tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36348709095592705272023-11-30T08:20:23.720+00:00Cider PagesHello from a pilgrim on a journey to try as many different ciders as possible; enjoy them, write about them and see how many really fine ciders there are.Thoughts on cider...http://www.blogger.com/profile/10088137649328959012noreply@blogger.comBlogger400125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3634870909559270527.post-7409128712965730952015-02-23T12:00:00.000+00:002015-02-23T12:00:04.390+00:00Domaine Pinnacle Cidre de Glace<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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400 blog posts published. Phew. Didn't think that would ever happen! To some degree, I am not sure I ever wanted to make this many posts - well, this many reviews anyway. As a cider maker, I would much rather leave this job to those who drink cider. There were very few who reviewed or promoted ciders as a part of a blog when I started: the Cider Blog started around the same time as I did (great minds n'all that), and Ricky Hammond was posting one or two videos on Youtube (good n fun by the way). But now, well, now there are plenty to choose from. With that, however, you get the usual mix. Some are great, fun and informative. Some are biased and poorly done. Some make me wish they would stop. On the whole, it is a good thing though.<br />
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Let me be honest, however. This isn't the 400th review. In fact, I think it is the 359th. But, never one to miss marking an occasion (by the way, during my lapse of posting reviews I notice the blog has passed the quarter of a million mark) I wanted to select something extraordinary to try.<br />
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This 'cider de glace' is quite a rare thing, a dessert cider. An 'ice cider' to be exact. I have tried it once before and therefore knew it would be fitting for this occasion. See - not everything I do is reactive:-) I remember it being a very accomplished and complex drink which was served after a few glasses of cider at an event last year. Yum.<br />
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So, let me tell you a little about it. It came from Marks and Spencer and had been discounted to only £20 for a 375ml bottle. Hmmm... that may be stretching its value for money just a bit although you have to realise that it is made in Quebec (Canada for those whose geography is as good as mine).<br />
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As you can see from the photo, the presentation itself is an occasion - I really like the tube, embossed logo and stuff. In Quebec, it has won over 60 awards and was 'best product of Quebec' in 2011. To a degree that is lost on me as I have no idea what else Quebec makes! But then, I am never sure what any town or county in the UK might make either, so that is not an insult:-)<br />
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Ice cider is a little bit of a mystery to me. I know how ice wine is made - the grapes are left on the vine until a sharp frost freezes them at which point they are harvested by people wearing lots of protective layers (it gets cold in Canada). I am not entirely sure this is made the same way, and have seen reports of people freezing the juice before extracting the bit in the middle for a more complex and sweet taste. But isn't that Apple Jack? Anyway, the end result is similar to ice wine: a thick and rich cider that is naturally sweeter and higher in alcohol than a standard cider.<br />
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Anyway, the cidre de glace is served as a dessert wine, chilled and a little at a time. It looks deep golden and rich in colour. Very polished. The smell is also rich and deep - I am not getting massive tannins, but almost a hot apple pie and custard aroma; not knowing what apples are grown in Quebec, I assume from this that they are mainly dessert fruit in a similar way to the USA... though I cannot be absolutely certain (and it doesn't really matter).<br />
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The taste, at this second tasting, is not as much of an event as the first - perhaps it is because I am sipping it in my kitchen as opposed to around a table with others eating fine food etc. It is very sweet - which is what it should be - and the flavour is pretty punchy and not a little syruppy. There are some complex flavours going on but sitting here it seems that it is more the interaction between the apple taste and the high alcohol that is driving this. It is dessert like - which accounts for lack of tannin, though the style of cidre gives it a fine body.<br />
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The aftertaste is sweet and lingering.<br />
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On the whole, I find cidre de glace quite satisfying. I would only choose to drink this on an occasion and not as a cider in its own right, which could be read as a flaw - though to e honest, how many people go out to buy a dessert wine without having other more standard wines to enjoy beforehand (or afterwards, if it is an apperatif). I do know that there are others on the market closer to home too - Once Upon A Tree produce a fine example made from Blenheim Orange (another dessert apple which has excellent character). So, if you are looking for something a little different then give it a go.<br />
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Cidre de Glace scores a sophisticated 80/100 to earn a silver apple. Very pleasant indeed if you can find the right occasion for it.<br />
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As for Cider Pages? Well, I shall continue when I have the time to commit to doing a review properly... it would be good to top 400 reviews:-)<br />
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Thoughts on cider...http://www.blogger.com/profile/10088137649328959012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3634870909559270527.post-57315111521654900972015-01-14T12:00:00.000+00:002015-01-14T12:00:01.307+00:00"Cider can be made from any apple." Discuss...Apologies. One for the more hardened cider drinker than perhaps those who are exploring the different tastes and flavours that cider has to offer. If that is you - if you are just seeking good ciders to drink then 'Yer tiz!!'. You have a far more important job to do than worry about apple varieties... though if you get hooked, then perhaps you will come back to this post:-)<br />
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To those who just want a quick answer: Yes. Cider <i>can </i>be made from any apple. I guess the question is "SHOULD cider be made from any apple." Personally, I have made cider from all sorts of apples over the years, though these days many are a single gallon just to explore the end result. From personal experience (and notes):<br />
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<b>Braeburn</b>: Quite sharp and very uninteresting. Thin. Offers nothing (in fact, Braeburns greatest contribution to the world is that it is shiny, crisp and sweet. None of which (apart from the amount of sugar) is of any interest to a cider maker!<br />
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<b>Bramley</b>: Massively sharp and yet a fairly high sugar content too. Horrible cider to drink. I have heard that if you leave it for several years the acid dies away). Useful for providing a slight background acidity - i.e. protecting the cider from rope/mouse etc.<br />
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<b>Kanzi </b>(I think that is how it is spelled - it is known as something else commercially as it is grown under licence): Produces a very high sugar content but very little flavour and, quite frankly, not good at all..<br />
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<b>Royal Gala:</b> Quite a thin cider without much character. Good sugar content and blends well.A bulking cider.<br />
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<b>Russet</b>: Interesting nutty cider and rather dry. Thin but pleasant. Odd aftertaste sometimes. Makes a good SV but needs care. Acid drops after 12 months and becomes dull.<br />
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OK, that represents a few single variety ciders I have made - and focuses on dessert apple varieties as that is what is often available to anyone outside of the magical 'Ciderland'. I have tried others that have been very interesting; Yarlington Mill, Kingston Black and other cider varieties (in fact, I was so impressed with an SV Michelin cider that I almost made it on a larger scale). Trouble is, most people making a small amount of cider will find getting hold of cider varieties quite tricky - its hard enough for some commercial cider makers!<br />
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So, can dessert apples make cider? I mean, ultimately that is what it boils down to... isn't it?<br />
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In the UK, we have two distinct traditions of making cider - Eastern style and Western style. One is predominantly made from dessert fruit and the other from cider fruit. Both are equally valid (even if one or two cider makers don't think that is true... perhaps they should leave Somerset once in a while!) and both have venerable histories stretching back hundreds of years. And, if you want my own opinion, both are equally interesting (although there are more examples of good western style cider than eastern currently!). So in that sense, anything goes.<br />
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However, a brief story from my early years of cider making. The first year I went around my 'hood and found a dozen or so 'wilding' trees, growing at the side of the road. That cider was thin, acidic and I was the only one to drink it. The second, I was offered windfall Cox apples, which went in with the roadside apples. Better. The third year I was introduced to an orchard owner who let me have some dessert and cider apples... I let the roadside apples go. It was much, much better. The fourth year and onwards I have determined to just use known varieties from growers that I respect (and pay).<br />
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So yes, by all means make cider from whatever apple you can get hold of. I secretly smile each time someone says proudly "I made a bit of cider last year... it was easy" and then go on to tell a tale about how it nearly killed them to drink it! It isn't that easy... to do it well the most important thing is not kit; it's that you learn the apples... and that takes time and patience and a willingness to make mistakes! If you want to use wildings, make sure you try and eat one first to see what its like and please, if you do make and sell the stuff - make sure its something you can be proud of.<br />
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There you go. See, I am not just about reviews eh:-)<br />
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PS - feel free to agree or disagree. I already know one well known cider maker who dismisses anything made with dessert apples as crap. But then, he is an idiot and I can only recommend his cider, not the man who makes it!Thoughts on cider...http://www.blogger.com/profile/10088137649328959012noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3634870909559270527.post-64237060403547641212015-01-10T12:00:00.000+00:002015-01-10T12:00:03.394+00:00Chaplin & Cork's Somerset Reserve Cider<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I feel that I have a bit of explaining to do... for the sake of being absent for so long. Well, lots of things getting in the way and running this blog could not really compete. I do regret leaving it for so long (and to those who my pre-written remembrance piece has annoyed - my apologies, although not for the piece... just for leaving it as the lead item for so long!)<br />
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Anyway, I want to get on with putting up a few reviews before Christmas... and this is one of the 'bigger' ciders to have been launched during 2014.<br />
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Chaplin and Cork's is a cider made by Shepton Mallet Cider Mill - I am not sure how this is still related to Gaymers. I suspect it is still owned by them (or is it now just Matthew Clarke?) - if memory serves... it is all quite a complex thing these days! Anyway, this is a cider of the two Bob's - Bob Chaplin and Bob Cork; both of who are (or were) employees of the Shepton Mallet Cider Mill. In fact, Bob Chaplin was Supreme Champion at Bath and West in 2014, so he sure does know a thing or two about cider making (whatever they practice at t' Mill!) I have to say that he didn't win with this though, or any other cider produced at the Cider Mill).<br />
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And what little gems do I have about the cider itself? Well, I understand that the 'Chaplin and Corks' range replaces the Devon, Stewley and Somerset blends. This is a shame as they were my favourite of the range... though there wasn't huge competition to be honest. So, whatever the reasoning (and I can't help feeling that this was for some shareholding economic reason as much as recognising the Bob's). Lets crack the bottle open and give it a go.<br />
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I guess the first thing to note is that it is very clean looking – rather bright indeed. Also very large is the smell which, although a touch syrupy is full and bittersweet. Really quite nice actually – although I would also say that the smell is very ‘clean’ too. What isn’t large, however, is the carbonation which is quite low key. <br />
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The initial taste is quite clean too – well rounded and a bit safe if I am honest. There is some bittersweet in there and the result is a pretty full bodied cider. It is missing something though – and reflecting on the many Stewley ciders I have had it does feel a little in the wrong direction for me. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind this cider – I just wish it was a bit more bold and a little less safe. After all, Stewley was aimed at more discerning cider drinkers.<br />
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It is, as expected, medium dry and the low fizz is persistent. It has a fairly safe character – controlled and reasonably fruity (although not too much). And this means a balanced acid in the background – just enough to allow the tannin to dominate (a bit).<br />
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So it isn’t my favourite. But I would drink it again if I had to. With a score of 66/100 it just misses an apple.<br />
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<br />Thoughts on cider...http://www.blogger.com/profile/10088137649328959012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3634870909559270527.post-20007444913005479642015-01-06T12:00:00.000+00:002015-01-06T12:00:08.806+00:00Three Saints Bishops Fancy Perry<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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OK, this is my last review for Winchester Real Ale and Cider Festival 2014. I promise. I do hope that you can see why they deserved to be published - each of them a treat! And this last one is no different (although it is a bit if a fix). I had tried all the others on offer and this is the best perry of this evening! Apologies if you thought I would finish with an absolute stinker... I opted not to:-) Not that there were any truly bad ciders on offer - okay, let me frame that by saying that there was an apple/pear 'pyder' that tasted of orange squash and another which was very sweet indeed. But out of 20 or so ciders and perries I can only take my hat off to whoever put that little lot together!<br />
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As much as I disapprove of the nonsense that is CAMRA APPLE - with its clique and unelected committee, self pats on the back and squabbling about the most irrelevant of issues (like pasteurisation) - cider and perry features more and more at festivals around the UK. And CAMRA are spearheading this. It surely must be only a matter of time before CAMRA start holding cider led festivals. No, wait... sorry. What I should have said was that, if they had any sense, it can only be a matter of time... I do not have any expectations in reality (but wouldn't it be good!) Still, CAMRA are a big organisations and as a large stone it has certainly gathered some moss in its time. And no, I do not ask your pardon for abusing that particular saying:-)<br />
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Now, onto my notes for Bishops Fancy. Three Saints don't have a website to browse, but searching through the Welsh Cider and Perry Association (they are a Welsh producer) I can see that they are a full juice, traditional company based in Monmouthshire. It also says 'using rare Welsh perry pears and cider apples. Not sure if I could name any apples or pears that are unique to Wales... but I am sure there will be some. Anyway, this is about the perry isn't it:<br />
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The perry is medium dry, fairly bright and pale in colour. It has (what I noted as) a flowery smell, albeit a touch light in the nose. I have also written a 'Tappy smell' - though I really cannot make out what on earth I was going on about. Over this though I have written 'nice' so, with several months between the tasting and now, lets go with that.<br />
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The flavour confirms the floral pear taste. It is very pleasant in the mouth and does taste a little stronger than its 4.6% abv. I would say this is an all round perry - it could be more individual, but then it is very pleasant as it is. The medium dry is accurate and I would be quite happy that this may not be back sweetened - as pears contain sorbitol which is unfermentable.<br />
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The aftertaste is moderate in length and the note I have against that is satisfying.<br />
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At the end of the day, whether I can recall what the notes say or not, it is the score that matters. With 76/100 this goes down as one of the better examples of the art of perry. A bronze apple (which, thinking about it doesn't sound quite right for a perry:-)<br />
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<br />Thoughts on cider...http://www.blogger.com/profile/10088137649328959012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3634870909559270527.post-23949983228192211522015-01-02T12:00:00.000+00:002015-01-02T12:00:00.189+00:00Ciderniks Kingston Black Cider<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Happy new year to all! OK, starting the new year by still catching up on reviews from March 2014 is a bit daft but there you go. These cider should not be missed! There is only a couple more months to wait until the next Winchester Beer Festival, although I have no idea yet whether I will be able to wangle sufficient brownie points to make another trip (would be my third time I think). <br />
<br />
Moving on to a cider with a more familiar name, but staying with Ciderniks, we have a Kingston Black single variety cider. There were actually two of these at Winchester, but this is the drier of the two and I have already tried (and reviewed) the New Forest Cider version.<br />
<br />
I have tried quite a few Kingston Black SV ciders over the years, I am not entirely sure that there is anything left to say about it that I haven't already said more than once. So let me tell you a little about Ciderniks instead.<br />
<br />
Based in Berkshire, Ciderniks is a small scale traditional cidermaker who produces a fair few different blends (though I am not sure if they are all available in the same year). They pride themselves on making cider with just juice - no sulphites, additives or anything else... well, they say no sweeteners too, but this cider is most definitely sweetened! Still, websites are a pain to keep up to date eh! and I don't believe that Ciderniks should be seen as anything less than a good, honest cidermaking company that uses traditional methods (and the non sulphiting route is too fundamentalist even for me!!).<br />
<br />
Once again, this is a dark golden and flat - exactly as I would expect both from Ciderniks and from the mightly Kingston Black. It does seem to be quite clear, although this could well drop as clear as this without filtering (though sometimes unfiltered Kingston Black cider can be quite 'chewy'). It is described as a medium - which must be sweetened or keeved (and you would not put a keeved cider into a bag in box!)<br />
<br />
The smell is exactly as I expected; fruity, tannic and typically Kingston Black. The taste, although sweetened (sensibly, although perhaps a touch more than medium for me) is precisely Kingston Black - tannins, sharpness and a bunch of cider apples! The tannin is funky too, giving it a bit of a farmyard feel. Spot on.<br />
<br />
The aftertaste is medium in length and nice.<br />
<br />
So, this is an unadulterated, straight example of a single variety Kingston Black from a cidermaker who does not like to adulterate or alter his wares. A great example if you want to see what Kingston Black tastes like on its own. Albeit a sweet version.<br />
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A score of 72 sees Ciderniks with another bronze apple from me. Well done!<br />
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<br />Thoughts on cider...http://www.blogger.com/profile/10088137649328959012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3634870909559270527.post-57082297764086946562014-12-29T12:00:00.000+00:002014-12-29T12:00:08.151+00:00Handmade Cider Rough Diamond Cider<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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You will have to pardon me for clearing the decks a little by drawing back on unpublished reviews from earlier in 2014. Not that these reviews are not great... far from it - these are some of the best of traditional cider found in the UK. However, in an effort to keep the reviews moving on I feel they should be completed and added to the list on Cider Pages. <br />
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Finding a draught cider from Handmade Cider is quite a thing for me - I have some bottles of their to try shortly and it is going to be interesting to compare notes on them all. You see, often producers treat their bottle cider differently from their draught - on tap is normally unfiltered, unpasteurised and still whereas bottles may be all of the above - bottle conditioned etc. etc.<br />
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This isn't a bad thing, or indeed in any way dishonest - it is different. However, the profile of the cider changes and makes it interesting for us drinkers. We should celebrate this - not seek to have everything taste the same... its what makes cider so exciting!<br />
<br />
If I am going to be brutal, this facet of cider makes all cider blogs and reviews somewhat redundant... or at least more hard work than we can give it. A cider that I tried three years ago (with the exception of things like Magners etc.) will not taste the same now. OK, there is a grey area... I am not convinced this rule applies to Westons or Thatchers in the same way that it doesn't apply to Bulmers, Magners etc. Anywhere that talks of 'recipes' and has a lab is to be viewed with suspicion as far as I can see... but let's not pick hairs - reviews are mere guides. Please don't take them too seriously!<br />
<br />
OK, getting on with the review! This is a dark golden cider which is hazy, flat and rather tempting. It has a light aroma coming off it too (and as it is served only ever so slightly chilled I think that is accurate). It is deep smelling, with that petroleum smell that I sometimes get (and I still haven't figured out what apples give that smell - though I am certain it is a cider variety).<br />
<br />
The taste is also deep; farmyard, leather with a touch of selotape (I know what I mean)... there is a very slight sourness going on somewhere in the background - not in any way dominating and actually making it a bit more interesting. If you think West Country style, then this is that in buckets.<br />
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The aftertaste is bittersharp and long. Very nice.<br />
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With a score of 74/100, Rough Diamond gets itself onto my apple award list with a bronze apple. One of these days, I shall have to host a cider festival with only apple awarded ciders in the line up. Wouldn't that be a thing!! <br />
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<br />Thoughts on cider...http://www.blogger.com/profile/10088137649328959012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3634870909559270527.post-40730104344435977762014-12-25T12:00:00.000+00:002014-12-25T12:00:01.055+00:00Ciderniks "Ten Years After" Cider<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Now it is time to cast my mind back to March... Apologies for the delay between this and the last review from Winchester... I lost my notes (temporarily) so only had part reviews written that I couldn't. Well, I know I make it look easy (ha ha) but it's not... honest:-)<br />
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And so, on my list of ciders to try at Winchester Ale and Cider Festival was something with a bit of an odd name. No, I don't think its a ten year old cider; cider isn't like whisky (though it will keep for several years before starting to lose quality) and I would have thought it would be a bit of a mess after all that time.<br />
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No, this is a cider blend to celebrate ten years of cider production by Ciderniks. Doing a touch more digging (post festival), this cider is described as: a blended cider to celebrate 10 years of Ciderniks' cidermaking and also in memory
of Alvin Lee (1944-2013), one of the greatest blues-rock guitarists. I had no idea about the Alvin Lee connection, but the essence of this cider is that they attempted to replicate the first cider they made... I think!<br />
<br />
Here is where I digress. I would not wish to replicate the first cider I made! It was thin, acidic and quite a challenge to drink. I doubt that anyone would appreciate any subtle qualities in it - not that there really were any. BUT. I learned a lot from my first year - well, I learn a lot each year to be honest but the first year I realised that there was a whole lot more to it than just squishing apples. So, in a way, it is brave of Ciderniks to do this (unless his first blend was inspired!!)<br />
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What does it taste like then? Well, it is golden, hazy and still... proper traditional stuff then. It is marked up as medium dry - I am guessing this is done through sweetener though I do not think that is a bad thing. Smaller producers often find the cost of setting up pasteurisation or micro filtration prohibitive.<br />
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The aroma is quite cheesy - possibly hoovered carpet (I know - weird concept, but that is what it reminded me of). There is definitely some tannin to the smell too - it is quite a strong smell. Don't get me wrong about the 'cheese' - this is not necessarily a bad thing!<br />
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The taste is interesting and quite unlike the aroma. It is quite sharp (in fact, this sharpness lasts through the taste, aftertaste and on!). There is some nice fruit in here though. Towards the end, the tannin cuts in and is drying. So it starts as medium dry and by the end seems more dry. I have written a question mark over the use of culinary fruit.<br />
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The aftertaste is long and appley with a sharp undertone all the way. <br />
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A score of 70/100 sees Ciderniks earn a bronze apple. As a representation or celebration of what they have done over 10 years, I like it... though I suspect either they made great cider right from the get go or else they have tweaked this recipe using the experience they have learned over the 10 years...<br />
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Thoughts on cider...http://www.blogger.com/profile/10088137649328959012noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3634870909559270527.post-39030363184640802022014-12-21T12:00:00.000+00:002014-12-21T12:00:00.738+00:00Isastegi Sidra Natural<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Carrying on with 'stuff that you may not find everywhere', I have something special to review; its not every day you can get hold of a real live sidra. This bottle, to be fair, was exchanged for some cider, so I have no idea where you can get hold of it.<br />
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Knowing nothing about a cider maker is not really much fun, but thankfully they have a website that is in English, so this helps write something about the company (n.b. its actually a pretty good website, with some rather impressive photographs you may wish to see for yourself:<a href="http://www.isastegi.com/index_en.htm"> http://www.isastegi.com/index_en.htm</a><br />
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Based in the Asturias (I think... my geography is often rather shaky!!) isastagi is a farmhouse cider producer who started making cider in 1983. Judging by the photographs, they have moved on somewhat... although the processes look very familiar to me (just on a larger scale). The 'rules' of making cider in Asturias as probably as severe as the French regions - so you can be sure that a Sidra Natural should be what they say it is. The bottle carries the year of vintage (2012), and at 6% everything is looking good.<br />
<br />
Well, when I say looking good, the Asturian taste for cider/sidra is quite different from our UK tastes. We try to avoid cider becoming ascetic (vinegary) whereas the Spanish like it. Perhaps it is something to do with the heat - or the food that accompanies it... after all, how many times have I said that cider is a product of its own place and from its own place? (OK, not much, but it is true)<br />
<br />
OK, lets get on with opening this bottle. Not sure if I should do the whole pouring from great height or not. There is a slight pffzz when the bottle opens but this is a still cider for all intents and purposes, although pouring roughly does kick it up a touch. It settles still, bright and yellowy golden.<br />
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The smell is rather sharp with a moderate ascetic quality about it. I am expecting it to be almost eastern in style, although the ascetic is probably the most significant character - though this isn't unruly or harsh in any way.<br />
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The taste is interesting - certainly not one for those expecting a Magners or Thatchers. However, it is quite unusual to unaccustomed taste buds. It IS rather sharp, and this comes across as quite vinegary to my tastebuds. If this were musing, the cider would be a moderate note whilst the acid a few octaves higher with a slight screech of ascetic hanging over the lot. There is no tannin I can detect - so it is light in itself.<br />
<br />
Now, I have to admit that I feel this cider has been balanced for non Asturian drinkers - it isn't challenging all that much and I think this may be the reason why. It is a nice introduction to Sidra though - OK, I have tried the Sainsbury's version which was sweet and sickly. This isn't like that at all - it is much more the real deal: Dry, light and sharp with a lingering aftertaste. I have tried a few Asturian sidra's recently though, and this isn't really in their league (though they were much more of an experience!)<br />
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If you can find it, it is a sidra worth trying. If you have never tried sidra before, then it is all the more worth it.<br />
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A score of 75/100, it gets a bronze apple from me. Deserved. <br />
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<br />Thoughts on cider...http://www.blogger.com/profile/10088137649328959012noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3634870909559270527.post-32419294667267839092014-12-17T12:00:00.000+00:002014-12-17T12:00:00.420+00:00Charles Martell 'Owler Pear Spirit<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2pEciyxeftUrxBX9i7muPAyvxf9cWa2ZXHEYIN3NjU7w9THI-YFmJVlS4eEeVUHuPAR5pNq-dknsBQl_B9VFujdnKDULUwTp2T0tFeuk4tXSTMiPjXbc6YUKmnytgSrVji6CIGvUUk80/s1600/Martell-Owler.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2pEciyxeftUrxBX9i7muPAyvxf9cWa2ZXHEYIN3NjU7w9THI-YFmJVlS4eEeVUHuPAR5pNq-dknsBQl_B9VFujdnKDULUwTp2T0tFeuk4tXSTMiPjXbc6YUKmnytgSrVji6CIGvUUk80/s1600/Martell-Owler.png" height="320" width="255" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWPP1o_gF1yXYX955plRhP_D5_9NwoBSZjzRJZULZN7s-ZdsXMFHbET0f7hQdqtIW7MT3RMeMuojnnRoHHrkFl4q68fKDHy-Psq85KFWi32aJ72LOnObmlRoR0lMvpGk7yzIlLvQZJFG8/s1600/Bronze.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWPP1o_gF1yXYX955plRhP_D5_9NwoBSZjzRJZULZN7s-ZdsXMFHbET0f7hQdqtIW7MT3RMeMuojnnRoHHrkFl4q68fKDHy-Psq85KFWi32aJ72LOnObmlRoR0lMvpGk7yzIlLvQZJFG8/s1600/Bronze.png" height="188" width="200" /></a></div>
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Sometimes life gets in the way of plans and projects - and sometimes writing a blog about your favourite topic just simply has to take a back seat... which is pretty much what has happened in the last 6 months. My apologies to any who were fed up with the tribute to the first World War - though I do think (in the UK at least) the centenary of this folly is important. However, in order to try and kick start a new flourish of reviews I figured I would go for something very different: a pear spirit produced by Charles Martell.<br />
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I know, I have never heard of this kind of thing before either?! OK - I am sure the French are at it and we just call it something different in the UK. However this is innovation in the cider industry at work as far as I can tell:-)<br />
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One thing you may have noticed is that this is a tiny bottle. I tried to make it look bigger than it really is, but there is a very good reason it's so small: It is bloody expensive! The sharp eyed will notice that I splashed out £5.50 for a 5cl 'sample'. It is more like £60 for a whole bottle - and I just aint going to pay that for something I have never tried before... though I might once I have tried it!!<br />
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As an aside, I must say that I love the sample bottle (the big one is the same style). This has been done for whisky and looks great... <br />
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A bit about Charles Martell - They are renowned cheese makers (ever heard of 'Stinking Bishop'?) and are based in Gloucestershire. They are also distillers of apple and pear spirit (although my reading of their website leads me to think that they have only just started releasing spirits.<br />
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It is a clear liquid - I guess its what I would expect from pears, which give a juice that is light in colour. Opening the bottle (this has to be the smallest bottle of anything I have reviewed on here!!) and shoving my nose over the top, I am getting pears alongside that familiar acoholic whiff that you find with whiskies and brandy. It isn't as faint as I had expected, and is rather nice. Once it is in the glass, you get the full smell of it. Sure, there are peardrops - though the biggest smell for me now is not unlike Airfix glue or varnish.<br />
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It is quite a powerful spirit to drink - there is varnish in the taste, though a part of this is actually the peariness of it. I am not sure it works, but once I have got beyond the varnish smell its really quite a nice drink - though it really does hit you in the back of the throat! It is really a toasty pear that comes through, with a warming tone that rises through each sip and roars at the end. Great for coming home to after a winters day of harvesting or pressing!<br />
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I don't know how long this spirit has been aged for. Judging by the fire in its belly I would say not that long - and perhaps it could benefit from another year or so to refine the harsh edges. Mind you, I think that is what this drink it about. It is a hit in the throat and, if I were to buy a bottle, it would wait for the chill of winter - I bet it will shine then!<br />
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As it goes, this sample earned a bronze apple from me with a score of 72/100. Not bad at all - perhaps I should try some more:-)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtdmvm4gMd0bF4lJLb0L1D6r8peNsug5kdAsD9heQw4Ok9cY3iHrwtNCRhb7z4_Ol8Am7ADg6GC2kKWCg9LNsLybwIRZQRHJuI34HJbIhH3BL1Jq-Yh4Z7vwLpd3XFwdh-sWbV9nICN-w/s1600/CharlesMartellPearSpirit-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtdmvm4gMd0bF4lJLb0L1D6r8peNsug5kdAsD9heQw4Ok9cY3iHrwtNCRhb7z4_Ol8Am7ADg6GC2kKWCg9LNsLybwIRZQRHJuI34HJbIhH3BL1Jq-Yh4Z7vwLpd3XFwdh-sWbV9nICN-w/s1600/CharlesMartellPearSpirit-1.png" height="640" width="444" /></a></div>
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<br />Thoughts on cider...http://www.blogger.com/profile/10088137649328959012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3634870909559270527.post-15032431021741879072014-08-04T12:00:00.001+01:002014-08-04T12:00:01.389+01:00... A war to end all wars?!<span itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/CreativeWork"></span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img class="irc_mut" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2014/03/08/article-2576335-1C20AD8200000578-499_964x1061.jpg" height="608" id="irc_mi" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px;" width="552" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image Walter Kleinfedt (1917). His son, Volkmar, sais "this image is like an accusation, an accusation against war"<span style="font-size: small;"></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="KonaBody">
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
AT dawn the ridge emerges massed and dun <br />
In the wild purple of the glow'ring sun, <br />
Smouldering through spouts of drifting smoke that shroud <br />
The menacing scarred slope; and, one by one, <br />
Tanks creep and topple forward to the wire. <br />
The barrage roars and lifts. Then, clumsily bowed <br />
With bombs and guns and shovels and battle-gear, <br />
Men jostle and climb to meet the bristling fire. <br />
Lines of grey, muttering faces, masked with fear, <br />
They leave their trenches, going over the top, <br />
While time ticks blank and busy on their wrists, <br />
And hope, with furtive eyes and grappling fists, <br />
Flounders in mud. O Jesus, make it stop!
</blockquote>
</div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/CreativeWork"></span><br />
<div class="poet" itemprop="author">
<span itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/CreativeWork">Siegfried Sassoon</span></div>
<span itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/CreativeWork">
</span></blockquote>
Thoughts on cider...http://www.blogger.com/profile/10088137649328959012noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3634870909559270527.post-50143024675567912552014-06-21T12:00:00.000+01:002014-06-21T12:00:00.558+01:00Perry's Puffin Cider<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB2TLM3XAJMPOtNXV8PCOoNOAVSX2gVXH2Sx_uQM_g1QTcziZMY2AcquiKx1YJGsXI15b-HoQnApNex71wsYkzkVHRgohaa6he3okRXUMHqdXa1kLfpx16fT6tZMBJihbRpjnglpMTZDE/s1600/PerrysPuffinCider.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB2TLM3XAJMPOtNXV8PCOoNOAVSX2gVXH2Sx_uQM_g1QTcziZMY2AcquiKx1YJGsXI15b-HoQnApNex71wsYkzkVHRgohaa6he3okRXUMHqdXa1kLfpx16fT6tZMBJihbRpjnglpMTZDE/s1600/PerrysPuffinCider.png" height="400" width="238" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-ETD5kSEYDh4Pyd-2azw7FklT44ELKy8M7DsblcTBdsrjSdpdnz6IRD0TwEdrAX810mhPPZWLTI5W-QoUk6FBxOXEjJ8rQB3NmLWIwn91PEUW0OAMRdGifcXo3rg7dKM_RanKXFapZBk/s1600/Silver.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-ETD5kSEYDh4Pyd-2azw7FklT44ELKy8M7DsblcTBdsrjSdpdnz6IRD0TwEdrAX810mhPPZWLTI5W-QoUk6FBxOXEjJ8rQB3NmLWIwn91PEUW0OAMRdGifcXo3rg7dKM_RanKXFapZBk/s1600/Silver.png" height="188" width="200" /></a></div>
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My goodness... I am writing a review for a cider that I drank nearly three weeks ago! Well, I guess this will be testament (or not) to my record keeping! What I can say - as something of a spoiler - is that it is a worthy cider to follow my absence.<br />
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Well, I still haven't recovered my pad so I cannot continue the others yet:-)<br />
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Puffin cider is another of the Perry's bottle conditioned range - 'using small batch processes'. What this means is that it should be slightly sparkling with a crop of yeast at the bottom (not put there as some kind of artificial cloudiness or dead yeast addition).<br />
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Looking at it, this is the dry version, and at 6.5% its all it is claimed so far. I should add that I can also see the yeast settled at the bottom.<br />
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Sure enough, it has a low level sparkle and once out of the bottle I can see it is a lovely golden colour. It is rich smelling - a touch yeasty if I am being particularly picky but it feels mature and tannic.<br />
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The taste itself is dry - medium dry, but very melow and full bodied. There is some sharpness to it but mostly the experience is deep, fruity cidery notes. The tannin is quite low stated, but it does develop in the mouth to leave it a little drier in the finish.<br />
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The aftertaste is also low level and moderate in length. Overall, this is a lovely cider and well presented. And to think I was worried that Perry's might be going in the same direction as Orchard Pig... phew!<br />
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A score of 80/100 gives Perry's a silver apple for Puffin. Right up my street!!<br />
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Thoughts on cider...http://www.blogger.com/profile/10088137649328959012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3634870909559270527.post-27909663629778029862014-06-18T12:00:00.000+01:002014-06-18T15:53:57.709+01:00Heritage English Cider and the missing cider blogger...First off, may I humbly apologise for being absent for, well, a month.<br />
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It wasn't you, it was me!<br />
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There are ciders waiting to be written up and there are ciders waiting to be tasted... there is even a 'missing' notepad with my last reviews from Winchester Beer Festival back in March! (n.b. to self - I haven't got my GBBF ticket yet!!)<br />
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However, I have been very busy. Not just busy selling cider to people... or busy winning a couple (or more) awards for my cider... (which is always great!). Lets face it, those are the things I <i>want </i>to be doing. Not even just doing a bit of judging of ciders... though that was a lot of fun! Nope, this is a little different...<br />
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You see, I have been involved in writing, consulting, re-writing, talking, meeting and finally getting a presentation for a proposal of a PGI for well made, traditional English cider and perry. Well, I have hinted at it no here for some time eh. And it looks like it has got some legs to it.<br />
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The aim for a 'Heritage English Cider/Perry PGI' is to showcase the highest quality cider and perry produced within England and set a standard for quality products way beyond the pretty loose regulations set by HMRC. It seeks to differentiate the good stuff from the lower juice, mass produced 'brands' and to create something that is recognisable to the public.<br />
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A PGI, or Protected Geographical Indication, is a device used within and run by the EU via DEFRA (in the UK). It sets out regulations and criteria for a product - essentially ensuring that traditional products and methods can be protected and promoted. Sounds just right for high juice cider eh! Beyond that, criteria for quality can be included within the PGI - well, it is true that both the best AND worst ciders in England are traditionally made, high juice ciders! (though I realise some may disagree with the 'worst' bit:-) <br />
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It all started some 12-18 months ago and has taken time to get to a point where discussions can be held with the National Association as well as attempting to consult with as many craft/high juice producers as possible. And now it has been presented at the <a href="http://www.cidertrendssummit.co.uk/">Cider Trends</a> summit in Bristol it is well and truly in the public domain.<br />
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The nuts and bolts are found in the 'infographic' below... well, when you are presenting to PR and marketing types it is wise to at least try and speak the language:-)<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.ciderpages.com/pgi%20infographic.pdf" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRavePKh7KRO52b-rIvs798Z0V3L-PRCtnGQeLcUWFTvw2BnIUX2jb-Mpf1sslD1XWMfI5ArA4qkqLNza0xaApMVN0ZNaevmr4xlXBseWOodj9SKaLc371fvqwYHIir4ATUQcChgpcT1M/s1600/pgi-infographic.png" height="400" width="283" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.ciderpages.com/pgi%20infographic.pdf">click for larger version</a></td></tr>
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Done well, it <i>could</i> add value to high juice cider and maybe even encourage some to raise their bar a little. And it does all of this without throwing any toys out of the pram, upsetting the 'apple cart' and allows the larger family of cider producers to continue to innovate and/or do whatever they do.<br />
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With nearly 50 producers signalling their support for the PGI so far - and more looking at it (and yet to look at it), this process is not complete yet. However, it has dispelled the common opinion that cidermakers cannot agree on anything - or that we aren't organised enough to do something new!<br />
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There are so many reasons for applying for a PGI - reinforcing traditionally made cider/perry and separating them from the mass produced cider is one thing (it will only be when numbers of producers are using it that it becomes a recognisable and reliable indication). It is also something that cider and perry producers can pin their credentials to... without having to comply with silly 'definitions' and restrictions on parts of the process that, quite frankly, just end up misleading and confusing drinkers all the more!<br />
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And saying that, it is probably worth saying that this is a process worked out <i>by </i>cider/perry producers <i>for the benefit</i> of the drinkers. Of course opinions are always welcome from anyone; its just that the opinions that will make a difference are those of producers.<br />
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There is a lot of work still left to do - but hopefully I can at least get back to the ciders and perries - after all, the drinking is so much more fun than the talking! I will post more detailed information as I am able.Thoughts on cider...http://www.blogger.com/profile/10088137649328959012noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3634870909559270527.post-6984449718719537962014-04-27T12:00:00.000+01:002014-04-27T12:00:00.113+01:00Handmade Cider, White Label Cider<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi90PCRJvUXIZI67-r4BmRQoyYvVJ8LocIhxUonZ3QdKvksIzvrFApSLJkaMaXFNQa4SdKqXfzmdI8DejGO5tsFi7mfFgtJnlmX9d0HUagxp1sNflyDcTASNpG_z23v7Qxw4HKYPE0kMcw/s1600/Handmade-Whitelabel.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi90PCRJvUXIZI67-r4BmRQoyYvVJ8LocIhxUonZ3QdKvksIzvrFApSLJkaMaXFNQa4SdKqXfzmdI8DejGO5tsFi7mfFgtJnlmX9d0HUagxp1sNflyDcTASNpG_z23v7Qxw4HKYPE0kMcw/s1600/Handmade-Whitelabel.png" height="400" width="271" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWPP1o_gF1yXYX955plRhP_D5_9NwoBSZjzRJZULZN7s-ZdsXMFHbET0f7hQdqtIW7MT3RMeMuojnnRoHHrkFl4q68fKDHy-Psq85KFWi32aJ72LOnObmlRoR0lMvpGk7yzIlLvQZJFG8/s1600/Bronze.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWPP1o_gF1yXYX955plRhP_D5_9NwoBSZjzRJZULZN7s-ZdsXMFHbET0f7hQdqtIW7MT3RMeMuojnnRoHHrkFl4q68fKDHy-Psq85KFWi32aJ72LOnObmlRoR0lMvpGk7yzIlLvQZJFG8/s1600/Bronze.png" height="188" width="200" /></a></div>
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A cider maker that I haven't tried before. Well, that is not strictly true - I did try some of their cider at the Winchester Festival, but sadly that isn't written up yet and so will become the second (or even third) of their ciders that I try.<br />
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The first thing I always do with a cider is have a look at the bottle. I guess its just the blogger in me... or possibly the marketeer. Apart from the cider itself it is interesting to see what the producer (or their representatives) want to say to me, the drinker, before I experience the drink itself. Something that has caught my eye on this bottle is this; "Produced from a batch of 1000 litres.". Now that is what I am talking about... how craft cider is that? OK, I also notice that it is naturally sweet in the French style. So, is this keeved then? (for those who are unfamiliar with the idea, it is basically removing the nutrients from the juice prior to fermentation. This makes things move along much slower and eventually stop before the cider has reached a dry state). That isn't easy or guaranteed - so I am surprised to be finding it in a normal beer bottle!<br />
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OK, lots to explain there!! Keeving is not always stable. You see, the yeast will consume all the sugar in a cider leaving it dry (no - sweet apples don't make sweet cider!). It is quite hard to stop unless you intervene (pasteurise or sterile filter) and kill off the yeast or set things up so that they 'get stuck' (stop before all the sugar is devoured by the yeast). By far and away the most elegant of these processes is keeving (though there is nothing wrong with either method - in fact it is probably preferable to back sweetening with sugar, juice or artificial sweetener!)<br />
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However (and its a biggy) because keeving is not guaranteed it <i>could </i>start fermenting again and, therefore, needs heavy duty bottles to contain any gas production... hence French cidre is often found in heavy, punted bottles. So this is either very brave or else the yeast has been killed off in some way.<br />
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OK, it pours out deep golden and highly carbonated... see my comments above. I have to say it does smell quite yeasty too - lots of farmyard... in fact, that may not be the nicest smelling cider I have ever had. I suspect it has continued to ferment in the bottle and the low nutrients may have stressed the yeast and caused this eggy/farm yard smell.<br />
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Lets move on to the taste, as that is what is important. It is very mellow - lovely cider fruit coming through and almost a touch juicy in a French way. There isn't a lot of acid in here, but it does taste nicely mature with a low level of tannins that emphasises the fruit rather than compete with it.<br />
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The aftertaste is also mellow. This is easy drinking and crafted - it is just such a shame about the damn smell of it!<br />
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I said just now that it was the taste that is important. This is true, but it is not true that it doesn't matter about the smell. Experiencing a cider is the whole package - including the smell. So sadly it is going to lose marks based on that. I am certainly going to look out for another bottle of this at some point though to see if I just had an errant bottle.<br />
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It scores 70/100 and earns a bronze apple. I may have been a little generous based on the taste of the cider - some would certainly not even try it once they smelt it...<br />
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<br />Thoughts on cider...http://www.blogger.com/profile/10088137649328959012noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3634870909559270527.post-30571026545228605782014-04-24T12:00:00.001+01:002014-04-24T13:31:19.089+01:00Dunkerton's Browns Cider<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
My humble apologies for going absent for the last few weeks. I have been distracted by other things and only now realise how long it has been.<br />
<br />
I managed to mislay my notes for the cider reviews from Winchester Ale and Cider Festival - which I have still not got back yet (I know where they are but have to go and fetch them)! Never mind, in a week or two I will have them back... it's worth the wait - honest!!!<br />
<br />
And so, for my next review I turn back to a tried and trusted producer; Dunkertons. It would have been nice for this to have followed the review of the Worley's version I tried at Winchester, but there you go. This is a yardstick for that then.<br />
<br />
I really like the labels that Dunkertons put on their bottle (OK, with the exception of the organic thing). This one is simple, bold and delivers sufficient information without being patronising or in any way 'salesy'. Isn't that what a label is supposed to do? Fair enough, it is labelling at it's simplest, but they manage to do it this way for each of their ciders without giving in to the temptation to put a picture of a drunken farmer on it:-)<br />
<br />
Not being that sure if I have tried a Browns before, here is a little information about the variety: Originating in Devon during the early 1900's (the period when a lot of varieties come from). It is a bright red, bittersharp variety of apple used predominantly for cider. It harvests mid season too, making it a useful apple to put against the bittersweets to produce a good balanced west country cider.<br />
<br />
This cider pours light golden in colour, bright and with a light sparkle. It smells very earthy - low dull fruit with a very clean sense about it. That could well be the sharpness of the variety on display. It is certainly inviting!<br />
<br />
To the taste: it is more a medium than a medium dry, though I can see the sweetening being used as a tool to control the sharpness a touch. It is very nice though. A very deep fruit going on which is rich and sharp. There is tannin, but this is very restrained by everything else. It is the acid that is definitely most notable of the two. Saying that, this isn't one dimensional - it is a complex drink with bold flavours as well as a sharpness. Not one for cider virgins (I think).<br />
<br />
How to describe the flavour? Well, it has farmyard right through it - or orchards... you know what I mean. There is also a funkiness in the flavour that I can only describe as being the same as an SV Yarlington Mill. I like it, but have never come across it apart from YM.<br />
<br />
The aftertaste is long, fruity and luscious (that is what I have written down!) A real treat.<br />
<br />
A very respectable score of 82/100 gives Dunkertons a silver apple. Having now taken the time to check it is their 6th Silver Apple to go alongside a couple of Golds... way to go:-)<br />
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<br />Thoughts on cider...http://www.blogger.com/profile/10088137649328959012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3634870909559270527.post-18226829230658465942014-04-09T12:00:00.000+01:002014-04-09T13:28:42.516+01:00Cider Differentiation...Having taken a poll asking specifically whether high juice cider ought to be differentiated from the stuff on the mass market, I did say that I would report back once it was done with the results. No, I am not going to try and put together some clever graphs to justify an argument - I have a healthy skepticism of statistics and polling. Here, though, is an image of the final results for the poll:<br />
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<br />
On the face of it, it is a clear 98% message that quality, high juice cider does need something to identify it from the mediocrity of mass produced ciders. Only 4% either didn't care or disagreed (and I think that one of those may have been me testing the form out:-) Do bear in mind though that by and large this blog is read by people who are bothered to look up the cider they are drinking... even though I hope that some of those are coming to cider from the mainstream. Also bear in mind that 100 odd votes is not exactly representative of those consuming cider in the UK.<br />
<br />
That aside, it is a clear message. And if I am to put my cards firmly on the table I am very happy with the result - I feel that there has started to be a groundswell of movement in the cider industry who feel the same way. Not - and I must emphasise this - not in any way to denigrate the mainstream producers! As someone who came to cider through drinking Magners, and as a small producer, I recognise that there is a place for 'easy access' ciders. I also have to bear in mind that both the high and low juice industry have been entwined in the UK for over 40 years: from orchards to equipment, from bottles to markets.<br />
<br />
So, if this is to be done it has to be sensitive. It has to give producers on the cusp of high/low juice cider the opportunity to participate. So it needs to be reasonable but differentiate effectively. And that takes the cooperation of the producers - not easy by any means but certainly something that consumers cannot force or lead on. There are many who feel that each decree from CAMRA just loses potential CAMRA producer/suppliers - some of very high quality cider... so telling producers what to do is not the answer, producers need to opt to do it for themselves.<br />
<br />
So, do I have anything to say about this? Well, yes and no. There IS an opportunity to raise the profile of quality high juice cider on the table. However, currently I cannot say anything more (and I suspect I am stretching it at that!) All in good time, but I really hope that cider makers realise its potential!<br />
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For my part, I have a plan to 'help' in my own little way: <b> </b></div>
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<b>The Cider Pages guide to drinking cider - For the novice!</b></h4>
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People don’t tend to flood to cider farms or dedicated cider shops because they cannot but because they are happy with the stuff they
can get in Asda (etc.) Hard truth I know – and I can back it up with some
figures too: 10% of the alcohol consumed in the UK is cider. Of that 10%, very
roughly 1% is high juice or artisanal in any way. So 99% of the 10% is drinking mainstream stuff. Sobering and often overlooked
– it is true that high juice cider are on the rise but, lets be honest with
ourselves here, there is a long way to go!</div>
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What is it about the nationally produced ciders and pear
ciders that do it for the masses? – moderate and generic (mediocre) flavours, sweetening and none of those nasty niffs or aftertastes. It is ‘premium’ in
that it is pretty much straightforward (mediocre). They don't leave things to
chance; they want a consistent ‘recipe’. That isn't anything like the high juice end of the industry; although there is some control and adjustment going on it is done with integrity in mind and using natural devices (types of apples, fermentation conditions and sulphite). Limited consistency and a 'live' product - in as much as it is allowed to ferment and mature naturally. However, the potential for producing truly excellent ciders is all at the 'high juice' end of the market.</div>
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In my small way to differentiate and lead people to the more traditional ciders and perries, I would like to present some
‘tutored tastings’. These are free. Yup – not a bean. And can be done just
about when you are ready and prepared to explore stuff. And, on the whole, will
use ciders that you can buy off the supermarket shelves. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>
</div>
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For pretty much my whole blog-life I have felt that
developing a taste for real, traditionally made cider is a journey – not a one
stop journey at that. I have (however) struggled to find a way to articulate it
(you should see the folder on my laptop marked ‘Cider Journey’ – full of dead
ends and really badly written stuff!) It strikes me that I can do this
and leave it for posterity – those who want to find it will and, as I have said
time and time again, if one person finds it useful then I have succeeded.</div>
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So – watch out for blog posts marked as ‘Cider Journey’… and
if you are of delicate cider constituency, avoid them!!</div>
Thoughts on cider...http://www.blogger.com/profile/10088137649328959012noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3634870909559270527.post-34864981908280034102014-04-06T12:00:00.000+01:002014-04-06T12:00:00.565+01:00Thatchers 458 Cider<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2kkWaSbwcWNhL4Pqax7K1r7GCYLuI89myVvTWAjKScDE0uMj5SAmIOIZga8OeHLqkAcfNHFdukG7j-hTrwLuqNLdVhYHhka34JWuSjhFa3JrwrIu8TUi-w_ckUmVEl_6leoZWqk0Hu38/s1600/Thatchers458.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2kkWaSbwcWNhL4Pqax7K1r7GCYLuI89myVvTWAjKScDE0uMj5SAmIOIZga8OeHLqkAcfNHFdukG7j-hTrwLuqNLdVhYHhka34JWuSjhFa3JrwrIu8TUi-w_ckUmVEl_6leoZWqk0Hu38/s1600/Thatchers458.png" height="400" width="317" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-ETD5kSEYDh4Pyd-2azw7FklT44ELKy8M7DsblcTBdsrjSdpdnz6IRD0TwEdrAX810mhPPZWLTI5W-QoUk6FBxOXEjJ8rQB3NmLWIwn91PEUW0OAMRdGifcXo3rg7dKM_RanKXFapZBk/s1600/Silver.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-ETD5kSEYDh4Pyd-2azw7FklT44ELKy8M7DsblcTBdsrjSdpdnz6IRD0TwEdrAX810mhPPZWLTI5W-QoUk6FBxOXEjJ8rQB3NmLWIwn91PEUW0OAMRdGifcXo3rg7dKM_RanKXFapZBk/s1600/Silver.png" height="188" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
At first, when I heard that Thatchers were launching a limited edition cider, my ears pricked up. What is more, it was a well known Mr Bill Bradshaw... photographer of all things apple... that asked what it was like. Well, I guess your not worth your salts as a reviewer if you dont at least try to respond to demand like that eh:-)<br />
<br />
OK, joking aside, it was interesting - I don't recall missing an anniversary or celebration. This isn't like that. It is a celebration of the varieties collected by John Thatcher and planted in an exhibition orchard that is going on here. After all, the best ciders are blends - arent they!!<br />
<br />
It comes in a box too. Well, I am not sure that they all come in boxes but my one here certainly does. Now, is this a chance for Thatchers to prove that they haven't departed the realms of the traditional cider maker too far? I tend to place them alongside Westons - massive production and anywhere between a 50 - 70% juice content (yes, I do tend to work by juice content as it is one of the few real differentiators for mass market/craft ciders). However, to both Thatchers and Westons credit, they do offer a 'break' in nationally available ciders - something with a bit more character than the industrial stuff - a bit more integrity and a hope that they *could* produce a brilliant cider if they really wanted to. A necessary stepping stone (if you like).<br />
<br />
OK, lets rattle some stuff off the label before I taste it: “A unique full-flavoured cider made with 458 varieties of
apples…"<br />
<br />
The bottle itself reminds me of the Aspall Imperial – dark
and classy. It doesn’t even look like the traditional Thatchers bottle… and
then there is the box. Nice touch. Helpfully, it has tasting notes on it, which
gives me a basis from which to review this cider:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
ABV: 8.4%<br />
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Colour: Warm, rich and golden<div class="MsoNormal">
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Nose: A welcoming floral aroma with subtle spicy notes,
coming from the more aromatic varieties of apples, such as Worcester Pearmain,
Laxtons Superb and Devonshire Quarrenden.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Palate: 458 varieties of apple perfectly blended to create a
balanced, medium cider with plenty of body and flavour. A full cider flavour
comes from traditional Somerset varieties such as Somerset Redstreak and
Porters Perfection, whilst Howgate Wonder and Grenadier provide a
characteristic sharper bite.</div>
</blockquote>
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Wow. I could write a blog post about this alone. First off,
its not so much tasting notes as a sales pitch. So its been put together by the
PR people. However, what I am seeing that is interesting are some of the apples
used. Not all cider apples then – which is of course no problem, but perhaps
more interesting from a company at the heart of Somerset. Take Grenadier (I use
that sometimes), a gentle acidic culinary apple that is a bad keeper but quite
juicy. And then the Laxtons and Worcester – both gentle and fragrant as apples
but once the sugar is fermented not so much.</div>
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Saying all that, if they have captured the aromatic nature
of some of those apples then it should be very tasty.</div>
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458 varieties in a blend; there isn’t much room in that lot
for any one of them to dominate (if done in equal measure). As all the apples
cme from Thatchers ‘Exhibition orchard’ though it is a very interesting blend
to make... not that I am in any way jealous. Well, I am in a kind of not getting my expectations too high kind of way!</div>
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OK, getting on with opening things up. Ooh. It has quite a
distinctive smell – quite strong and immediately I can tell it isn’t just cider
fruit in this cider (confession – I know because I make a cider with both cider
and dessert fruit and you can smell the more acidic nature of the dessert
apples). However, it also smells cidery too in a tannic way. So far, it fits –
rich, very golden, bright and moderately sparkling. I am not exactly going to
agree with the nose – it isn’t floral by any stretch: it is deeper than that
and also verging on citrus (orange or clemantine?).</div>
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<br /></div>
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The taste is actually very distinctive for Thatchers. The
acid leads the taste – an acid coming from the dessert and culinary fruit. This
is backed up with a good fruitiness and some gentle underlying tannin that
forms at the back of the mouthful. Do you know what… I actually rather like
this cider.</div>
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There is a touch of syrup in the taste but I suspect this is
coming from the back sweetening more than anything to be honest. Finally, a
very slight culinary sour note – together with the strong alcohol warmth.</div>
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The aftertaste is pleasant, warming and fairly long.</div>
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<br /></div>
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To be absolutely critical, it is a little sweeter than I
would like. But it is no more than a medium.</div>
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Now, as someone who has given Thatchers a bit of a hard time
(with the exception of the Vintage) I have found something in this Thatchers that is
more traditional in composure (from a mainstream producer) than I have found since the Gaymers single
orchard blends. It very much deserves its score of 86/100. I am not sure, but I
don’t think I have awarded a silver apple to a mainstream producer yet… so this is very well done indeed!</div>
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Thoughts on cider...http://www.blogger.com/profile/10088137649328959012noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3634870909559270527.post-53576253673376922912014-04-03T12:00:00.000+01:002014-04-03T12:00:00.150+01:00Gwatkins Pyder<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzcIG0VVP5bI-wdNKxe-E_nyOEZuK7M-tAlOs9JYMVfs_qUOQQ48v-mnGjzjo6KvbB_trVtV5lJ7crLuEW0-HwPP7GqJQBWqHbmtXSNa-2kttnMSAPWzeV-4AW7jMTMqu3VT2L1lZUFBM/s1600/Gwatkins-Pyder.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzcIG0VVP5bI-wdNKxe-E_nyOEZuK7M-tAlOs9JYMVfs_qUOQQ48v-mnGjzjo6KvbB_trVtV5lJ7crLuEW0-HwPP7GqJQBWqHbmtXSNa-2kttnMSAPWzeV-4AW7jMTMqu3VT2L1lZUFBM/s1600/Gwatkins-Pyder.png" height="400" width="286" /></a></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
A confession: I had intended to run the Winchester tastings
through for the next week or so… but as I have not been able to write up the
rest of them I am going to do a slight diversion to this Gwatkins Pyder first.</div>
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Apple and pear blended together (Perry/Cider… Pyder –
geddit?) is becoming rather popular these days. However, unike its berry or
beetroot counterparts pyder actually has some traditional precedence. Gwatkins
puts it as “the original pear cider”. I can’t say that I disagree with them –
though I suspect pear cider had more to do with making perry marketable in the
eyes of the PR guru’s who didn’t understand what perry was.</div>
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The bottle has an ingredients list – apple and pear juice,
pure sugar and a trace of sulphites. Good, although at 5% was any water a part
of that process too? I know I do down dilution, but having a touch of water in
a cider is not a terrible thing… after all, those apples must be washed before
milling, and many people dilute sulphites before adding to a juice? And then
how many producers are thoughtful enough to dry out freshly washed tanks prior
to filling? This stuff isn’t a sin in itself – just the abuse of it for
commercial interests (i.e. diluting to deliberately create additional volume
and lower % juice).</div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
Anyway, on with the Gwatkins. Now, before I open this bottle
I should say that, in my experience, Gwatkins have a tendancy to over sweeten
things. This is true across their range – so it isn’t some mistakenly sweetened
error. There are a few producers like this (a growing number in fact) – and whilst
I cannot say what the reasons are for this I also cannot see how it makes the
drinks more popular or accessible in general. Anyway – I shall not judge this
until it is in my mouth… although the sugar on the ingredients was clearly used
for something. </div>
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It is quite light golden in colour and has a moderate
sparkle to it. As I write this is it sat newly poured near to me and already I
can smell the pears – wow that is quite a strong smell. The fruit is just about
jumping out of the glass at me. Sticking my nose in reveals apples (mostly), of
the cider kind – not a dessert fruitiness at all. The pears are much more
restrained now, but it does smell light and airy – nice on an evening that is
sunny.</div>
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Oh bloody hell it is all sugar. Well, that is a huge shame –
I was expecting good things. I am having to dig deep into this drink now,
because it really is very sweet indeed. I am getting the pears at the back of
my throat – they are soft and fruity (and would be delicious I am sure if it
weren’t for this over sweetening). The apples – which are the bolder taste,
relatively, are all but drowned out with a sugary sweetness that does this
pyder no favours whatsoever. It honestly makes it rather quire syrupy and not at
all to my palate. </div>
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Grrrrrrr. I hate berating a producer of such high quality
cider but this is not by any means the first Gwatkins that has been shown the
heavy hand of sugar (and lost marks for it). Now, I am sure they don’t really
care what I have to say and I am sure it is massively popular with sweet
toothed drinkers, but this really could be so much more – I get hints of it’s
potential… if only a bloomin hydrometer was used as a guide to adding sugar!</div>
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I am having a second glass of this to try and get beyond the
moan, which seems to have taken residence on this review! The majority of the
apple coming through is bittersweet and farmy; the pears are gentle yet
aromatic. It seems a really decent blend. But. BUT. I cant get it… it is surely
a complex and interesting blend. There is much more going on than the drinker
is allowed to experience courtesy of bad sweetening. </div>
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The aftertaste is fairly short and (unfortunately) sweet. So
sad!</div>
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This pyder scored 60/100 – and that was on the basis that I
could get at some of the flavour. As a note, I reckon if it was more
sensitively sweetened it would be bronze or even silver medal. Shame. </div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicm_2JaK4Uzl1hOVAI7tPyxViNWWBN2BEhvvq8FzPi9A1DesOIRQUESrfqeHOuYRCja1guOpagIaAxdVr8jEEalztOXJryKCeEksJE3asTMUSh_SwUvIPslLxi0DgUUkDdc-9MnDpY7xk/s1600/GwatkinsPyder-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicm_2JaK4Uzl1hOVAI7tPyxViNWWBN2BEhvvq8FzPi9A1DesOIRQUESrfqeHOuYRCja1guOpagIaAxdVr8jEEalztOXJryKCeEksJE3asTMUSh_SwUvIPslLxi0DgUUkDdc-9MnDpY7xk/s1600/GwatkinsPyder-1.png" height="640" width="444" /></a></div>
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Thoughts on cider...http://www.blogger.com/profile/10088137649328959012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3634870909559270527.post-15433596651483456272014-03-31T12:00:00.000+01:002014-03-31T21:37:49.848+01:00Wilcox Dry Cider<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
OK. Winchester Ale and Cider Festival had quite a few ciders that I haven't tried before. Sadly, too many really to cover here in fact, but I managed to taste five of them.<br />
<br />
As a small to medium sized festival, this has to be one of the finer events that CAMRA sticks it's name too. It is certainly an annual favourite of mine and even though tickets can be like hens teeth to get hold of very worth making the effort to get to. If for nothing else, Winchester is a delight to see and hang out in... in much the same way I think Bath and Salisbury are too... and Exeter. Oh, you know what I mean: old town with character and a grand town hall.<br />
<br />
Starting with the Wilcox dry - it was meant (I think) to be a medium but I was told that it was a dry and a sweet that were delivered. So they had the right one on for me then!!<br />
<br />
Wilcox produce their cider in Cheddar, Somerset and trace their cidermaking history back to 1868. Wow, that is a long time to be making cider! Although their 'news' page is a bit out of date, they have won some awards - notably a second place at the Bath and West Show in 2012. That is no mean feat at what is billed as the biggest cider competition in the world (Okay, friends from USA - Great Lakes is an awesome competition too!!)<br />
<br />
This cider is golden, hazy and still - the perfect draught look about it! To smell, it is very fruity with a rounded tone that indicates there are some tannins to it.<br />
<br />
The taste is very dry; an astringent cider with a bunch of bold fruit flavours and no great acid to offset it. That is not to say there isn't any acid going on, but it is very definitely overun by the big tannin. I do think that there is a dominant apple variety in here too, though I cannot really place it off hand. It could be Yarlington, but that is perhaps a bit more identifiable than this. I guess it could be Dabinett... they do make one and it is the right profile. However, whatever it is I like the cider a lot.<br />
<br />
This is on the cusp of being a cracking scrumpy as opposed to anything particularly refined. However, don't let that put you off - well, unless you don't like really dry ciders!<br />
<br />
The aftertaste is dry like a teabag - the nodes on the tongue stand on end and act like sandpaper on the roof of your mouth:-)<br />
<br />
A nice bold cider to start with then - with stacks of fruit, well presented and with big tannins. Just what you expect from a Somerset cider.<br />
<br />
A score of 81/100 gives Wilcox a very neat silver apple from me!<br />
<br />
<i>Incidentally, the photo was taken at home and came from a take out bottle:-) Well, it was jolly nice to appreciate it in the calm of day!!</i><br />
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<i><br /></i>Thoughts on cider...http://www.blogger.com/profile/10088137649328959012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3634870909559270527.post-43847699565441328252014-03-27T12:00:00.000+00:002014-03-27T12:00:03.661+00:00Perry's Barn Owl Medium Dry CIder<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
This is another one of those cases where I think I have tasted all a producer has to offer and sit back on my laurels... only for them to release a new one. Or is it? I have tried their 'Farm Pressed' Dry and Medium before now... have they simply re-labelled it with a stamp bearing the name of a bird?<br />
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I think they probably have - although lets not forget Orchard Pig who 'rebranded' and lowered the quality of their cider (in my opinion). At 6.5%, its about the same as the others... and it will be a different year from the others too - so its going to be interesting (and I can never say no to a Perry's cider, can I?)<br />
<br />
Once poured out it appears nicely golden, clear and rather highly sparkling... though I am not sure if it has been stood around a while to condition further in the bottle.<br />
<br />
The smell is rich and delicious - it certainly hasn't lost anything in the filtration. The bubbles help to push the aroma up your nose: spicy, fruity with a deep country/farm thing going on. It really is quite a meaty smell.<br />
<br />
To taste, I am getting a nice blend of fruitiness with some tannin and a background acid. It is well balanced, although it is too sweet for me personally (definitely not a medium dry). It is also a slight touch on the watery side. Going on through the bottle, I would think that there is a good amount of Kingston Black in here, which could be what is providing the background acid... though don't take that as definite! The acid is very moderate (but more pronounced in the aftertaste).<br />
<br />
I think the tannins are softened by the sweetening to a big degree although, like the rest of the flavour, it develops as you drink.<br />
<br />
The aftertaste is moderate to long and is pleasant.<br />
<br />
On the whole, I am impressed (as usual) with Perry's. Right at the top end of my sweetness though, which is a bit of a shame as it is only meant to be a medium dry. As an afternote, I noticed that there was a bit of yeast at the bottom of the bottle - which could explain the highly carbonated cider coming out of it!<br />
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A score of 76/100 earns a bronze - which checking back maintains the Perry record with Cider Pages!<br />
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<br />Thoughts on cider...http://www.blogger.com/profile/10088137649328959012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3634870909559270527.post-59465865708485729942014-03-24T12:00:00.000+00:002014-03-24T17:40:45.032+00:00Hecks Kingston Black Cider<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
Wandering back to my recent Hecks 'stash' I find myself drawn to their version of the Kingston Black single variety cider. I do find their simple design and use of colour on the labels attractive... although as a cider, this is a medium and so I am going to have to adjust my tastebuds accordingly:-)<br />
<br />
So, opening this very smart bottle of cider, it gives of nothing more than a 'pfst' and pours with a low carbonation. As you will see from the photograph, it is pure golden brightness - obviously filtered and highly polished.<br />
<br />
It has a rather nice smell - the Kingston Black seems understated. It isn't reaching out and grabbing me by the throat like some other versions I have tried. It is gentle and pleasant - mature and inviting.<br />
<br />
I am not known as one who thinks single varieties are all that they may be for wine. A complete cider is a blended cider as far as I am concerned. With nearly 400 ciders under my belt on this blog alone, I am still of that opinion (mind you, us cider makers can be a belligerent bunch!!) Kingston Black is meant to be the 'perfect' single variety apple... actually, I rather prefer a Yarlington SV being more funky - but I still quite like the good ol' KB.<br />
<br />
The Kingston Black in this cider is somewhat sidelined by the sweetening. It is dulled quite a bit, and I understand why it is understated. Don't get me wrong, the flavour is rich and smokey - well matured with a tannin and a sharpness to underline it. However, over the top of this is a sweetness that is all of it's medium description.<br />
<br />
There are so many factors in liking a cider to take into account: do you like dry or sweet? Tannin? Acid? Do you like a 'thick' scrumpy like cider or a clear, vineous cider? All are valid and there are excellent examples of all of these. I am very glad that we do not require our cider makers to conform too much... well, I guess they wouldn't if asked!<br />
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The aftertaste is fairly short - a consequence (I think) of the filtering. However, it is a nice cider and I enjoyed it.<br />
<br />
A good cider with a good score of 71/100 and a bronze apple for Hecks. If you like sweet ciders you may score it more.<br />
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<br />Thoughts on cider...http://www.blogger.com/profile/10088137649328959012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3634870909559270527.post-81343072767635063072014-03-16T12:00:00.000+00:002014-03-16T12:00:02.890+00:00Newton Court Golden Blush Cider<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
Time to move back to something real and familiar... a cider from Newton Court. And, thankfully, a medium dry, traditionally crafted and sparkling cider at that. And with 6.2% alcohol I can settle that this is all good and proper.<br />
<br />
I have, in fact, met Newton Court cider before now... not that they would really know (even if they read this). Being a Herefordshire based company - Leominster, they fit into the 'nice cider people' category... relaxed, comfortable with their cider and practices. What is not to like so far! I like the nice people in cider... if you follow facebook and twitter, cider can get quite testy now and again. With people who are comfortable in their skin, I suspect they are still passionate - but, being happy in their own opinion, are happy to let others rant and rage against the machine.<br />
<br />
OK, that over - I am dying to get this bottle open and try it out. I have season 2 of Luther queued up and nothing else that needs my attention. One of those rare moments, so lets get on with it!<br />
<br />
It is nicely carbonated and bright in the bottle. quite bright in fact - I suspect this has been cleared and carbonated at bottling. Nothing wrong with that - I am finding that a bit of this isn't so bad these days. Mind you, if it's been overdone it could be a problem. It is golden and inviting.<br />
<br />
The smell I am getting is heavily bittersweet - is that Yarlington Mill I can detect as being the dominant? Sure enough, it is there in the flavour too - very pleasant - not a single variety by any means - there is some acid in here; in the background, but it is there and it offsets the drying. The sweetening is sensible too - not too much. There is a tangy tone at the back of the palate which is interesting - this drink feels alive. A slight heaviness of farmhouse at the beginning and a tang at the end. Lovely.<br />
<br />
The aftertaste is long. Quite drying too... in fact it has made me stop and consider it - which quite a few recently have failed to do! Very nice - I feel that I deserve something like this, having most recently ploughed my way through Koppabergs!!<br />
<br />
I mean, apologies for mentioning it in the same post as a good cider, but how can anyone compare that with this? How can Koppaberg be called a cider against this? Sure, Koppaberg drinkers would hate this - far to intense, lively and strong (flavour as well as alcohol). They wouldn't be able to treat it like an alcopop. Surely there are beers with more in common with this than that Swedish stuff!<br />
<br />
Oh well... at least I have the rest of the bottle of Newtons Court I can sit back and enjoy without thinking about the 'troubles' of cider in the UK. And served up with a nice bit of gruesomeness... lovely.<br />
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Golden Blush earns a silver apple with a score of 87/100.<br />
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Thoughts on cider...http://www.blogger.com/profile/10088137649328959012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3634870909559270527.post-41048324279947223222014-03-13T12:00:00.000+00:002014-03-14T08:00:45.402+00:00Koppaberg Pear<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
After the last review, I am sat here hoping that this pear cider has little in common with its alcohol free cousin. Or that there is an emergency down t' pit that requires me to leave the house immediately... or perhaps a product recall effective right away. OK, rationalising things I should just get on with this.<br />
<br />
The bottles are identical to look at (OK, the words alcohol free are not on this bottle - it is 4.5%. I must say up front that, if it does turn out like the other one it is going down the sink... and I will have found a drink to use as an example of alcocider - which I shall use to compare with the real thing as often as I dare.<br />
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Having done the label to death on the last review, I am stuck for something interesting to say about Koppaberg. OK, they are made in Sweden - which must have a very different tradition of making cider than we do in the UK. This strikes me as curious - since HMRC only govern the ingredients of a drink they have no real control over what can be called cider as long as the ingredients are there. And their list of ingredients is both far too long and far too subjective to be of much use. No wonder so many faux ciders can call themselves such. Sadly, also HMRC have very little jurisdiction over what calls itself cider at all - that is for Trading Standards. So there is quite a lot of disjointed thinking going on. I say that in support of my suggestion that the industry ought to police itself more - <i><a href="http://ciderpages.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/ciderpops.html">here is the link in case you missed it.</a></i><br />
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Koppaberg are a Swedish brewing company based in... Koppaberg - a town in which Wikipedia says there is an older population. It started making apple and pear drinks in 2003. The law that governs cider in Sweden allows anything with over 15% juice content to call itself cider... which I think probably explains a lot - 15% is an insanely low amount of juice to be putting into a cider!<br />
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OK. I have put it off for long enough. This drink pours out as ghostly as its non alcoholic partner - a slight tint of greenish yellow (makes it sound lovely, doesn't it?!) There is a much stronger smell in this drink though - again it is pear drops but I am also getting an unnatural sweetness to it. Please God, no!<br />
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Now, to taste I have to admit that this has more body than the alcohol free version. This mainly comes from a syruppy body - in no way is there any acidity or tannin to be found. Once again, it is sweet and sickly. Once again... (to me personally) it is, quite honestly, bloody horrible.<br />
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A potentially terrible question has occurred to me: is there any difference between this pear cider and the apple version... or do they all taste the same. Fortunately, probably for Koppaberg as much as me, I am not intending to find out. Not that they would really care what an English blogger has to say. But then, is this really a pear cider? It has very little in common with anything that you could say was pear cider (no, I am not going to even mention perry... it is nowhere on any scale of being remotely similar to perry). Surely, pear cider/perry should have some semblance or relation to alcoholic pear beverage in some way?<br />
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This scores 26/100 and probably only gets the extra point because it has alcohol in it.<br />
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As a footnote, I ought to point out that this drink IS an absolute masterclass in alcopops being dressed up as cider. If anyone need this demonstrated then simply try it. I don't think I need prove my case any more than that. People of the NACM - if you are listening - please, lets have something to differentiate... I mean, have you tasted this?<br />
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Thoughts on cider...http://www.blogger.com/profile/10088137649328959012noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3634870909559270527.post-84598934753799052322014-03-10T12:00:00.000+00:002014-03-11T04:50:09.554+00:00Koppaberg Pear - Alcohol Free<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Well, this one is for all those health conscious "alcohol is evil" types out there. The sort that want to nanny and police us and stop us from being responsible adults for our own good. You know, the sort who like things like statistics that can be abused and massaged to suit their own opinions. And aren't opinions like arseholes...<br />
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I am struck by the irony of this drink too. Koppaberg is a drink not exactly tailored for the more experienced cider drinker... it is one of those drinks that sit in nightclubs and pubs who don't really care too much about the cider they lay on, as long as they can get it cheaply. I know, a bit harsh, but lets face it; any drink that advertises itself as premium and happily sits alongside WKD etc. (with all its various flavours) is kind of lining itself up with the alcopop world.<br />
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So, what is ironic then? Well, Koppaberg is targeted at the aspiring young... those who wish to develop their tastebuds but think that this kind of thing is still 'totes amazeballs'. And this one is alcohol free. Come on... there has to be something ironic about this... the Swede's have a sense of humour, don't they?<br />
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To some degree, if Koppaberg is on the edge of what I see as cider (I know, it says cider on the bottle... premium cider actually... its just a label, it doesn't necessarily mean anything!) then this ought not be... except that it says it is on the label. But then, I wanted to compare the non alcoholic version to the alcoholic version. So I have both to try... one after the other. This way I can get a true reflection on whether this unleaded version is a true reflection of its leaded colleague.<br />
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Looking at the label, I do have some high points for you. The company refer to themselves as a "family owned brewery". And there I was, thinking that it was only journo's who couldn't be bothered to tell the difference between brewing beer and making cider. The other thing that made me stop for a second was, "fermented using naturally formed soft water..." Pardon? Say again? OK, taking aside the naturally formed soft bit (which is weird enough)... is this a mineral water drink? Is that what the Swedes think of cider? Oh dear.<br />
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To see in the glass, this drink has virtually no colour at all - a greeny yellow tint is about as far as I can go with it. Also, it is foamy and sparkling - though with very little smell to it. I am getting some pear drops - but really not much else. So far, it fits with the idea of it being a mineral water drink. Let's taste it.<br />
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Aaaaagh. Sugar rush! There is something cidery or peary about it... though trying to get past the sweetness is all but impossible. There is very little character other than candy - certainly nothing that I can use to compare it to other pear ciders... let alone perries. And that, I am afraid, is how it stays the whole time. I wouldn't say it isn't challenging or balanced - I am finding it very challenging and unbalanced to be honest. Just not in a good way (for me).<br />
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I can, in all honesty, say that this is my first and last time of trying Koppaberg Pear Alcohol Free. The only plus I can see about this is that it is alcohol free... the drink itself is incredibly sweet and quite frankly nasty. In fact, it is the only reason I could see anyone drinking it is for the bottle... is that what this is reduced to?<br />
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For anyone seeking to discover perry from the point of drinking this: start with Magners or Bulmers. It has much more flavour going on. I fear that an Olivers may have too much flavour and character at this stage... however, please move on from this. Try one of those mineral waters with 'a hint of'... they are better than this!<br />
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A score of 25/100 means that this may well be the lowest scoring drink I have tried so far. I need a drink of water just to clear my palate!<br />
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<br />Thoughts on cider...http://www.blogger.com/profile/10088137649328959012noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3634870909559270527.post-85803391939394938092014-03-07T12:00:00.000+00:002014-03-07T12:00:02.840+00:00Wilcox Dabinet Apple Cider<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I am shocked to say that I have never tried a Wilcox cider on here before. I guess that there are so many things to try that I may skip the odd few now and again... and as long as I eventually get to them no harm done eh?!<br />
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This is part of a haul from the Bristol Cider Shop over the last month. It is nice to see that they do change the range every so often - after all, you must try other things now and again to really appreciate where you are in the range of tastes. Given that cider changes barrel to barrel, year to year, I did fear for a while that I would have to start all over again at some point. Well, when I run out of new things to try I may go back to some and update them with re-tastings... after all, there are those who I think I have been harsh on, those who I think I was too generous to and those.. well... those that I would use any excuse to seek out and try another bottle!<br />
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This Wilcox, for me, isn't the ideal Wilcox to start off with - it is medium sweet and also a single variety. Still, if I like it then I will be hunting down the drier versions toute suite!!OK, it pours out with a low sparkle and is golden and bright. In all fairness, filtering is not something I do a lot of, and I do feel that some cider/perry is so heavily filtered that it loses something... but at the same time, there is something nice about a bit of a clarity.<br />
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The smell is sweet, but has lots of dabinet coming through (note to Wilcox... I am sure it is spelled dabinet and not dabinett!) This smell is fruity, slightly funky and lively with a mature farmyard background. Good start!<br />
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It is a medium sweet but there is some character of fruit coming into the taste too. In fact, the more I drink the better the balance of fruit and sweet there is. And it is a nice example of dabinet. Having made a truly SV version myself as a trial, I can say with confidence that this is good dabinet! There is little acid to it - which is right for dabinet. Its a really good cider.<br />
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I guess if I am being super picky, I would say that the sweetening leaves things a touch cloying, but I guess that is splitting hairs... after all, it is a sweet!<br />
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There is a long, drying aftertaste. This is where tannic bittersweet apples come into their own.<br />
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Overall, this is a great cider. If it were a dry I suspect it would earn a gold apple, but as it is a silver one is pretty good going. Nice. A score of 83/100. <br />
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<br />Thoughts on cider...http://www.blogger.com/profile/10088137649328959012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3634870909559270527.post-89326721804970421372014-03-04T12:00:00.000+00:002014-03-04T12:00:02.586+00:00Bulmers Pear<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I am sure I have said this for just about every Bulmers or Magners product that I have tried to date... sooner or later I had to try this example. This one isn't even a pear cider... its a pear. OK, probably a little mischievous but this is one of those drinks that people will automatically think of (well, those who drink pear cider, that is). I am glad, however, that I have had the chance to try a few very high quality perries before coming to this one.<br />
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Looking at the label, apparently pears were the first fruit Bulmers pressed back in 1887. Marketeers. I love em (not). Well, all I can say to that comment is that I would put money on the perry being made back in 1887 to have an awful lot more juice content that there is today... and Mr Bulmers - all that time ago - would probably not recognise this (barring it being his name on the label!). Oh well, I guess if you know nothing about perry making practices then this is probably a reassuring thing.<br />
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I know I bang on about this, but heritage is very important to me. Heritage and quality... the two aren't linked. Just because someone has been making cider for long enough that they should know how to put a decent cider together does not mean by any stretch that they do... However, for Bulmers to play on heritage - when their practices and products don't resemble anything of the sort. Am I not the only one who finds this a bit disingenuous?<br />
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Look, I am going to step away from this perspective in order to try this pear cider with some kind objectivity.<br />
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It pours out golden, fizzy and bright and sparkly.I am mostly getting pear drops from the smell - it is quite strong. It isn't the subtle and charismatic smell that I have experienced in the very best of the perries, but it isn't so boiled sweets that I am put off... and at least it smells of pears.<br />
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The taste is much more watered down. Its a bit of a cross between cider and perry to be honest. There are no real tannins (perhaps I get the whisper of them) and not a whole lot of acid either - though strangely it does have some body. <br />
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With a short, sweet aftertaste I have to conclude that this is a bit of a ghost of itself. Any bold flavours have been rounded off to present something that would only offend those that really appreciate perry at a strength that cannot be criticised by the anti drinks lobby.<br />
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Saying all this, I don't hate it. In fact, I can see why it is popular - there is nothing to hate... nothing at all. Nothing to see here... a score of 53/100 sees it safely 'in the middle'.<br />
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Thoughts on cider...http://www.blogger.com/profile/10088137649328959012noreply@blogger.com0