I'm sick today. Not COVID-19-sick (I took a test as soon as I woke up) but the kind of sick that indicates you really need to stay home from work, get some rest, drink plenty of fluids, and listen to some pleasant tunes.

Well, I've done all of that. And, for the moment, my symptoms are somewhat subsided. Even if they weren't, I can still taste and smell just fine. So I figure, why not keep this resting train a-rolling and break into my next can of mapley goodness?

Today, I'll be cracking into a can of Farmhaus Cider's Brunch. Let's see how its drinking on this warm November evening.

Farmhaus cider can trace its root back to 2006. Okay, actually it can trace its roots back 150 years, but we'll get to that. Back then, John was an accounting student in college who liked making his own hard cider. In 2013, on a whim, he decided to file paperwork to open his own cidery. The location he'd selected? An old, 150 year-old family barn in the woods of Hudsonville, MI. Soon, with help from family and friends, Farmhaus Cider opened and won award after award. Now, they can their product and have a modest distribution range (I picked this can up while I was in Michigan over the summer--they're not in Cincy yet). Here's their "Our Story" page--it's one of the most informative and easy-reading histories I've ever come across.

Brunch is "...like pancakes in a can." The 6.7% ABV cider's brewed with Michigan-grown apples, maple syrup, and Saigon cinnamon. That's it, no frills or gimmicks necessary to draw drinkers in.

What my can's giving me is a dry bouquet--it's all apple here, pleasant without being sticky. I don't get much in the way of cinnamon from Brunch's nose but, I think I'm detecting a hint of maple warmth. Purrl gave my can five quick whiffs; seems like she's not sure if they maple's here, either.

The maple's definitely in Brunch's flavor profile, though. My first swig is all cider sweetness, bolstered to the nth degree by a heaping of maple (almost brown sugary-like here), which adds a pleasant warmth to the affair. In the finish, the apple and maple mingle long with that Saigon cinnamon (which itself appears immediately between when the maple hits and the finish begins). I wouldn't say it's like pancakes in a can, but what's in my can would definitely pair well with a stack of syrup-soaked pancakes.

The mouthfeel's crisp and effervescent. There's a tad bit of maple stickiness here, but that's exactly what you'd want in a cider like this.

When I make pancakes, I like to do so in the warmer months of the year. I don't know, for me that's just when they hit the best. Light (unless you're eating some ridiculous ammount of them) and sweet. They're the fair food of breakfast, and one that're just the thing before heading out for a day's worth of yardwork.

It's ironic, then, that I'm drinking this pancake inspired-cider in the early evening on an ever-darkening November day. But, hey. I've been taking it easy. It's summer in my mind, and Brunch's been helping me to keep that delusion going long after it would've faded.

Farmhaus Cider's crafted something delicious here. I see why they're as award-winning as they are. The maple mixes well with the apple (it's one of my favorite flavor combinations). The cinnamon on top of that? Pulled off swimmingly. My can earns a 9.0/10.