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.

Mr Whiteheads Boxing Dog

I was at a festival recently, the sort where you take your wares along and sell direct to the public as opposed to the usual CAMRA sort of affair. I love this kind of thing as its a chance to meet people - both the enlightened and the unenlightened alike. To be honest, some of the most interesting conversations are with those 'unenlightened' - those who naturally would drink something with strength in the title, perhaps ending with a piece of archery equipment:-) These people, the ones who don't make assumptions about still unfiltered cider, are keen to explore the tastes and two things strike me as being true:

1. People don't realise that you can have several ciders where the choice of apples is the only difference between the flavour. This was probably the most marked exclamation I got at the festival - its probably a result of too many celebrity chefs stating 'ingredients matters'... although they are perfectly correct.
2. Cider is a journey in every way wine or beer is a journey. You don't jump from Magners straight to a dry, unfiltered and uncompromising cider. This is worthy of a post on its own (and with the 200th review coming up that may present an opportunity to look back at this). So, even though I would perhaps score a cider down personally, it may well be a drink that needs to be tried en-route to a more individual drink or type of cider.

My favourite exchange of the evening came from a lady in her latter years. Her husband had warned her that she wouldn't like it (perhaps conditioning her to not like it, you could argue) but to her credit she tried each cider anyway. After establishing that 'fruit' included apples, and therefore full juice cider was indeed made using fruit, she then confessed that she liked "Autumn fruit" cider (yes, I know, apples are an autumn fruit!). This was followed with some grimmaced tasting and then the explanation that captured it all; "I love cider. I live near to Bridge Farm in Sussex and have tried their ciders, but there is something I don't like about apple cider... I think its the cider taste and smell. You don't get that with Strawberry cider or Autumn Fruit Reorderlig (or whatever it is)".

So, she loved cider, but everything that makes it cider she didn't like. That sums up the nations confusion about cider as much as it suggests that perhaps she should go back to drinking gin or wine...

Anyway. What was the point of this... oh yeah, I picked this Mr Whiteheads up at the festival and will now try it and review it. Ha, well, some diversions are worth the telling:-)

Although I am wondering why its called 'Boxing Dog' I am more interested in the non use of sulphites once again on the label. I have to assume that Mr Whitehead's doesn't use them - you have to include them if they are there. Anyway, this cider isn't quite so brilliantly bright as a few I have tried recently (which is a good thing), although I am sure cider doesn't look this clear without a touch of filtering. In fact, it says 'unfiltered' on the bottle. Hmmm, I think I would take a little convincing that its not at all, although gentle filtering is not a terrible thing.

As with other Whiteheads, it is a flat cider and is distinctly straw in colour. It has a gentle, but distinctive aroma. In fact its quite aromatic... though can you really smell sweetness?

Sure enough, its sweet! It is a medium cider after all... and its all of that! Sweetness dominates this drink easily. With an eastern style of cider, using dessert fruit, the flavour components are gentle and complex - this level of sweetness kills all bar the acid... of which there is plenty! I noted 'Bramley' although there is no real reason for it to be Bramley - it has almost a sour kind of acid to it... very distinctive. Bramley... well, unripe Bramley, very much has this to it, although I have noted before now that Tom Putt can give the same sometimes.

And this is pretty much the first taste you get... and the second etc. The acid and sweetness loom large initially, and then fade to reveal the real taste of the cider which is really quite nice.  Its a shame its so far in the background. Boy, its a bit like sucking a lemon!

The aftertaste is really where you get the best cider in this drink - with the acid and sweetening fading, its actually quite lovely... just a shame you have to go through the rest to get to it.

I scored Boxing Dog at 58/100. It might be a bit harsh but going back through it I agree with the score personally.

Mr Whiteheads Newtons Discovery

In my efforts to leave the more typical cider 'lands' to one side for a moment I now turn back to Hampshire. Its worth noting that the resurgance in cidermakers of recent years has not solely been happening in the usual Herefordshire/three counties, Somerset and Devon regions. As far up north as Scotland (can't wait to try those!), the Midlands and North and the South are the homes of producers who can grant you a cidery wish that you are unlikely to find at the supermarket. See, cider can be for all year - not just for the south western holidays!

So, Mr Whiteheads Newtons Discovery. First discovery is that its 3.8%. More usual for a beer than a cider. Why is this? Well, its what is more commonly known as a 'repress'. Once the juice is squeezed, the pomace is then macerated with water and then repressed. Now, this is an old practice- it is traditionally called 'small cider' and was given to children and farmwormkers (where the farmer actually wanted them to do work!) However, these days presses are a touch more efficient. I am by no means an expert on the yield of juice they used to get, but I would reckon the first pressing would see upwards of 60% of the juice. These days, a modern press will achieve greater than 70%... a squeezebox (like the one they use at Mr Whiteheads) would see more than this. So my guess is that this would be an amalgamation of cider and 'small cider' in order to create this drink. This is not a criticism of the cider, just an observation.

I have toyed with the idea of repressed apples in the past - though as I get in excess of 70-75% yield it seems to me that there is not much left to make cider from. However, if the industry want to shed muchos % from the totals then this would be the most natural way to do it.

Anyway, back to the cider. Now, Discovery is not an apple that I am too familiar with. It would be classed as a desert apple which should have no tannin to it and plenty of acid. Once you strip the sugar away from a dessert apple, as happens in cider fermentation, you are left with the sum of the remaining parts - desert apples have a fair amount of acid left in them - if you are going to make a cider from desert apples make sure you use the aromatic varieties as opposed to the more commodity types (Braeburn and Pink Lady will not make a great cider, in my humble opinion). So, this cider is going to be eastern style with a bit of acid - although being as its a second pressing I am only guessing... it could have lost much of this too.

Enough procrastinating, lets try it. Sure enough, its a faint and light colour - yellow is the colour I note in the review. Almost watery looking to the eye. There is a slight carbonation to it too, though this is probably going to be a little conditioning in the bottle rather than anything else. Quite natural (cider is generally meant to be a living thing).

To smell, there is a good apple aroma - not especially cidery at all, but a strong and sweet smell. And this comes across in the mouth. No tannin, a bit sweet and a little syrupy in texture. This tastes like a weak cider made from dessert fruit and by jove it is. Its the Ronseal of the cider world:-)

There really isn't that much more to say about this cider. I would say its not a bad cider if there is nothing better about, and it is drinkable. I would drink a pint of it, but probably no more than that - on the basis that as you progress through the drink it does tend to be acid/sour  after a while. However, it is a novel cider which I am surprised I don't see more of.

A score of 60/100 is right for me - puts it beyond the commodity ciders but behind the real stars.

Blackmoor Estates Blackmoor Cider

Its back to Hampshire again for cider review #190. This time not to a well known cider maker but to a commercial orchard. Blackmoor Orchards are not exactly known for their cider varieties although if you shop at Tesco I would reckon your apples may well come from this orchard. Its a dessert and culinary cider, which means that its going to be acidic and light - much like Mr Whiteheads cider (who is found not that far from Blackmoor).

This is not a coincidence. Mr Whiteheads make this cider for Blackmoor and even bottle it for them. Its not such a dilema - the relationship between the two is public knowledge. And who better to make cider for a company whose expertise in growing apples, not squishing them? In any case, I believe that cidermakers perhaps get too much kudos for the quality of their wares - its in the orchards that the apples grow and are cared for, where the quality of the fruit is really determined. The cidermaker, like a chef with the best ingredients, just needs to treat the apples gently and let them speak for themselves.

I bought this bottle recently while on my latest travels in the South from the Winchester Farmers Market. These are not a bad bed for finding real cider; not all of them, but if you have a local one that is not supported by a producer why not mention it to your nearest artisan cider maker... they generally like these kind of pointers (I think).

And so to the cider. Its all the juice at 6% and pours a pale yellow colour. I was surprised to read that there may be some sediment in the bottle - there certainly wasn't any visible in mine and the cider was pretty clean looking too! It is very fizzy - this could be bottle conditioning though (and may explain the sediment mention on the label). the smell coming off of it is definitely light, aromatic and inviting.

The taste is well balanced and very nice. Its most definitely an eastern style of cider and, if I am going to be totally honest, this is comparable to the best of Mr Whitehead's own cider. There is a god sharp kick to it, although it is in no way sour or overdone. The aftertaste is mellow and gently acidic. In all, I just think that this is a good, honest cider.

If I can be totally honest I am a little surprised - I have easten Tesco's apples which are often unlike anything that I get from my local orchard. Cardboard is the comparison I personally would make. However, I guess these are often cold stored and vacuum packed unripe - whereas the juicing apples for this cider will have been matured properly before pressing. I am not going to get into the apple argument which basically states that we (i.e. the public) have been trained/coerced/sold in the idea that the main thing we all need from an apple is a shiny surface without blemish and a crunch. This is what the supermarkets stock (and even my local farmshop tends towards the Braeburn/Pink Lady/Golden Delicious type fruit). This is utter nonsense. Apples can be crunchy and flavoursome - I believe the best are not crunchy and some of the very best may have russetting. The best apples have one thing in common with eachother - excellent and interesting flavour. I said I wasn't going to get into this, didn't I!!!

Well done Blackmoor/Mr Whiteheads. This is a good cider and I really enjoyed it. The score was 76/100... a great Bronze apple.

Mr Whitehead's Cirrus Minor

I am familiar with Mr Whiteheads cider. Not just because it seems to be slowly becoming more national - I can buy it in my local Tesco's and also I believe it featured in a recent Wetherspoons cider festival. I can also buy it at just about any beer/cider festival that I care to go to! Sadly, this is usually in its Strawberry or Blackcurrent form (which for the unenlightened is not actually cider at all - it is fruit wine. It is not strictly even allowed to be called cider!)

Anyway, I guess one should not judge a cider maker just on their weak points eh. Cirrus Minor is certainly looks the business - a cider made with apples (I know this because its on the ingredients list). However, as with Heart of Hampshire, it doesn't mention sulphite. So it is either taking a chance that it won't go bad, or else it is pasteurised at bottling to ensure it stays OK.

Cirrus Minor has a very fruity smell to it. Quite a large carbonation too - and not exactly foamy which would expect from bottle conditioning. It looks filtered but says its not on the bottle so I can go with that.

Medium Sweet isn't really my thing, but seems to be so popular that it is hard to avoid. And the sweetness is there - in full measure... as well as a fruity cider taste and some kind of berry taste going on (no, I am not obsessed with fruits in cider, there really is a taste of some kind of berry).

It says that this is a blend of desert and cider apples. And it tastes good and balanced. It is still quite berry fruity - cannot place the fruit but it is mainly in the smell. There is some tannin in here - certainly much more than in Heart of Hampshire - and I have to say that I prefer it... sweetness taken into consideration.

Aftertaste is sweet but still fairly balanced. There was always going to be plenty of sharp going on, and it is both refreshing and interesting - if only I can place the 'berry' smell and sensation I get.

This is a very competent cider from a producer that seems to have grown hugely in the last few years. A good bronze apple for Mr Whiteheads with a score of 73/100. Its nice to see that they can make cider as well as their fruit grog:-)

Mr Whiteheads 'Heart of Hampshire' Cider

When in Rome, buy some of their cider. That is not a bad lesson to learn actually. I found this cider in a Tesco last weekend - its clearly not going to be in every Tesco (I could be wrong, but haven't found it elsewhere). Although selling 'local cider' is something that Waitrose started off, its nice to see other chains starting to look a little more locally for their produce.

One thing I noticed on the bottle is that it offers ingredients... a rare thing on any alcoholic beverage in the UK and is to be welcomed! Well, you want to know what you're drinking don't you:-) Saying that, it lists the ingredients as apples. No water (not a bit of it) and no sulphites. I do question whether Tesco's would allow this, but what do I know...

First appearance is that it is almost beyond straw colour - kind of pale yellow. It is also a flat cider which I personally prefer but may not be everyones cup of tea. On tasting, it is light, fairly acidic and well, well balanced really. There are very few (if any) cider apples in the drink, which isn't a bad thing (although the acidity does reign a bit too free for me personally)l. Its a bit watery too, which could be due to the type of apples (there is very little tannin to give it much body). I would say that this is one of the more extreme Eastern ciders that I have tried.

Still, its not a bad cider, and being able to buy it in a Tesco's is an achievement and Mr Whitehead should get a pat on the back for that alone - seeing artisan cider makers in supermarkets, even if only locally, is a very good thing indeed. So if you see it, I encourage you to buy it!

Heart of Hampshire scored 65 out of 100. Not an apple, but nothing to be frightened of (and I believe it is a high juice, heritage cider!)