sensations that the idea that this is a cider but a good blend between both worlds of adult beverages.