CAMRA chooses July to promote real cider but what exactly is that? – Vice Chairman (Cider) of CAMRA’s Real Ale, Cider and Perry Campaigns Committee, Ian Packham talks traditional cider and perry and CAMRA’s campaigning.
Real cider and perry are long established traditional drinks, which in certain parts of the country were supplied as part of the payment for farm labour up until 1887.
Traditional Cider and Perry are completely natural products, unlike most of the cold fizzy commercial products we are used to seeing, which are far from the real thing. Real cider and perry is produced naturally from apples (cider) and pears (perry) and is not normally carbonated or pasteurised. The harvesting of the fruit normally happens around October although this can vary dependent on the weather throughout the growing season.
The basics of traditional cider and perry production have remained the same for centuries – simply pick, wash, mill and press the fruit, place into a suitable container (in many cases oak barrels in the older days), allow to ferment and enjoy, although a number of producers do use separate yeast rather than that which naturally occurs on the skin of the fruit. Either way production uses virtually no energy at all, from picking of the fruit to the product being ready for sale, meaning that the production process is very environmentally friendly. Many of these natural ciders and perries tend to be dry as they have largely fully fermented using the natural sugar within the fruit. Some of them are sweetened by the addition of fresh apple juice, sugar, or other sweetener but perry tends to be naturally sweeter than cider.
The popularity of real cider and perry is rising as more people discover how deliciously mellow and aromatic the flavours of naturally produced cider and perry can be. A glass of real cider or perry represents generations of production dating back hundreds of years. There are also many new producers of cider and perry who are using the traditional process – albeit in some cases with more modern equipment – which still creates the traditional product.
Real cider was traditionally produced from cider apples which are different from eating or cooking apples. These typically have high levels of tannin which lead to a very bitter taste. There are many varieties of cider apple which have different characteristics and vary in levels of tannin and acid. They tended to grow in the Three Counties (Gloucestershire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire) as well as the West Country, especially Devon and Somerset. Cider is also made in many parts of the country with producers using eating or cooking apples instead, which leads to a different taste profile again. Similarly, perry pears are different to desert pears in that they are smaller in size and are high in tannin which tends to give an astringent taste rather than bitterness found in cider apples. They tend to dominate in the Three Counties which is where the majority of real perry is produced.
Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for many of the well-known ciders and perries sold in the UK that are not produced using the natural process from apples and pears but have been produced artificially using concentrated juice, chaptalised juice or syrup, some involving many processes prior to being ready for sale, that makes them far less environmentally friendly than the traditional product.
Concentrated juice is where the fruit has been pressed and then much of the water content has been removed to reduce the volume for transportation. It is then rehydrated prior to starting the fermentation process. Chaptalised juice is where the fruit has been pressed and then large amounts of sugar are added to the juice. This is then fermented to a very high ABV where it can be stored prior to being diluted with water in order to achieve the desired alcohol content for sale.
The use of these methods, plus the changing methods of dispense for traditional cider and perry, often from polypins to bag in boxes, led to CAMRA reviewing its definition for real cider and perry.
The wording of the new definition states ‘CAMRA defines Real Cider or Perry as being fermented from the whole juice of fresh pressed apples or pears, without the use of concentrated or chaptalized juices’. The definition document also includes a number of pointers to best practice which identify the preferred options for cider and perry. These identify fruit or flavoured ciders as a separate category, as they are for HMRC purposes, ensuring that any added fruit or flavourings are pure and not from concentrates, extracts or essences. A full copy of this document can be found on the CAMRA website.
Following this, CAMRA contacted as many cider and perry producers as possible in order to confirm their production processes and generated a list of producers complying with the definition. This is available as a map showing cider and perry producers as well as producers of fruit and flavoured ciders and perries, or as a downloadable list. These are available via the CAMRA website or directly at producers.camra.org.uk and the map is a living document that is updated on a regular basis.
One of the areas that CAMRA has concentrated on in the last year is information for people who are interested in learning more about cider and perry. The Learn & Discover platform can be found at https://camra.org.uk/learn-discover/ and covers the Basics for beginners – available to everyone – as well as Learn More for enthusiasts and Discover for connoisseurs – which is available exclusively for CAMRA members. You can learn about what real cider and perry are, and where to find them, an introduction to tasting cider and perry, cider and perry styles, cider terminology, how cider and perry is made, food pairing, cider apple and perry pear varieties and much more.
If you are keen on learning more about the product, enjoy drinking and supporting real cider and perry, and discovering a wide range of tastes and flavours then go have a look at the CAMRA website. Cheers and Wassail!
WHERE TO FIND CIDER IN SHEFFIELD
Unfortunately whilst Sheffield is a really good place for beer, the options for decent cider is somewhat limited! Here are a few suggestions but the list isn’t comprehensive
The Old Shoe
New Barrack Tavern
Hop Hideout
Perch
Harlequin
PRODUCERS OF REAL CIDER ACROSS THE UK
- 146 Cider Company
- 99 Pines
- Ad Astra Cider
- Addington Garden Cider
- Afal Y Graig Welsh Artisan Cider & Perry
- Against the Grain Cider
- Aitchesons
- Ampleforth Abbey
- Apple Cottage Cider Limited
- Apple County Cider Co
- Apple Orphanage
- Appletreewick Cider
- Armagh Cider
- Artistraw Cider
- Ascension Cider Company
- Ashover Cider Co Ltd
- Austringer Cider
- Axminster Craft Cider
- Ayrshire Riviera Cider
- Bad Boy Cider
- Badgers Hill Farm & Cidery
- Barbourne Cider
- Barkers Real Cider & Perry
- Barley Wood Orchard
- Barnard’s Cyder ltd
- Barnfield Winery and Cider Mill
- Bartestree Cider
- Battle Organic Cider
- BEARDspoon Cider
- Beechwood
- Beetle Hill Cider – Hollymount Orchard
- Bennetts Farmhouse Cider
- Bere Cider Company
- Berties Cider Co
- Biddenden Vineyards
- Big Bear Cider Mill
- Bignose & Beardy Cider
- Black Pig Orchards
- Blackmore Vale Cider
- Blue Barrel Cider
- Bollhayes Cider
- Borderlands Cider
- Bottle Kicking Cider (The)
- Brakes
- Branch Cider
- Bray’s Cider
- Brecon Beacons Cider
- Brennan’s Cider
- Brew Shed Cider
- Brick Lock Orchard Ltd
- Bridge Farm Cider
- Brimblecombe’s Cider
- Bristol Cider Shop
- Broadway Press
- Brogdale Craft Cider
- Brooks & Conquest Cyder
- Brooksgrove Farm
- Broughton Bank Perry and Cider
- Bulkamore Orchard Cider
- BumbleBee Cider
- Burnard’s Cider
- Burrow Hill Cider Farm
- Bushel+Peck Cider & Perry
- Butford Organics Cider and Perry
- Cairn O’Mohr Fruit Wines and Ciders
- Caledonian Cider Co
- Cam Valley Orchards
- Cambridge Cider Company
- Camrose Cider
- Caneys Cider
- Canterbury Cider
- Castlings Heath Cottage Cider – Little Earth Project Brewery
- Cefynan Perry
- Celtic Marches (inc PULP Cider)
- Chalkdown Cider
- Chant Cider
- Chapel Sider
- Charnwood Cider
- Charrington’s
- Chiblers
- Chiltern Cider Company (The)
- Chucklehead Cider
- Churchill Cider
- Cidentro Cider House
- Cider By Rosie
- Cider is Wine
- Cider Syndicate (The)
- CiderinCider
- Ciderniks
- Cleeve Orchard
- Clive’s Fruit Farm
- Clyde Cider
- Colcombe House Cider
- Cork & Crown – Cider Merchant
- Cotswold Cider
- Countryman Cider
- Courtney’s
- Crackington Cider Co.
- Crafty Apple by the Real Al Co.
- Crafty Nectar
- Cranborne Chase Cider
- Cranes
- Crest Cider
- Crispin’s Cider
- Cromwell Cider
- Crones Cider
- Crossman’s Farmhouse Cider
- Crucider
- Cuckoo Valley Cider
- Cumbrian Cider
- Cwm Maddoc Cider and Perry – Hollow Ash Orchard
- Cydefx
- Daisy Farm Cider
- Dalton Moor Farm Cider
- Dark Side Cider
- Darley Abbey Cider
- Daws Hill Vineyard
- Days Cottage Cider and Perry
- Dee Ciders
- Dengie Cider – Wibblers Brewery
- Dick Willows Farm
- Diggers Fine Cider
- Dorset Nectar Cider
- Dorset Orchards
- Dorset Star Cider Orchard
- Dorset Sunshine Cider
- Double Vision Cider
- Dour Cider
- Dowdings Cider
- Downham Cider
- Dreymans cider
- Drove Orchards
- Drovers Hill Organic Still Cider
- Duckchicken Cider
- Dudda’s Tun Cider
- Dunham Press Cider
- Dunkertons Cider Company
- Durham Cider
- Duxford Scrumpy
- East Norfolk Cider
- East Stour Cider
- Easterton Cider
- Elevate Cider
- Eltham Gold Cider
- Elvet Cider
- Ermine’s Treat Cider
- EVEN Cider – English Wine Project
- Ex-Press Cider
- Exemption Cider House
- Fair Oak Cider
- Falkland Estate Cider
- Farmer Jims
- Fetch the Drinks
- Find and Foster
- Fine Cider Company
- Flemings Fife Cider
- Fletchers Cider
- Flitteriss Park Farm Cider
- Forbidden Fruits
- Four Acres Estate
- Four Elms Cider
- Fowey Valley Cidery & Distillery
- Foxhay English Cider
- Ganley & Naish
- Garden Cider Co
- Gethins Pembrokeshire Cyder
- Giggler Cider
- Glyn Farm Cider – Seidr Y Glyn
- Gospel Green Cyder Company
- Gould ciders and perries
- Grasmere Brewery Cider
- Grays Devon Cider
- Grazed Knee Cider
- GREEN FEN
- Green Man Cider
- Green Shed Cider
- Greggs Pit Cider & Perry
- Grotley Subcider
- Grover’s Cider
- Grumpy Johns Cider
- Gulval Goose Cider
- Gwatkin Cider
- Halfpenny Green Cidery
- Hallets Cider
- ham hill cider
- Hamilton Cider Company
- Hancocks Cider
- Hancocks Meadow Farm
- Hanging Wood Cider
- Hard Pressed Cider
- Hare Moon Cider
- Harefields Craft Cider
- Harrow Wood Farm – Dickies Dribble
- Harry’s Cider Company
- Hartlands Farmhouse Traditional Cider
- Haye Farm Cornish Cider
- Haywood Farm Cider
- Healy’s of Winwick
- Hecks Cider Farm
- Henhope Cider
- Henney’s Cider
- Hernhill Cider
- Heron Valley Cider
- High Peak Cider
- Hitchcox Cider
- Hogan’s Cider
- Holborn Hill Cider
- Honey Wood Orchard
- Honey’s Cider
- Horse Kick
- Hunt’s Cider
- Hunts Sussex Cider
- Hurst View Cider
- Hurstwood Cider
- Hush Heath Estate – Jakes Cider
- Hyrneside Aipple Cider
- Iford Cider
- Impens 8 Cider
- Indicknowle Cider & Farm Shop
- innocentPilgrim
- Isaac Cider
- IVOR Cider Ltd
- Jack’s Cider
- JARS Cider
- Jaspels Fine Cider Makers
- JB Cider
- Jolter Press
- Kent Cider Co
- Kentish Pip Cider
- Kernowek Bevvies – Davvers Cider
- Kicking Goat Cider
- Kilmegan Cider
- King Brain Cider
- Kniveton Cider
- La Mare Wine Estate – Branhcage Cider
- La Robeline Cider Company
- Langar Cider
- Lawrence’s Cider
- Laycock Cider
- Leeds Urban Harvest Cider
- Letchford’s Cyder
- Liberty Fields
- Little Cider Press Company
- Little Pomona
- Little Weeke
- Llanblethian Orchards
- Loader’s Cider
- Loader’s Cider
- Long Creedon
- Long Meadow Cider
- Long Mynd Cider
- Longtail Cider
- Lost Orchards Cider
- Loxley Cider
- Luke’s Cider
- Lulworth Skipper Cider
- Lyme Bay Winery and Cider
- Lyne Down Cider and Perry limited
- MacIvors Cider
- Mahorall Farm Cider
- Manx Cider Co
- Marshland Cider
- Marshwood Vale Cider Company
- Masham Cider Press
- Mates Cider
- Mayfayre Cider
- McCrindles Cider
- Meon Valley Cider
- Middle Farm Cider Barn
- Mill Farm Cider
- Mill Lane Cider Company
- Miners Cider
- Monkey Bridge Cider
- Monnow Valley Cider
- Moons Cider
- Mortestone Drinks Co – Shipwrecked Cider
- Mosser Cider
- Mousesweet
- Mr. Whitehead’s Cider Company Limited
- Nailsea
- Napton Cidery
- Naughton Cyder
- Nempnett Cider Company
- New Forest Cider
- New Lodge Vineyard
- Newt in Somerset (The)
- Newton Court Cider
- Nightingale Cider Company
- Noddy’s Cider
- Norfolk Raider Cider
- Northern Cider Association
- NOVAR Cider
- Nuthurst Orchard
- Oak Hill Orchard Farm
- Oakfield Farm
- Offley Cider – Bar-N Cidery & Workshop
- Old Jollop
- Old Meadow Cider
- Old Monty Cider
- Old Stag Cider
- Oldfields Cider
- Oliver’s Cider and Perry
- On Point
- Once Upon A Tree Ltd
- One Tree Hill Cider
- Orchard Project (The)
- Orchard Revival Cider
- Orchards Cider and Perry Co
- Orchards of Husthwaite – Galtres Ciders
- Orgasmic Cider Company (The)
- Out of the Orchard
- Oxford Farmhouse
- Palmers Upland Cyder
- Palmershayes
- Pang Valley Cider
- Pant du
- Parrett Cider Company (The)
- Parson’s Choice Cider
- Pearsons Cider
- Pembrokeshire Cider Company
- Penallt
- Peopleton Press
- Perry’s Cider
- Pershore Press @ Pershore College
- Pilton Cider
- Pippins Farm Orchards
- Pips Cider
- Polgoon Vineyard and Orchard
- Pollen Cider
- Pontymeddyg Seidr
- Potton Press Cider
- Priors Tipple Cider
- PULPT Cider
- Purbeck Cider
- Ragged Stone Cider & Perry (& Naked Orchards)
- Ralphs Cider
- Ravenscroft Cider
- Rawlins Family Cider
- Red Bank Cider
- Reddaway’s Cider
- Redvers Cider and Perry
- Rennies Winslow
- Rich’s Farmhouse Cider
- Ridge and Furrow Cider
- Ridgeway Cider
- Rigg and Furrow Brewery
- Ripe Cider
- Robinsons Cider
- Rock Hill Cider
- Rocquette Cider Farm
- Rosie’s Triple D Cider
- Ross on Wye Cider & Perry Company
- Rull Orchard
- Rutts Lane Cider
- Ruxton Cider
- Sail We Must Cider
- Salutation Inn (The) Sally Cider
- Sam’s Cider Produced By Winkleigh Cider
- Sampford Courtenay Cider
- Sandford Orchards
- Sandringham Cider
- Saxby’s Cider Shop
- Schralfs cider
- Seacider
- Seb’s Cider
- Secret Orchard Cider
- seidear The Wee Scottish Cider Company
- Seidr Ci Ddu
- Seidr Dwynwen Cider
- Seidr o Sir
- Seidr y Mynydd
- Seven Trees Cider
- Severn Cider Ltd
- Shed Cider
- Shed Head Cider
- Sheppy’s Cider Farm
- Sicklesmere Cider
- SiDa
- Silly Buckers Cider
- Silly Moo Cider – Trenchmore Farm
- Simon’s Cider
- Simply Cider
- Sisson & Smith Cider
- Skidbrooke Cyder
- Skittery Apple Juice and Cider
- Skreach Cider
- Skyborry Cider
- Smith and Evans Wine – Half Moon Cider
- Smith Hayne Orchards
- Snails Bank Cider
- Sneinton Cider
- South Hams Drinks
- Southdown Cider
- Spinney Abbey
- Spitting Feathers Cider
- Sprywood Cross Cider
- Square & Compass (The)
- St Ives Cider
- Steilhead Cider
- Stoke Farm Orchards
- Stone Broke Cider – Hewletts Mill
- Stones Cider
- Sunnyhill Vine yard
- Talbot Harris Cider Co
- Tamworth Cider
- Tardebigge Cider
- Taunton Cider
- Temperance Street Cider
- Temple Cider
- Tempted Cider
- The Cider Chiefs
- The Houghton Project
- The Real Al Cider Company
- Thirsty Farmer
- Thornborough Cider
- Three Cats Cider
- Three Counties Cider and Perry Association
- Three Saints Perry and Cider
- Tillingham / Starvecrow Cyder
- Tinston Wines and Ciders
- Toloja Orchards
- Tor Cider Company
- Torkard Cider
- Torn Plant Ciders and Blends
- Torre Cider Co
- Touchwood Cider
- Traction Cider
- Tre-rhew Cider and Perry
- Tree Top Press
- Trenchmore Farm – Silly Moo Cider
- Trevibban Mill Vineyard and Orchards
- Trevor’s Farmhouse Cider
- Tricky Cider
- Troggi Seidr
- Tucketts Farm Cider
- Turners Cider
- Tutts Clump Cider
- Twisted Cider
- Two Magpies Cider and Perry
- Two Orchard Cider
- Two Shires Cidery
- Ty Gwyn Cider Ltd
- Udders Orchard Cider
- Vale Cider
- Ventons Devon Cyder
- Village Green Cider – Norfolk
- Village Green Cider – Sussex
- Wadys Cider
- Wallen Down Farm – Cosdon Cider
- Wasted Apple Co
- Watchet Cider Company
- Watergull Orchards
- Wattles Cider
- Welland Valley vineyard
- Welsh Mountain Cider
- Welsh Perry & Cider Society
- West Croft Cider Farm
- West Milton Cider Co
- Westward Farm Dry Cyder
- Wharie Experience
- Whinhill Norfolk Cider Ltd
- White Lodge Farm Cider
- Wilces Cider
- Wilcox Cider
- Wild Cider
- Wild West Cider
- Wilding Cider
- Wilkins Cider
- Williams Brothers Cider
- Wise Owl Cider
- Wobblegate Orchards – The Cider Tap & Orchard – Rebel Root Cider
- Wolds Wine Estate
- Woodman’s Cider
- Woodredding Cider
- Woodsys Cider
- Woodthorpe Hall
- Woody’s Cider
- Worley’s Cider
- Yarcle Cyder
- Yarde Cider
- Zig Zag Zider – Melbury Vale Winery