Chants Singing Cider (GBBF)

Sorry all - the final GBBF review had to wait until I could recharge my tablet (which had the notes on it!!!). And as I had lost the charger things have had to get a little out of order. So, finally, here is the last review for GBBF!!

I wanted to finish with a floury, so the last choice for me was some Chants Badger Spit... no, isn't it Singing Cider... no - is it Naishs... no wait. Oh, I give up!

Apologies, I found that quite funny. A touch of history before I begin with the review. Paul Chant is better known as Frank Naish's right hand man. Not only that, but he has started selling his own cider too. For anyone who doesn't know who Frank Naish is, simply Google him. I couldn't put into a blog post all that he is renowned for: oldest cider maker in the UK, Somerset based and with some great cider producer opinions on stuff and a real heritage to his cider!

The above joke relates to an incident recently of Chants cider being 'rebadged' and sold on. At one point, it was feared that someone else had essentially faked his label onto some other cider. This is quite simply fraud and it isn't the only example of unscrupulous people re-labelling ciders. To be honest, I feel that taking someone elses cider and re-labelling as your own is a poor practice in any case... and yes, it is done.

On with the cider review though. Yes, by this point I was contemplating calling it a day but wanted to get to 15 ciders in all. So I took some time out - I watched CAMRA bods bidding for 'antique' beer mats and such like and the set up of the evenings band. I bought a new t-shirt with a beery/cidery surf wave on it. I had another go at Northamptonshire Skittles and nearly decapitated the poor guy watching over the stand. I wasted some time.

And so, I am handed a glass of golden hazy liquid with a bit of an identity crisis. Advertised as Badger Spit and then as Singing Cider (and add to that some odd brandings by some odd wholesaler). The bottom line is that it smells very nicely west country - deep, rich and tannic.

And the taste is good too, though disappointingly it is far too sweet. OK, its a medium but its at the sweeter end of that too. Working my way under it, there is a good level of tannin and not a lot of acid (there may be some, but its hard to find). Its a shame that it is sweet, I would have liked it much drier than it is. Still, never mind. It does occur to me that perhaps I am not doing this cider justice by it being my last cider of the night... but there had to be a last cider!

The aftertaste is moderate in length and sweet.. quite sweet. I do like this cider, but would not choose the medium version again. However, it was good enough to get a bronze apple with a score of 73/100.

Westons Rosies Pig Cider (GBBF)

For my penultimate review from GBBF I leave the cider bar for a moment. Actually, I was stood by my post (where I could take photo's of ciders and write notes without worrying about being bumped and jostled). I thought I had tried most of the ciders made by Westons... but looking across the way I saw this one on the hand pump. A new Westons? Well, yes... I think so: worth a try anyway!

Rosies Pig sounds like it is described. An easy drinking entry level cider. Perhaps it's not going to win any awards but it is designed for drinkers to bridge the gap from alcopops to traditional cider. Personally, Old Rosie itself is, to me, an easy access entry level cider - but let's not criticise too quickly. I like the sentiment.

So, this is an odd choice for a review for GBBF. Yup. But it is here so it's worth trying. The 'pig' itself was apparently the first delivery truck for Old Rose - it was a pig to drive and a pig to steer. Nice. This is an excellent example of Weston's marketing team...

It is a pale golden cider, hazy on the whole and smelling slightly juicy and sulphity too. The haze... well, its all dead yeast put back in to a filtered drink (go on a tour of Westons and ask!!)

Now for a taste - Okay. Think Magners with a bit more body and you probably have it fairly well nailed. It also has a bit more acid to it as well. By comparison, it is a bit like a watered down Old Rosie too... with a little less haze too. It is light, moderately acid with a touch of unchallenging tannin - safe in fact. Did anyone expect anything different? It is juicy and quite sweet too - in fact, my own opinion is that it is fairly soul-less, but I can see the appeal for new cider drinkers

Rosies Pig fulfills its' brief quite well although to be honest it is not in any danger of being the best cider today. It is competent but feels a bit over specified. Having said that it is still better than some of their supermarket 'own brand' ciders:-)

A moderate score of 61/100. Would I recommend this to my friend starting out on their cider journey? Well, perhaps a pint but I suspect they would soon move on to something more intense and less industrial-like.

Mr Whitehead's Russet SV Cider (GBBF)

Its OK - there are only a few more ciders to go from GBBF this year:-) Being quite honest, this is far from being about the festival itself - CAMRA could have put more emphasis on cider and had multiple bars... they could almost run a cider festival in its own right alongside the beer version. But they won't. They will continue to gave at their navels and procrastinate; though I really do hope that one day they will prove me wrong and actually do something worthy of writing up on here! To be brutally honest there are a number of things that give the 'game' away:

1. Number of ale bars vs. the cider bar
2. Size of the foreign beer bar vs. the size of the cider bar
3. Descriptions within the brochure... contrast the detail afforded beer to cider

Thinking about it, you could take that list of issues and paste it into any CAMRA festival you care to; often adding 'cider bar stuck in the corner away from anything important'. Mind you, the selection of ciders available at this festival are pretty good (when you don't compare to the number of beers). So, on the whole, I remain positive about the GBBF.

One point I would make (whilst attempting badly to avoid a wry smile) is that following the festival, CAMRA APPLE found that only 15% of members realised that cider was represented by CAMRA... lets face it, who is really surprised by this. I just hope it has woken them up a little...

OK. Enough. On to the next cider. This is one that I wanted to try mainly because it is a single variety of an apple that I love, but is an unusual choice for single variety. It wasn't exactly on my 'to do' list as it is really a sweet cider that I could do without. However, lets give it a go and see it its any good. I confess to having a bit of a hit and miss attitude towards Mr Whiteheads - a bit like Tutts Clump in many ways. There are some good examples of cider and there are some poor ones too.

This russet cider is very pale (expected) and very hazy... cloudy in fact. Naturally it is flat being on draught but, other than the haziness everything looks exactly right for a russet cider.

Putting my cards on the table (a bit) I have to say that I have used russets for cider for a while. I really like them - they give a gentle acid to a cider. On their own, they should also taste a little nutty - russets have an interesting character. Come on... lots of producers try other ciders to see how their own compares! I have merely taken the additional step of blogging about it (which is either brave, sensible or stupid... I will let you decide!).

This cider smells, well, sweet. I am getting some nut in the nose, which I like - though it is fainter than I expect. This could well be the sweetening though.

OH MY WORD! This cider is killed with sweetening. Absolutely trashes the delicate flavour of the russets and I am not even getting much acid out of it even! OK, taking a small step back, there is an eastern character to it and while there is a bit of the russet charisma there it is smothered by sucralose to the point of almost being the equivalent to just adding sugar to a glass of water!

The aftertaste is all sucralose I am afraid - surely no one likes cider this sweet!! Sorry Mr Whitehead, I don't like this cider. I may even have to go in search of some water to clear my palette if I am to continue to drink any more cider!

I don't think I have a whole lot more to say about this cider.It scores 56/100.

Honeypot Farm Cider (GBBF)

Trudging back to Somerset for my 12th cider. Well, not before taking a 30 minute break (or something like that). The place is massive and really well spaced out - although is the day has progressed the halls are much busier now. Some have come with hats... a couple of days early for hat day, but I guess they get themselves more noticed this way:-)

It does say something about CAMRA priorities that there are so many beer/ale bars and only one cider bar - well two if you include the ever present (and I suspect sponsored to the hilt) Weston's bar. Even Bieres Sans Frontieres - the bar dedicated to foreign beers - is larger than the cider bar in footage. Don't get me wrong, I like beer too, though if this festival represents the general thinking of CAMRA then it is no surprise why fighting for cider is rather low on their list of priorities.

I tend to drink beer when the only cider option is my own or something riddled with strawberry juice (or such like)... it has been known to happen and at that time I would opt for beer. It's not as good as cider by a long way though. Different... not as refreshing and sometimes just plain odd. Anyway, I do dabble from time to time. Getting back to my wanderings around the GBBF, I settled for a hamburger with blue cheese  this time - nice, though a bit greasy and I am not sure whether it will soak up the cider or simply make everything taste of blue cheese!

Back to the cider!

Honeypot Farm have been making cider for some years now (although there web presence is every bit equal to many Somerset cider producers... non existent. Sadly the internet and its benefits have yet to convince some producers to reach out online. Some habits definitely die hard! Anyway, it is marked up as being tannic... which makes sense... and is presented to me as a deeply golden and quite clear cider. Yum (so far!)

It doesn't really smell of an awful lot. I could put this down to having drunk quite a lot, but it was over quite a long time so my nose cannot have given up! I guess it's on the taste then:-) There is quite a drying tannin in here - it is as I expected it to be and is quite pleasant. Have CAMRA got this wrong? It feels more of a dry cider/medium dry at best and not the medium it is described as.

The taste of this cider is really very good. It has a deep tannin that stretches the pallette and lasts with a funky tone to it. You know, this may be the best cider in the house tonight. Its very nice. I am getting some acid in the background too. This is where the 'but' creeps in. I am feeling that slightly sour petroleum taste in my mouth again. It really isn't to my taste and only seems to come from Somerset based producers. Don't get me wrong, I like this cider a lot, but it just takes the edge off a little.

The aftertaste is dominated by the petrol taste, which is sad.

I wouldn't say this is a quaffing cider - not a cider for the faint hearted either... a bit challenging and not that balanced. However, not being balanced is not always a bad thing; character is important and this has a good character (in general). In a world where everything seems to aim for generic or ubiquitous, this sticks two fingers up at that!

Sherston Cider Co, First Press Cider (GBBF)

I know the Great British Beer Festival reviews are taking a while to get through this year. I admit that I decided to do things properly this time and, if I was to spent the money on getting there etc., I spread the drinks over the course of the day. This cider was my eleventh of the day (and in 3rds that equates to nearly 4 pints in total...)

Whilst I am writing about this festival, it is only appropriate to recognise the efforts of the bar staff here. Not all are knowledgeable, but most are and I ought to make reference specifically to Dawn - from USA or Canada I am afraid I couldn't tell, but very enthusiastic and honest... a sterling job done!

For this cider I had intended on getting a look in at the Yardes cider. However, as this went off just as I approached the bar (as in off 'empty barrel' as opposed to off 'bad tasting'!)

So, off to Wiltshire this time. Sherston (or more properly, the Sherston Cider Co.) are found on the edge of the Cotswolds and appear to produce cider from apples grown on their own orchards. As with most small producers internet activity, the website doesn't give a whole lot more away than that - other than I recognise all the varieties they are using and therefore this should be a good cider!

It is a hazy golden liquid (I do realise that repetition is common in these reviews, but it is worth stating for anyone just dipping in). The smell is exactly as it should be, given the varieties that have gone into making it too. Actually, it is quite a strong aroma and there is a little acid in there too. Appetizing (well, I am desperate for a great cider!!)

The taste is all of its medium labelling. There is stacks of juice going into this cider too though, which is interesting. It is clearly well kept and fully matured. In reality this cider is made up of mostly bittersweet fruit and the acid really does play a background roll. But - the acid IS there, which works well. This cider really is a contender! There isn't tons of tannin, although this could be the effect of the sweetening. However, the fermented apples are really expressing themselves and, whilst it is a tad juicy (I suspect this is the sweetening) I am really picking hairs to find anything wrong!

The aftertaste is medium in length and delicious... bearing in mind it is a medium cider!

Well done Sherston. This cider is a real credit and deserves the silver apple with a great score of 85/100.

Welsh Mountain 'Bittersweet' Cider (GBBF)

First off let me apologise that this review is a day or so late. Sometimes things just get in the way and getting things out on time can be a bit of a challenge! In my defense I would offer that it was apple and cider related...

Staying with GBBF for a little while longer... aaand off to Wales again with this Welsh Mountain cider... judging by the little pin on Google maps they are just about right in the middle of Wales. Nice to see the Welsh cider is made outside of Monmouthshire! A brief glance at the website suggests they have a nursery as well as an orchard... so at least they know a few things about apples and trees! However, I am happy to say that all the ingredients are here for a full juice, hand pressed cider.

Now. A cider called 'bittersweet'. I wonder whether that is because it is, in fact, produced using bittersweet fruit... Bit of a safe bet I reckon but just in case I think I ought to try it:-)  It appears before me golden and cloudy (and still, which is how most draught real cider is served). The smell is quite tannic (and a fair bit yeasty too).

The taste is good, although there is quite a yeast to it. It is moderately tannic - not as much as the smell hints at, although it is pretty good. It is moderately balanced too, with an undertone of acid that regulates the tannin and quite a nice fruity apple flavour. I would say that this is a nicely balanced cider, which for me is held back by a lack of racking from its yeast. Either that, or this is the end of the barral and I am getting whatever has settled at the bottom... it is hard to tell in this environment (i.e. a busy festival) but nevertheless I cannot see why anyone would send a cider with a heavy crop of yeast to a festival in the first place.

So, in order to fairly judge this cider, I am having to dig beneath the yeastiness to find the flavour and profile of the drink - which is a bit sad. Mind you, if this were judging for a competition then I have to say that I wouldn't... and I guess that is my advice is to the producer. Hmm, am I 'allowed' to give advice to a Welsh producer??? I only jest, although Wales have put themselves on a bit of a peddlestall this year (and often with good reason).

The aftertaste (beneath the yeast) is pleasant and long.  Overall I think this is a good competent cider - just not this particular barrel.

A score of 66/100.

Hartland Whisky Cask Cider (GBBF)

Moving onto my 9th 3rd pint of cider at the Great British Beer Festival and, checking back, I have given out 5 apples already. Certainly above average (and it was a real shame about the Ventons - which I am sure should have got one!) After another break - this time sausage roll and half a pack of pork scratchings (I never eat these things in normal life and I think I need to save the remainder or this salty pack for the journey home!!)

Looking at my list, I am doing about right. There are still one or two that I have to try whilst I am here, so lets move on to the next one - another Whisky Cask cider, this time from Gloucestershire. The markers on the label say that it is barrel conditioned and sharp. Oh well, its on the list and it is dry - so here goes.

Hartland Cider are, well, I don't think I can really do any better justice to them that to provide this link from Roy Bailey's website (I hope he doesn't mind my using it). It says everything:

http://www.lambournvalleycider.co.uk/hartlnd.htm 


There is nothing unusual about the smell of this cider - no real smell of whisky, but a bit of fruit and not much else. It seems to be good so far. Incidentally, it is a golden and hazy cider (obviously still, as served out of a polypin).

I have to confess I am not so sure I agree with CAMRA on the sharpness. It is moderately sharp, and that is nicely balanced and there is no sourness to it. I can see how it can build up though - it is intense in parts and I would guess it is the dominating characteristic of the cider. Mind you, with that little sticky label, is it just what I was expecting?

Sure enough, progressing through the glass it does stand out - and it mustn't be forgotten that there is a nice fruit and a bit of tannin in here too.  It is just that the acid dominates - so I will let the bar staff off. Tangy; that is possibly the best way to describe it. As with the other spirit cask cider, I couldn't/don't really care about the container - it simply doesn't leave any real impression or feature within the drink.

The acid does have a touch of petroleum about it. This is a bit like Janets Jungle Juice from a couple of years ago. I am not convinced that I am a fan of this note, but there is nothing really wrong with it.

The aftertaste is long and acidic - and the petrol taste persists.

A score of 68/100 is just shy of an apple, but not a bad score (or cider) at all.

Batcheldor 'J.B' Cider (GBBF)

I ought to start this next review with a slight apology to Hancock's. The sweetening gripe really did kind of take over that review - although I assure them I had given their cider all my attention when I tried it!

Now, yet another new producer to add to the list. Batcheldors is a producer hailing from West Sussex... and there are a fair few from Sussex this year (including a few bar volunteers). However, it is good to see this county represented as often they are just known for 'Merrydown' (although that isn't made in Sussex any more).

As has been so eloquently pointed out in other places by those who seem to have a ready made negative opinion on everything cider or perry related, the festival this year did not have a UK-wide representation. The cider and perry mainly came from the south and Wales - although Cambridgeshire, Oxfordshire, Denbighshire and Bedfordshire are not exactly 'cider country'. However, I stand by what I have already said - the quality of cider this year is exemplary of the quality of cider available in the UK.

I seem to recall (well, not really - I looked at my own notes from the 2012 GBBF) that there was far greater representation from across the UK last year. Unfortunately, the quality of the cider was not always up to much and there was even one review that I would not publish (and I guess with peace in mind I had better not say where that producer was from!). So, I can say that I have seen representation across the UK at GBBF... and this year it was the quality that stood out for me - despite the representation not being so great.

My conclusion to this is two-fold. Don't knock a thing until you have tried it and good cider is good cider no matter where it comes from! CAMRA have a lot to sort out in order to be effective for cider and perry. I know that (see previous posts). However, I guess some people feel that everything has to conform to their own narrow minded set of ideals eh!

Sorry about that - back to the review. This cider looks quite golden for an eastern cider - it will be interesting to find out why. I am sure that there are cider apple varieties available in Sussex... let's face it, even if there aren't there are no rules to say that your fruit can only come from your locality (and I am resisting the temptation to make a sarcastic comment about narrow minded ideals).  The smell is good - full bodied with a touch of acid up the nose.

To taste, this cider has a mature, mild acid going on and (guess what) I am finding some tannin too! It has a wonderfully fruity taste which is lightened by the mild dessert apple acid that underlays the main flavour. The tannin is very soft and a touch drying - and for once I am glad to say that this is in fact a dry cider!

The only thing that makes me stop a little is a low level sourness somewhere off the acid. This can only come from a certain few varieties. On this occasion it is very low and doesn't detract from the flavour and the overall experience.

As an afternote - working my way through this cider, the sourness does develop a little more (perhaps building up in my mouth). The acid is overcoming the body of the cider too a little and, if I were a betting man, I would say that it feels the dessert/cooker varieties are 70/30 over the cider varieties. However, from Sussex - with it's tradition of light, sharp ciders - it is really very good.

See. It doesn't matter that this cider isn't from Yorkshire or Manchester - does it!

A score of 71/100 sees another bronze apple being doled out. Nicely done:-)

Hancock's Traditional Cider (GBBF)

OK. This next cider is from another producer I haven't come across before. Hancocks Cider is another Devon producer (I do seem to be drawn to these this year). They have producing cider at their mill for over 50 years - so they should know what they are doing eh!

CAMRA have marked this cider up as being tannic. A proper Devon cider then:-) It is golden and pretty clear - very nice looking in fact. It smells good too. I think the CAMRA buyer has excelled this year! Fruity, full bodied and - well, nice.

Yaaagh. Too sweet! Far too sweet! I know it is meant to be a medium but there is no way this is that dry even! 

Right, I have been patient through these reviews so far in the hope that I am wrong, but I have to say one thing about a number of the cider at this festival. 

Cider makers: Over sweetening your ciders is NOT the way to attract more drinkers to your cider or make them more 'accessible'. It was a real shame to see that whilst there were no '7' (Very Dry) ciders there were 3 or 4 '1' (Very Sweets) including a Tutts Clump and XX. Where did the idea that over sweetening is a good thing come from. I can tell you straight; it isn't a good thing in any sense!

What 'new' or 'mainstream' cider drinkers who wanted 'light' and 'unchallenging' ciders went to the Westons bar... in fact I overheard one lady say to her partner "I like cider" and having walked past the real cider bar without so much of a glance head straight for Westons because that is what she equated with cider.

Not much you can do about that I am afraid... the world is full of sheep and many cider makers appreciate that they aren't going to attract those who get sucked in by marketing budgets and 'brand' appeal...

However. The words to note are 'light' and 'unchallenging'. Oversweetening doesn't make your cider any lighter or less challenging. Damn sight more challenging to me and others who want to appreciate the intensity of real cider. Sucralose is not the golden bullet to increasing cider sales. Good cider,reputation and thinking about your cider flavour are the key... and that doesn'tt come in a packet which can then simply be chucked into your products.

OK. I had to say all that. It was interesting to see how many people felt that the cider was 'too sweet' and I do think it is high time the industry pulled back from it. Even those behind the bar admitted that they were disappointed and they assured me that they hadn't ordered than many sweet ciders... so this one is really at the producers door I am afraid

Why am I bringing this up? Well, there are people who point at real cider and declare it 'scrumpy' and nasty - these people think that mass market ciders were the saving of British cider and that craft/real cider will always be just the extreme end. They point to quality (off flavours, badly kept cider and ascetic tones) and over sweetening (i.e. we don't know what we are doing)... I disagree with this - it is an excuse (often by the mass produced cider makers) for doing what they do. It is lazy. But as ever has some basis in truth.

Back to this cider - there is a lot of bittersweet fruit in here and the tannin should be great... but it is drowned out by the sweetening - its almost as if its overlaid the tannin with sugariness. I am getting some good fruit in the mouth, with a touch of acid too. However, whilst this should develop into a complex taste with an aftertaste it just ends in a sickly sweetness.

In conclusion I would like to try a dry version of this.

Hancocks cider scores 65/100

Venton Cyder, Apple Vice Straw Pressed Cyder

Moving on to my 6th cider at this years Great British Beer Festival, I thought I would continue on my to do list. This one caught my eye on the web list of ciders available - I guess it is obvious why!

For those who are not familiar with traditional methods of making cider, although these days we use hydraulic presses - with wood and cloth (often nylon) in 'the olden days' straw was a good container for pressing the apple pomace. These were wound by hand between the press plates... rather than pressing a button and letting the hydraulic pump take the strain.

These days, there are very few producers using straw. More often than not it is done as either a 'traditional' statement or just to be a bit different. I have been to the New Forest Cider open day in Hampshire and seen it in action - it is slow, cumbersome and a lot of effort. It is also not exactly the most hygienic means of pressing apples! However, the juice being pressed slowly is not always a bad thing - the pomace is in contact with the straw and interacts with it. It takes something from it.

My own perspective on straw pressed cider is that it will either taste great or bloody awful. Often, pressing through straw is the least of the 'traditional' methods - open vats, leaky wooden barrels, sulphite candles... if its going to be authentic it needs more than just pressing through straw... or does it?! I don't have all the answers, you know!

As well as being my 6th cider I think this is actually the 6th producer that is new to me. Venton's is a Devon based producer that uses oak barrels, straw and (as above) does things the 'traditional' way. Being sited near to where Whiteways used to be based, they are using orchards that I can only imagine are old and mature.

The cider is nicely golden and quite clear to look at. It also smells nice and cidery - nothing untoward here it is a full bodied aroma with a bit of fruit and lots of tannic cideriness.

It tastes quite mild and fruity with it. The straw clearly does make a difference to this cider as it is almost mellow in its character. One thing I am noticing is that whilst this is nicely full bodied, the tannin feels almost pulled out if it - it isn't really drying at all - although it is definitely there. I am also getting a touch of ascetic - very slightly vinegary. This is what I fear from straw pressed cider - although this is only a touch wrong and doesn't make the cider undrinkable at all... just a shame. It is a unique tasting cider so yes, finding it is a real shame. I have to say that I didn't mark it down for the fault, but I guess the score reflects it a touch.

There is some sweetening in here but it tastes its medium dry given by CAMRA. Nicely sweetened. There is a medium length aftertaste which does allow the off taste to develop a bit.

This is a nice cider with a good tannin and body - the acid is really nowhere to be seen - so it is possible that this could have allowed the problem to manifest itself - that or polybarrels!!

The score is hit a little and so Ventons falls just shy of an apple with 69/100. I will look out for more Ventons for sure!!

Springfield Cider, Wobblymunk Cider (GBBF)

I must have missed this off my initial passes by the cider bar - it was at the top of my list to try, being the Champion CAMRA Cider of 2013 n'all. And why shouldn't the best CAMRA have to offer get the Cider Pages treatment eh?! Thankfully it is described as a medium dry on the number chart of sweetness. I would have been massively disappointed if this one had been on the sweeter end of the scale.

Springfield are another of the Welsh producers represented here. Based in Monmouthshire - the Welsh 'Ciderland' (or is it just a continuation of the UK 'Ciderland' - I guess that depends on whether you are Welsh and a member of WCPS!) Anyway, they have been making cider for the last 15 years and this year it really paid off for them at the national CAMRA Cider and Perry Competition...

I guess my current thinking is that there are too many competitions and awards floating around for cider/perry producers these days. Many companies cite 'award winning' on their banners and in their marketing guff... to me, my concern is that this becomes worthless - although if you are someone like Olivers, Once Upon a Tree or Burrow Hill then the sheer volume of awards must say something! The CAMRA competition should be up there with the best of them - Bath and West and 3 Counties (note, personally I don't count those sponsored by magazines or claiming to be 'international' whilst pricing all but the largest producers out). However, it suffers from poor planning and structure and, whilst I am sure this is going to be a great cider, the problems present within the competition means that this is unlikely to be the same stuff that won at Reading earlier this year.

Oh well, something for APPLE to get round to if they are open to such things.

This cider comes to me as a fairly bright (clear) and golden cider. As with all the draught ciders here it is flat, although it has a really good smell to it. Ooh, it smells rich and fruity - a good one if the smell is anything to go by. It is curious how we tend to lead through the nose, isn't it, and I am really getting last autumn in this glass - fruit, weather, cut grass with a deep wood note in the nose.

The taste leads with a good fruity tannic body. This is a little drying although the sweetening (well done and understated) offsets this a lot. On the whole, this drink is all apple fruitiness and bittersweet undertones - there is not that much acid and certainly not enough to prevent this cider from being deep and rich. However, the acid does play a supporting role to an extent - this is really a good cider and I am starting to agree with CAMRA's judgement on it.

The aftertaste is long and satisfying. A real delight.

So, for this cider... think autumn, leaves turning brown, bonfires, wet grass, ripe apples and cuttings. What isn't to like about this cider? It has charisma - not stacks of it, but it is good and it is there. I like

A very strong silver apple with a score of 88/100.

Pookhill Irish Whiskey Cask 2012 Cider (GBBF)

One thing I am really pleased to see this year (or not see, as it turns out) is the removal of the scoring system for cider/perry/ale on the Great British Beer Festival website.I know it was meant as a guide for those attending. I know it was a 'good idea'. Actually, it is a neat idea... except for the fact that you could vote for something as many times as you liked. OK, there was some measure of control - you had to refresh your browser before each vote. However, last year this scoring got to silly proportions (and I know for a fact that those supplying the festival were on there scoring their own time and time again).

So, this year it is gone and replaced with a list - not the most helpful or user friendly of lists, but it is a step in the right direction. Now, for next year, if they could bring back the 'create your own wish list' which I seem to recall from previous years then I will be a happy man.

On with this next review then. Having had a comfort break (too much information yet again) and a delicious plate of sausage and mash (stuff of gods!) I was back again and ready to try something a little different.

The Irish Whiskey Cask name of this cider certainly caught my eye; not least because there is a dwindling number of ciders named as 'spirit cask' out there... the furore that followed the problem with spirits imparting flavour and strength to a cider has meant that many (including one of my very favourite ciders from Ross on Wye) have removed the reference to the cask. Presenting a great or good cider from a spirit cask is also a very tricky business. Not enough and, well, why bother as it is just cider and too much and you ruin it (and risk a visit from HMRC).

Mind you, at 8.4% this cider certainly is all the strength a cider can be!!It is a hazy cider that smells of apple juice (to be honest) and comes across as quite a light eastern style of cider. Mind you, Pookhill is the cider produced at Middle Farm in East Sussex - so I would guess eastern counties is going to be about right!

For anyone who doesn't know, Middle Farm is home of the National Collection of Cider and Perry - a great place to discover lots of ciders (and buy them too). This is one of their own - and to think I had no idea that they made cider as well as sell it!

Back to the smell. If I had to describe it I am smelling elderflower, citrus and dessert fruit - no whiskey at all. This is confirmed by the taste. I cannot detect any whiskey (Irish or otherwise). Moving on from that and judging it as a cider I have to say it is a reasonably sharp eastern cider. Very well done actually. There is something in the background too and after a bit of tasting I work it back to be a nice wood component which must come from the barrels. This is interesting. I have mainly tried wood matured tannic ciders, but it works well (and differently) with more acid fruit too.

So, its a good cider matured in wood. Forget the whiskey it just isnt there (for me). But as an example of this style of cider it is good with a touch of bite and a wooden note behind it. It also has a long aftertaste that works well in the mouth.

A score of 72/100 sees a bronze apple to Middle Farm - nicely done (albeit I can't find the Irish Whiskey in it)

Little Orchard Company, Thorn Brook Cider (GBBF)

Considering I had spent forever getting to this festival (I left at 0930 and arrived at 1400), hadn't eaten anything since breakfast and needed the toilet... OK, too much information... finding that I was in line to try my third cider before going to the loo and getting something to eat was a little surprising!

This is the wonder of the third pint. After this cider I will have only drunk a pint - OK, averaging between 5 and 8.5% that is still going to be a bit of alcohol... but it is how it should be with ciders. If us Brits can get our heads around the fact that cider is much stronger than beer then this quantity makes a lot of sense. It is kind of half way between a wine glass and beer glass. To be fair, half pints would have been nearly as good but the point is simply this - if I were serving at a festival and people asked for 'pints' I would suggest that they aren't going to get through that many new ciders by doing it that way... not that some people care. Not that some people care (to be honest those most likely to scan the festival guide for the strongest cider).

For some reason best known to CAMRA I actually stood next to someone who made a big deal out of getting a pint of Thatchers Traditional (OK - its the one thing that the organisers let themselves down on). For once I find that I am very happy with the organisation of APPLE, but I do have to ask why they would break their own rules to get Thatchers Traditional onto the list.... I mean, several APPLE committee members were present (and even organised the list!) And then there was the Westons bar which can only have been there because Westons pay a healthy amount into CAMRA coffers... though it is the most obvious cop out and one easily avoided (and, lets face it, neither Westons or Thatchers are really the bad guys are they... or at least they are not the baddest guys!)

This next cider wasn't originally on my list. However, after a little adjustment it became one of the ciders that I wanted to try as it was a drier cider than most (I will get to sweetening... I definitely have something to say about it!!) The Little Orchard Company are based in Oxfordshire and produce cider sourced from both their own orchard as well as from the local area and other orchards. I particularly like that they claim that every apple is inspected. This gives me a real sense of their scale of operation (I would have to say sub 7,000 litres) - I can relate to this... washing small amounts of apples and putting them into the mill lends itself to single apple inspection. I have to say though, get bigger and try to keep up with it all!!! If they are still at the stage of hand picking all their fruit, then I can see even more reason that each and every apple is spotless... though as I have realised it doesn't have to all be like that:-)

On to this cider then. Well, the first thing I would note as it is handed to me is that it isn't cloudy. Also, it is a lot lighter than the others I have had so far. Given that Little Orchard are based in Oxfordshire, I would expect them to have access to both dessert and a bit of cider fruit (although, lets face it, you can get hold of cider fruit by travelling a few miles down the road!!). In all honesty, this cider is keeping it's cards close to it's chest - the smell is almost non existent. I am getting a small amount of fruit though... but nothing that is particularly helpful in letting me know what to expect.

The taste is very light and delicate. It feels quite dry, so at least it has been sweetened sensitively. The main feature of this cider is that there is sharpness to it - although to be honest it isn't a pronounced acid... gently acid is what I would say. This is one of those ciders that needs the carbonation of being bottle conditioned to liven it up a touch. Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with this cider, but I do feel that there is something missing from it.

There is very little or no tannin in here to add body to it, so it comes across as being a touch 'squash' like with fairly low level fruitiness and an acid that makes up the main bulk of the character.

It has a medium to long aftertaste which again is not biting but is quite satisfying.

It may just be me, but I could do with a bit more bite and a bit of a sparkle. It may be that, with the conditions last year, the acids are washed out a bit - so one to try again on a good year... Do try it though - it is a fair example of an eastern style of cider (without sourness or sickening sweetness!)

With a score of 66/100, it is just shy of an apple (but right at the top end of those without).

Circle Cider 'Butchers Boy' Cider (GBBF)

 

Moving surprisingly quickly on to my second cider of the day at the Great British Beer Festival, I present Circle Ciders 'Butchers Boy' cider.

Circle Cider is a small producer based in Wiltshire. There are a few producers outside of the 'ciderland' usual area's here this year and that is to be celebrated. When I say Wiltshire, what I meant was Swindon... and Swindon is not renowned for it's cider:-) I seem to recall that I once bought a car wing or door from some guy in Swindon off ebay... okay, I don't have much to offer beyond that!! I wish I could tell you the story of 'butcher boy', but I cannot find it (and their site is 'under construction').

One of the saving graces with GBBF is that cider can be sold in 3rds. Sure, you should be able to get cider in 3rd pint at any festival - though I haven't seen it at many! A third of a pint is more than enough cider to do a proper review and yet not too much that the reviews start to fall apart after a couple!

OK, on to this cider then. It is handed to me as a still cider that, whilst golden is a lot lighter than the CJ's. It is still cloudy, which I have a feeling is going to be a recurring theme. The little sticker suggests that this cider is fruity; although sticking it to my nose I don't really get much of a sense of this. It smells good though - cidery and 'normal'. Perhaps the fruit is in the taste then.

I have to say that I am not a medium sweet cider person. However, this was on my list and as a '4' (Medium) it just about stays on there. I do want to get through a few today, so I cannot afford to be too fussy about sweeetening!

There is some really nice acid in this cider, which develops the fruitiness of the drink. I am finding some tannin too... not a whole lot, but it is there. As a plus, the 'medium' is more like medium dry to me - so they have the right attitude towards sweetening. Oversweetening is a crime against cider (and another topic for a cider101 sometime!!)

Working my way through this, I am getting a bit of sourness to the acid... could be Bramley, although there isn't that much of it so I would suggest they have been a little restrained in its use (which is a GOOD thing!) However, this puts the tannin right into the background and I can only say that this cider is much less about the tannin (which appears to be there to provide a little body) and more about the sharp fruitiness.

A moderate to long aftertaste, where the acid and sweetening do become a bit more sickly together. However, don't let this stop you from trying this cider. It is really competent and an interesting drink with some intense flavours and character.

Another bronze apple with a score of 70/100

CJ's Surprise (GBBF)

Prepare yourself. The next bunch of reviews are of ciders that were found at this years Great British Beer Festival in London. No, I am not going to get into why it doesn't move around the country to properly represent the UK. Take a look at it and the bars found within it... it is a great festival! It is easy to get to from just about anywhere (if less and less cheap thanks to 'we're all in it together' Dave and Gideon).

The cider bar (or cider area) is not quite as impressive - it is one bar amongst many. However, it is a big bar and it is certainly one of the busier bars too! I think the line up was somewhere in the 70 different ciders this year. I am thankful for two things: firstly, innevitably there were a good chunk of them that I have already tried. Secondly, there were a lot (a larger number than really should be) of ciders graded 3 (medium sweet), 2 (sweet) or even 1 (very sweet). I will get into that as we go along, but I have something to say to CAMRA and particularly the APPLE bods:

Well done!!! The choice and quality of the cider this year was significantly better than last year. All the hard work and effort that goes into this particular bar could be argued to be excessive, but it really did exemplify the best of British ciders. Now. Why the bloody hell do you then give Westons a stand next door? That is, perhaps, something else I will get into as I progress...

I had a list with me. Looking at it now, I can see that out of the 18 ciders on the list, I managed to get through 15 of them. A couple were de-listed for being too sweet and one or two were not on. But 15 was pretty good going for the space of 8-9 hours (thank god for sausages and mash!!!)

This first cider is one of the two I had to try here: CJ's Surprise. The silver winning cider from this years CAMRA Champion Cider Competition earlier this year. To be fair, I have tasted it before now - but wanted to give this years batch a proper review.

There is not much to be found about CJ's - I cannot find a website, although they are located in Usk, Monmouthshire. So a Welsh producer and, on the whole, the things I see online about them are positive. But what is it about this cider that won the award?

CAMRA have little 'helpful' stickers on the labels of their tubs - for CJ's it has a symbol for cloudy and for tannic. Past experience of this combination hasn't fared so well on my reviews here - and I am curious as to how a cloudy cider would win an award from an organisation where punters like clear to bright drinks...

Sure enough, it is quite cloudy... basically, it is all of the above. It is deep and golden and cloudy. It smells quite tannic too.

A word on cloudy cider. Last season was a particularly hard one for making cider. Not just because it was persistently wet and sugar levels were down, but things took longer, were more tricky and, well, as you can see many ciders haven't cleared properly. One of mine hasn't either (and it normally does). So don't fear cloud too much... it is just a feature of natural, full juice cider and those of us who don't filter sometimes have no control over it.

Wow. The taste is all of it's medium description! It isn't badly done though and the fruit flavour is right at the forefront of the taste. It is also quite tannic, but the sweetening prevents it from being remotely drying. Working through the sweetening, there are some heavy tannins in here which come through as a funky overtone to the drink.

This is a good, full bodied example of a western style of cider. The aftertaste is quite long and is very pleasant. However, the sweetening wins through right at the end and it is that that lingers most.

This is not a heavy cider in itself - quite nice in fact. If I was looking for a cider to 'make my own' as an individual choice of craft cider, this would be a great one to go for. Whether it is worthy of it's silver award from CAMRA... well, I have tasted a lot worse and a few better but its all about what you see at the moment of the competition (cider is a live thing and changes as it matures and each year... that is good!)

A score of 77/100 sees a bronze apple to CJ's and a good start to my GBBF 2013!