A trip to town: St. Joseph ciders, cocktails and a surprisingly frothy ending

For the last (normal) edition of The Record, we figured that a St. Joseph review was in order. Don’t worry, this review was done over two weeks, we didn’t go too crazy.

Week one was cider week, with us trying Bad Habit’s new Hot Alcoholic Apple Cider and rounding the night out with a selection of Milk & Honey ciders.

We also picked up Pommeau, a Milk & Honey creation that blends apple brandy and apple juice into the most dangerous barrel aged alcohol we have ever had. We didn’t review Pommeau, but it’ll likely make a reappearance next semester.

Week two of this review took us to Obbink Distilling, St. Joseph’s very own whiskey distillery, and one of Andrew’s favorite places in town. At Obbink we each reviewed a cocktail of our choice, and then we all partook in a whiskey review at the end.

All eight of the drinks in here come highly recommended by us for anyone who is 21+ but, if you aren’t, heat up some apple juice to simulate that hot apple cider or head to Obbink for a non-alcoholic cocktail, they have plenty for everyone.

Hot Alcoholic Apple Cider – Bad Habit Brewing Company (5.5%)

Our first stop was to one of our favorite places in St. Joseph, Bad Habit. This week they dropped their hot alcoholic apple cider, and we had to include it in this review. It was served in a mug and spiced with a stick of cinnamon.

Cinnamon came through on the nose with the sweet apple smell. This was a simple cider, just hot apple juice, but with a kick, of course. It was like when you were sick as a kid, and your mom put some apple juice in the microwave or over the stove. This hot cider is the epitome of childhood but for adults.

Little Dipper – Milk & Honey Ciders (5.0%)

Going to the cider capital of St. Joseph, Milk & Honey did not disappoint. Little dipper smelled like a boozy green apple, and that’s exactly the flavor we got.

It was very light. There was a good blend of sweetness and tartness, and the cider was very crisp. Plain and simple, it’s a green apple in a bottle, a great, classic cider.

Heirloom – Milk & Honey Ciders (6.9%)

Heirloom had a more fermented smell, and it wasn’t our favorite right out the gate. Despite that, it grew on us, and it is definitely a good closer. Heirloom is made with 10 different apple varieties, and you can taste the mix of flavors. None stick out, so it was an interesting profile.

We also noticed that this cider got sweeter as we continued sipping it, but never reached the sweetness of the hot cider at Bad Habit or even of Little Dipper. If you’re going to try a few ciders, start with something sweet and then bring it back down with Heirloom.

Tart Cherry – Milk & Honey Ciders (6.9%)

Lastly was the heavily anticipated Tart Cherry. Andrew was very excited to try this cider and see how the cherry flavor came through. The smell was very tart, as it should be.

There wasn’t as much tartness in the flavor, but the cherry did come through on the back end.

We noted that the apple flavor is more dominant on the front end, with an almost blending of flavors as cherry takes over at the end. The cherry may not have been quite as strong as expected, but it was a great flavor combination and a great way to end the evening.

Classic Old Fashioned – Obbink Distilling

Obbink’s Classic Old Fashioned did not disappoint, especially when made with their new, limited release, barrel aged bourbon, which we will review separately later.

The aroma was pure sweet orange, and the old fashioned had the perfect warmth. The citrus and caramel flavors came through strongly, with the caramel heavily driven by the whiskey. This is a great old fashioned for anyone who likes them and would be a great way to get into old fashioneds.

Dark Energy Espresso Martini – Obbink Distilling

Obbink’s spin on the espresso martini, Dark Energy, uses their own house made coffee liqueur, called Dark Matter, as well as their vodka, Lunar Vodka. It was Caden’s first espresso martini, and it was a fantastic first try.

It had a great blend of coffee and chocolate and was like an alcoholic mocha latte. If you’re into coffee, be sure to give it a try.

Space Cowboy Whiskey Sour – Obbink Distilling

Another Obbink spin, this time on a whiskey sour, Space Cowboy adds some spice to the classic drink, using elements of jalapeno.

Initially, the salted rim and citrus flavors dominate, but the warmth of the jalapeno and the sweetness of honey blend together on the back end.

You order this drink with varying levels of spice, from one to five, and if you go too hot the bartender may be nice enough to bring you a glass of whole milk (thanks Ryan).

Barrel Aged Bourbon – Obbink Distilling

Last up was Obbink’s first even barrel aged bourbon. This is a limited release at the moment, so get it while it is still available.

We decided to enjoy this whiskey on the rocks, but it could easily be had neat. The smell consisted of oak, caramel, and a nice smokey tone.

Upon trying it, we found it to be warm and smooth, with very little bite and a nice caramel note.

The high level of corn in the mash contributed to the sweetness, however it did not add a sharp ethanol taste that can come with some corn dominant whiskeys.

This was a fantastic whiskey, and one of the best bourbons we have had. If you like bourbon you need to give this one a try. If not, it would be a fantastic introductory bourbon.