Milk & Honey Fauna

Milk & Honey Fauna. 7.3% ABV. Milk & Honey Ciders, St. Joseph, MN.

Clear, bright yellow, slim head, soon gone.

In the nose: Aburst with apple. I would embarrass myself if I guess which ones. It's an "elite group" according to the label. Whichever, it's pretty darned apple-y. Tannin-y, Dry, slightly bitter, not a touch sweet.

In the mouth: Tart, to start. Sharp and tasty. Lean and clean. Likable, to be sure. Again, I must reiterate that I know very little about cider, and seldom drink it. This is impressive. It's charming my socks off. Quite a lot to like in this one. I do believe a beer will, once more, be my next beverage, and probably something hoppy, but I would not turn one of these down if offered.

Within Fauna you will find and an elite group of apples capable of truly great cider. Tannic apples for depth and body. Sharps for bright fruity-vinous character. Interesting heirlooms for aromatics. Every year the apples may change depending upon the whims of the orchard, but they will always impress. Let the apples shine.

Milk & Honey Flora

Milk & Honey Flora. 6.9% all. by vol. Milk & Honey Cidery, St. Joseph, MN. Ingredients: apples, yeast, sugar.

Clear, pale yellow, slight ring of foam 'round the edges.

In the nose: bright, crisp, fresh, apple-y. Very inviting.

In the mouth: Sparkling. Beautiful. Sharp, acidic, delicious, dry. Hey, guess what? I like it.

Milk & Honey Heirloom Cider 2015 Harvest

Milk & Honey Heirloom Cider Harvest 2015.
6.9% Alc./Vol. Ingredients: apples, yeast, sugar.

Don't shame me! This is not a dirty glass, but floating
particulates. Not sure why. 

Clear, pale golden, crapload of floats....did I wait too long on this? I only got this sample a few months ago. Surely it should hold up that long. I received two bottles, had the first fairly soon after receiving it, don't recall this amount of particulate. No head, because, cider.

In the nose: apples. Very apple-y. Granny Smith? No, Golden Delicious. I don't know. Actually, certainly not, as the label tells us. 10 different varieties. Sharp, acidic, nice.

(Reading the website later, I see that we are encouraged to use a bulbed glass for greater aromatics, and I went with a silly ol' Willi Becher. And pulled out a fancy one for a local kettle sour afterward. Shame on me.)

In the mouth: Sharp, twangy, even tangy, tart, crisp, and yeah, delicious. That's some nice cider, there. If I were drinking some cider, I'd like it to be this. Ends on a dry note, while remaining fruity and tasty. Good ol' cider.



2015 was a ‘garden year’ for our apple orchards. The 2015 Heirloom best exemplifies the growing season with tropical fruit aromas and a big mouthfeel. The usual Heirloom suspects, including Newtown Pippin, Winesap, and Chestnut, were blended with some new characters including Dabinett, Northern Spy and Wickson.