Drinking Magners is one of my favorite things to do while sitting on the patio at the Peddler’s Daughter in Nashua, especially on a stifling hot day and after long day of work. The air is getting crisp at night again and having a Magners is an outstanding way to bring yourself back to earth.The traditional rules need not apply when drinking cider. Feel free to drink it with ice (of course you’ll be at risk of being called a girl if you’re a dude, it happens to me regularly) or by mixing it with Harp for a delicious Snakebite. Be careful though, cider’s are infamous for not tasting like there’s any alcohol in them at all, most will taste like apple juice, so you can really slam them down if you want. If you’re not familiar with the alcoholic effects that come with drinking cider, walk to the bar…or take a cab. Chances are, you’ll find yourself in a pickle after a while.

Why go to just a wine tasting or just a spirits tasting when you can have both at once?

While on vacation in Maine last week, I took advantage of one of the rainy days to visit a few vineyards. Wine tasting is always fun but Sweetgrass Farm Winery and Distillery upped the anti with their spirits.

The winery, located in Union, makes vermouth, gin, rum and apple brandy. They didn’t have any of the brandy when I was there but the rest all had clean tastes and smooth finishes.

They also make their own vanilla extract.

I ended up buying a bottle of that and the rum, which I plan to make dark and stormies with.