Skidbrooke Cyder Farmhouse Sweet

I ought to be honest about this cyder. It’s the last of the three examples of Skidbrooke that I got last year and it is last for a reason: sweet. To be fair, I quite like the eastern style of this Lincolnshire cyder, although have found the plastic caps allow a bit of air through. But then I guess they aren’t meant to sit around for months before being drunk… although the crown cap solution to this is easy (and probably cheaper).

So, once again, I like the Lincolnshire-ness of the label. The bottle, which is clear, shows the cyder to be more yellow than gold (eastern cyders are generally much lighter in colour than the western style). It is also filled to the brim (as with all the others). I have been thinking about this a little – how are the bottles filled where there is no gap between cider and lid? All bottles have a tolerance for a gap built in – both to do with pressure and the nature of filling bottles. Well, I can’t figure it out, short of a bit of topping up before capping.

Looking at the bottle, I would say that it could have been filtered, but appears more naturally clear than forced clear. I also see a little sediment too.

This is a flat cider. OK, it has a very slight fizz, which almost certainly comes from it having sat around on my shelf for several months – its not enough to even dome the lid on top of the bottle. The smell seems to be sharp, though you can smell sweetness coming off it too. I don’t detect any tannins – which fits with the style I have experienced from this producer so far. There doesn’t appear to be any ascetic smell from it either, which is nice.

Oh. Oh my word. This is why I saved it till last. Perhaps it should have gone first so I could finish on a high with Skidbrooke. This is waaaay too sweet. Its beyond sweet. Not only that, but the sweetness seems to be coming out of artificial sweetening (again, not a bad thing in itself) – I would say sucralose as its not particularly offensive but does have a slight aftertaste. And, boy you get the aftertaste in this cyder – it’s a lesson in what sucralose tastes like!

The sweetening is so intrusive within this drink that I am struggling to make sense of any cyder taste beneath it. From what I can get, it is not that bad – very similar to the standard eastern counties.

However, after a glassful I couldn’t really get much of this going on as I struggled to get any more than sweetness. Forget acid. It is there, but its drowned out and way in the background.
The aftertaste is all sweetness.

OK, so perhaps I shouldn’t have done this cyder. Its neither aimed at me nor my cup of tea. However, even if I was a sweet cyder drinker, this is just too much. Its almost sweet for sweetness sakes as opposed to trying to enhance and lift the cyder. In fact, I doubt that Diet Cola has as much sucralose in it than this drink!

It scores a sad 54/100, and I think (to be honest) its lucky to have got over 50 for me.

Skidbrooke Cyder, Skidbrooke Cyder

Books. Cider books. I have a few of them. Most of them are of a practical bent; how to make cider and, possibly more importantly, how to fix things when it goes wrong. A couple of others have pretty pictures of apples in - not (I have to say) any use for identifying apples in real terms. Last year, I played a small practical joke at an apple day, where an 'expert' was laid on to identify apples... I took along a Tremletts Bitter, a Yarlington Mill and a Dabinett. Needless to say they were all identified as dessert apples with odd names. OK, I found it amusing (I don't expect anyone else to!)

Why do I mention this? Well, I have just parted with a few quid to buy a new copy of The Naked Guide to Cider and also 'The History and Virtues of Cider' by Roger French. A bit of a broad difference between the two - but then sometimes I want a serious read and other times I don't.

And where did I get these from? Online from the Book Depository via the Cider Workshop website (http://www.ciderworkshop.com/resources_bookstore.html). Not bad cost - the Book Depository doesn't have postage costs, although I believe the prices are different in various countries. And its all the main titles in one place.

OK. This wasn't intended as an advert, but I did think to myself (just before I started writing this) that there aren't many places you could find books on any aspect of cider making eh!

This, I think, is Skidbrooke Cyders' main blend. As with the last cider, I am glad it's a still cider given it is filled to the brim! I even quite like the wonkily applied label - it gives it a handmade feel. The label itself doesn't give too much away, although the 'Select Lincolnshire' is a nice touch. I am not so sure about the shiny green Golden Delicious picture though... well, it looks like a Golden Delicious anyway!

Pouring into the glass, this is again a nicely mature cider. It smells Eastern in style - nicely so too. A floral and not overly acidic smell. I am also getting something that perhaps shouldn't be there... it does smell a touch oxidised. This is almost certainly going to be due to the plastic lid on the bottle - plastic, although it will not leak, does slowly leach air in and over a period this will affect the cyder. Lets not judge it too soon though, on the whole it is all good so far.

To taste is is very mature and the acid is mellow and has rounded off very well. There is some good flavour coming through too. It was clearly made from quality dessert apples (not getting any Bramley). However, it has oxidised a bit and this lowers it all a bit - its a touch one dimensional (which comes from an oxidised cider) and there is a bit of an odd aftertaste. This is a huge shame as this is a refreshing and lovely cider that is definitely well made.

As already mentioned, the aftertaste is just a touch odd, although it is also long and fruity. This is an aromatic cider that is well made - albeit I think in this case the plastic cap has let this cyder down a bit...

Now, my standard position is that a fault means a score deduction of 5 points. However, on this occasion, because the cyder is really nice on the whole, I have deducted 4, which leaves Skidbrooke with a bronze apple at 70/100 points.

Skidbrooke Cider Vintage Cider

As I continue to try more and more ciders I figured it would get harder to find new producers. Well, I am going to have to get through quite a lot more than this to get to that point. This one is from a cider producer from way outside Ciderland in Lincolnshire.

Some have bandied the idea around recently that cider is enjoying a 'boom' (mostly around the twittersphere - where fact and fiction seemingly merge without any issue:-). I guess you could say that 'for cider' there is a bit of a boom going on. As of 2010, cider sat at position of around 9% of all alcohol sales in the UK. Compare this to 37% for beer (I guess is all beer, not just ale) and 32% for wine**. So any idea that cider is booming has to be seen in this context. You also have to factor in that by far the majority of cider sales is Magners, Bulmers and whatever the latest flavoured garbage to come out of Sweden is!

True enough, more people are rediscovering cider - although a good number of those seek out the fruit based alcopops that seem to have crept in. I know I shouldn't, but if and when I am asked about fruit cider (as in "I only drink fruit cider") I generally say that you can have apples and, with a slight change of terms, pears too.

What is good is that new cider makers are popping up all over the place - its no longer a west country thing. My hope is that these new cider makers learn quickly what works and avoid what doesn't. Already this year, I have suffered too many new ciders that are seemingly made from whatever comes to hand... not showing any real mastery of cider making.

Anyway, There is no reason to have chosen this review to bang on about this, so I will get on with the review.

Skidbrooke are a small producer from Lincolnshire. They are by no means 'new' - although I guess sell most of their cider locally. This vintage is the first of three that I picked up on my travels. It is bright and golden in a clear bottle (you can see the bottle above although I forgot to take the photo before I had consumed the contents!!). Oddly, it appears to be full to the brim. Now, I know that you need to make sure you don't undersell contents, but this seems a little OTT. I just hope its not sparkling as it could be messy without any head space!

Thankfully it is a flat cider, and smells rather juicy. I reckon this is an eastern cider as it doesn't have anything tannic about it and, thinking of its colour, it is rather light gold. The taste is quite sharp with little or no tannin to back it up... so it IS an eastern style of cider (which is perfectly OK!).

There is some good flavour to this cider, although it could really do with something else going on to lift the sharpness - maybe a slight bottle conditioning would work well - bubbles have a way of breaking up a fairly solid acid. However as it is, this cider is refreshing and well made. All the way through it is light and fruity - although with the acid running through it to keep it sharp. This is carried through to a moderate aftertaste which stays with you.

Being called a 'vintage', I was expecting something a little more smokey or more fully developed - this feels just like a normal cider. However, given the use and abuse of marketing language in the cider industry currently it can be forgiven.

Overall, I scored this at 72/100, which is a bronze apple. Expect something sharp, but at least it is well presented and well made!

**Information regarding where cider stands in relation to other alcoholic categories is public information available through the website of the National Association of Cider Makers. Figures used with thanks.