CAMRA celebrates real cider twice a year, in October and May, the former as it is when the apples are harvested and cidermakers are busy pressing the fresh apples and starting the juice fermenting into cider. May is generally when the cider is ready to drink!
Sheffield isn’t exactly known for cider or perry (perry being made from pears instead of apples) and the vast majority sold around here is an industrial product made from concentrate but there are a few local heroes flying the flag.
Dick Shepley of Woodthorpe Hall, Holmesfield (near Dronfield) has an annual apple pressing weekend in his garden with friends, family and business contacts all coming round, bringing their own apples and helping out with the work involved and a bit of a social occasion is made of it. The juice is fermented in tanks in a barn with a little help from an addition of champagne yeast. A range of four ciders come out of each pressing of various strengths and sweetness.
Also near Dronfield is Drone Valley Brewery, who of course a better known for their beer but each year their members donate all the windfall apples from their gardens and a pressing takes place to make a small batch of cider.
The Cider Hole at Shalesmoor is Sheffield’s only specialist cider bar and owner Mike Pomranz also makes cider on the premises under the Exemption Ciderhouse name. Some of the ciders are made from locally sourced windfall apples whilst others are single variety ciders made with West Country cider apples. The bar in addition to their own stock a range of bottled ciders both from the UK and the rest of the world, normally accompanied by a soundtrack played on vinyl. The Cider Hole celebrated their first anniversary on the weekend of 16/17 September with special offers, snacks, some rather special ciders to taste and apple pressing demos. Note their opening hours are limited and vary from week to week, check online at istheciderholeopen.com.
Somewhere great to buy bottled ciders to enjoy at home is Hop Hideout located at the rear of Kommune food hall on Angel Street in Sheffield City Centre whilst pubs notable for making an effort with cider include the Harlequin on Nursery Street near Kelham Island and the New Barrack Tavern on Penistone Road near Hillsborough.
Don’t forget our Steel City Beer & Cider Festival, which takes place at Kelham Island Museum from 19-22 October, features two bars dedicated to cider and perry.