Ty Gwyn Medium Dry Cider

The Welsh have done pretty well this year for awards. Not that they are afraid to shout it from the roof-tops! Mind you, why not - just 'cos us English are more restrained - having half my family from Wales I can safely say that the Welsh like to wear their hearts on their sleeves more:-)

Taken from the bottle, Ty Gwyn simply means Whitehouse in Welsh. The cider is made at Whitehouse Farm in Monmouthshire - the county that is probably the heart of Welsh cider land. To be fair, Monmouthshire and Herefordshire must be fairly interchangeable. Seeing as Herefordshire is a mecca for growing cider apples, I suspect that a lot of fruit for Welsh ciders comes from there - and visa versa could well be true. After all, its not where the fruit comes from that matters - it's what you do with it (and as someone who is not particularly patriotic, its the quality that counts - not how you pronounce it!)

This particular cider is actually a single variety. Vilberie is a late bittersweet apple ripening in November, which makes it one of the last varieties to be pressed. I suspect this should make it quite astringent and full bodied. However, it isn't an apple that I have used or come across before - hence chucking the review into Cider101 as well (for future reference:-)

It is a mid golden colour, polished and bright. I hope they haven't stripped out too much flavour for that look. It is also a still cider (with a small 'pfss' on opening). The smell is very fruity - rhubarb and strawberries and maybe even banana. It is quite distinctive. I cannot tell if there is much tannin from the smell, but I would say it's going to be full bodied.

It is actually quite a drying taste - especially as it is meant to be a medium dry. I can taste a bit of sweetness to it though - so for sure Vilberie is big on tannin. I am getting quite a bit of acid too - which is odd for a bitter sweet. It balances the tannin a touch - between the sweet, tannin and acid this makes for a really nice cider... no wonder they don't pitch it as a single variety.

Whether this has been mucked about with is a mute point (I will look out for another Vilberie cider to compare it with). It is really rather moreish. The apple taste is full and rounded, with tannin and acid running underneath it. The aftertaste is medium to long and is very good. I like!

A good silver apple with 86/100. If Vilberie is really this good I will be chasing it down this next season!

Celtic Marches Beverages, Abrahalls Cider

Another cider with an interesting story. This time, Abrahalls. Who are Abrahalls? Well, it says on the bottle that they are 'Celtic Marches Beverages Ltd'. So, who are they then? Well, I am not sure that they are that big - but they certainly have a range of weird drinks. Mostly liquers (orange, apple and maple... etc.) and then they also do Abrahalls.

They like their hedgehogs too. Apparantly there are 3 in the label alone. I have no idea how many are in the cider:-) They take this very seriously, supporting the British Hedgehog Preservation Society. OK, any joking aside, I recently heard an article on the decline of the British hedgehog, and am sure I used to see a lot more round here... so that should be sufficient excuse to buy a bottle!

Much like the Pershore example I had the other day, this cider is highly carbonated, bright and golden. Thankfully, there the comparison ends and it has a moderately tannic smell (with a touch of So2 thrown in).

It has an interesting taste. There is quite a lot of bittersharp in there as the drink is tannic and sharp together. The tannin is moderate but not too drying. I am finding some citrus notes going on in the cider, which is rather pleasant. I have to be honest, for all the vagueness of it, there is an interesting profile which I haven't experienced for a little while.

My notes say 'nice, but...' Once again, this loses out to a severe case of filtering, and while the aftertaste is moderate in length, it doesn't comprise an awful lot.

I am in two minds about this cider. One the one hand it is a unique crafted cider. Pleasant notes and an interesting (i.e. not dull) flavour. On the other hand the filtering has left it short measured in flavour..

Curiously, my score awards Abrahalls a bronze apple, with 75/100. I must be in a good mood!

Pershore College, Avonbank Dry Cider

Apologies - I drank it before photographing the bottle!

This is a bit of an odd cider to review; not that it really should be. It is made by Pershore College, near Worcester. Now, Pershore are very well known to me as one of the places a cider/perry producer can turn to for contract bottling. They will filter, pasteurise, sweeten and bottle a cider - well, they have the kit to do it. And I imagine it turns a pretty profit too.

I don't know if this has been made by the faculty of cider, the lecturers or the students. I like the idea of students learning the craft, and this cider certainly looks enticing and golden in the bottle. I like the clean look of the label too, although the name 'Avonbank' makes me think more of Bristol than it does of Worcestershire. At 7.4% its all its strength too - if it is the students they are certainly trying to produce the maximum strength cider possible!

This cider has a very high fizz - overdone to be honest as it almost violent when being poured out. Of course it is bright and filtered - what else could it be coming from Pershire!? I suspect it is pasteurised or sterile filtered too. Being quite pale gold in colour, I suspect the latter.

Now, I have said before that bubbles can help push a smell up your nose. Well, this one I cannot get close enough to it for a while as the bubbles attack my nose every time I go near it for a sniff! After they have settled, this cider gives off a low level cidery note - fruit and a little leather (which is a good smell on a cider).

However, the taste doesn't quite live up to that. It isnt a dry cider. That, and most of the tannins have been lost in over filtering. In the middle of the drink I start to get some gentle bittersweet taste that hints at body (and what might have been), but this is all lost to a large degree.

There are those who propose that filtering doesn't really harm a cider. I disagree, and hold this up as a solid gold example of the fact. Pasteurisation may give a little cooked taste, but sterile filtering strips out so much of the flavour it all but changes the profile - dumbing down the cider to a hint of what it might have been.

This cider is definitely sweeter than it should be. Apart from the strong alcoholic taste, it is really lost (sorry!!) It is as if the students have been let lose on the equipment to see what they can make as a test... overdoing everything in the process.

Now, please don't get me wrong It is not a *bad* cider. It is just dumbed down by all it's processing. I have scored it accordingly and it gets 64/100. So no apple I am afraid Pershore.

Lyne Down Roaring Meg

I find this a bit of a sad review to write. Over the last six months or so, I have heard that Lyne Down had ceased making cider and was selling their equipment on. This must have been before Christmas, so what I am reviewing here is probably the last stocks that will be found from this producer... unless they are purchased as a business and continued as Lyne Down.

I am not sure what makes a cider producer cease trading. Poor management, loss of interest or simply the business didn't return what was expected of it. Lyne Down aren't the only ones though - I have heard of at least two others closing the doors in the last six months. Saying that, I have heard of probably a dozen or so newbies to the market - I just hope the skill and quality isn't lost (some new producers do like acidic and acetic ciders!!!)

To a degree, I did consider simply enjoying this cider without reviewing it. After all, it's not as if people are going to be able to go out and find it (unless you look now!) However, call it an act of posterity if you will, I have been reviewing these ciders as much to teach myself about what is available out there as giving entertainment to anyone. So it shall be reviewed.

I have the medium version - simply because I couldn't get a dry version. I have tried the dry version before and it is very good. A note about the name (as I know about it). Roaring Meg is the cannon that is pictured on the front of the label. It was used during the English Civil War (C17th) and can be found at Goodrich Castle in Herefordshire. Well, you have to call your cider something, and I have seen worse examples!!

It pours out bright, moderately carbonated and golden. So it has been through the usual treatment of filtering and carbonation then. It has, however, a rich, deep and fruity smell - think hedgerow fruits and you have it.

To taste, it seems a lot lighter than it's smell, although there is a good balance of fruit going on. When I say balanced, I don't mean 'safe' - this is predominantly tannic fruit, although there is seom acid running through it's veins too. The sweetening has been well done and is understated for a medium. It is just enough to counter the dryness of the tannin.

The aftertaste is quite tangy and is moderate to short in length.

This is a quaffable cider - and at over 5%, I guess that is quite risky! My final note on it was that it is a nice drink. A fitting end to a Herefordshire producer. 78/100 sees a bronze apple going to Lyne Down.

Adventures in Single Variety - Reviewing my own (part 3)

I think this must be the final 'Adventures in my own single variety ciders' to post. Thank goodness, all that self gratification was starting to rub off on me... and heaven's knows there are enough people trumpeting every and any thing out there without me joining in! The bottom line - the REAL bottom line is whether your cider is any good... not how much you can make your voice heard!

As far as blogging/reviewing goes, there are more people taking up the cider gauntlet from around the globe now. This is good, as it means that while I can try ciders from other countries, readers can hear what native cider drinkers think... this is positive as I may not be the best person to recommend something. OK, I do like my cidre... proper French cidre is something to compete against (in terms of quality, flavours and style). However, I am best placed (personally) to talk about British ciders. Not that I wouldn't give a hard cider, sidra etc. a good go:-)

Anyway, in this final comparison I want to look at two of the big hitters. Without doubt these two varieties have been turned into the most single varieties (perhaps with the exception of Dabinet). Whether this is because they are meant to be the most balanced or interesting flavour, or whether it's because there is a lot of them around and producers are more likely to get access to them, I do not know. Yarlington is very widely planted - as is Kingston Black, but no more so than a few others that don't make it into SV's often. Michelin, for example.

Kingston Black

Where to start? Well, I started by looking at Kingston Black. This is a mild bittersharp apple and is reported to have the best balance of any apple for a single variety. I am still not sure I agree... mind you, I think any single apple is better than a blend of apples!

I have been very fortunate with these bottle conditioned SV ciders. They have all dropped clear and sparkling. Nice! See, it can be done naturally without filtering etc. I had noticed that the Kingston was sitting in some heavy lees (dead yeast - once yeast has finished it's work, it dies and drops to the bottom). This one has dropped more in the bottle and, unfortunately, I am not smart enough to pour it gently enough! So it's a bit yeasty.

Asides this, the cider is very deep gold in colour - almost a rusty shade. It has quite a woody smell to it too - although I am getting a little yeast off the smell. There is a hint of some acid, but it is very fruity... almost a faint lime smell.

The taste confirms there is a bit too much yeast in suspension. The acid is quite understated, and doesn't interfere with what is actually a gentle cider. The fruitiness is fuller than I remember from commercially available Kingston Blacks. The tannin is moderate but not too drying. I am actually quite surprised as to how balanced this cider is. The tannin is pleasant and not overpowering, the acid is straight forward - present but not to sharp and the fruit and cider components work really well together. Mostly, Kingston SVs are quite heavy, tannic and acidic with a drying aftertaste.

The cider this was compared against, the one reviewed for Cider101, was Gillow's Kingston Black. I think, in reflection, that perhaps I was a bit harsh on it. This is very much like the Gillow's cider - light and gentle. Perhaps those that are bold and big are the ones that are on the odd side of things?! Nevertheless, looking back on the Gillows review now there are striking similarities to my own... and so I have learned something important from this exercise!

Yarlington Mill

My final own single variety is Yarlington Mill. I love this apple. Not just because it is a generous tree, but the colour of the cider, taste and moderate tannins make this a real gent of an apple. My own version was late to bottle this year, so I am dubious about the conditioning. However, the cider itself should be fully matured.

It pours out (without much fizz at all) a golden ruddy colour. Typically Yarlington. It is nicely clear (as with the others) and is just simply lovely to look at. There isn't a huge smell from it, but what I am getting is a very deep aroma. There is tannin in this thing!

It is a very fruity cider. No acid at all, but plenty of drying tannin. This is what would be described as 'bone dry'. It isn't just a dry cider, it is dry with tannin - doubly drying:) The fruitiness is blackcurrents, elderberries - Autumn essentially. And to finish it off it has a very long drying aftertaste.

I do think my own version could use some work. Perhaps it needed longer in the bottle, but the late spring this year has slowed everything down somewhat.

Anyways, this cider is compared/contrasted to the mighty Olivers Yarlington Mill. That one scored a whopping silver apple back in it's review and I recall I was impressed with it. The only draw back to it (for me) was the rum. However, you can see the comparison between the two - earthy, deep, tannic with no acid and a long aftertaste. The differences - well, I guess you could all it 'terroir' if you like, but my own Yarlies never saw Herefordshire... nowhere near.

On the whole, I think this has been a useful exercise for me. It has taught me to be a little more open minded - and as I approach my 300th cider review that is probably a good lesson to learn. It has also shown that although apples do grow in different conditions around the country, they do deliver similar profile to each other... generally.

And I don't have much more to say other than, at least I have 7-8 bottles of each of these single varieties left:-)

Fosseway Cider Somerset Glory

The second choice of cider at Southampton Arms was Somerset Glory (I only found out afterwards that it was a Fosseway cider). I did have a third cider produced by a maker I respect, but this was in such bad condition that I felt obliged not to include it - something must have happened to it on its way to London as there were bits floating in it!

A few words more on Southampton Arms. I have already espoused the feel of the place. Very nice with a large, studenty clientele. They say they have a great choice of cider on too - which I confess wasn't what I found initially (they did put on a couple more ciders later). There was Burrow Hill on tap though, and space for four or five bag in boxes along the back wall, with little chalk plaques declaring what was on offer.

The pub is quite neat - they offer wholesome snack like scotch eggs, pork pies and pulled pork and apple in a roll. Definitely pitching to a particular type of punter:-) In all though, it is a gem in the forest of corporate and chain pubs that are littered around London.

Lets get on to this cider though. It comes to me bright and golden and still. Again, this is pitched as a dry cider (can you spot a trend?). The smell is quite faint, but what there is is quite rich and clean. I am getting the fruit, cider apples and a bit of earth thrown in - hedgerow fruits too.

The taste is delicious although I cannot help thinking that something is missing. For me this is usually a sign of over filtering. It is clean with a gentle tannin and a tiny bit of acid thrown in as well. It is a touch watery too... drinking on, the acid is definitely there alongside the bitter apples - a well rounded cider... and dry too (this time:-)

Not bad at all. The aftertaste is medium length of the same profile as the cider - not too drying and a little watery at the end.

Somerset Glory scores  76, which is a nice bronze apple for Fosseway.

Harry's Cider Company - Harry's Cider

Now for something new. Having been to London far too many times for any country lads liking, I have begun at least to understand a little of the philosophy of cider in London. Real cider is cold. It is often cold and sweet. And normally it is cloudy too. I have to say that my experience so far hasn't yielded the sort of cider that I have experienced in other parts of the country - and I think this may be down to 'what the public wants'.

However, never one to refuse to try something new I headed to a different part of 'town', northwards to the Southampton Arms in Highgate Road. It's a bit of a trek getting there - mind you I opted for the tube and a walk... and it never helps when you leave a tube station and head off in the wrong direction for 5 minutes! Still, my first thought in seeing it was; "It isn't as big as I thought it would be".

I am not one to use the 'quaint' or 'chique'. I am not even sure how to spell chique (and there is a red line under it as I type, so clearly not like that!) What I will say is that it is a cracking pub - old style with chalk signs, large bar and even a guy playing the piano. I think it must be open piano night, as the player changes a couple of times. At the bar, big and old, some other guy is negotiating their way with (I assume) the landlord to give him a 'slot' sometime. There is lots of beer on here too... and it is tempting to buy one of the several summer beers or an IPA - though these are only really second choices for me.

What pulled me here though it the proclaimed choice of ciders (I will write more about that in my next post, else I will run out of things to say!). My first choice was simply called 'Harry's Cider' and it is meant to be dry.

A little bit of research into Harry's Cider and I find that the company is also called Harry's Cider. I guess it must be his/her cider then:-) Well, Harry's is a Somerset cider - as most seem to be here - located just outside Taunton. It is meant to be an 'easy, soft cider' and is matured in oak barrels for several months. I have to say that I am taken with the website as brief as it is - certainly looks the right kind of cider (right kind... is there a right kind??? - no, could the usual suspects not answer that question... it wasn't meant for debate!) I particularly like the 'Great to take to parties' caption...

And so, this cider is golden, hazy and very still when served - it isn't that cold though. Positive! The smell is tannic and fruity; with a wee bit of ascetic going on too. Not sure what it is being served from but mostly cider here is in bag in box, so it could be ready to finish.

There is a strong fruity flavour to this cider - with the ascetic note probably adding to this a bit. It also feels a touch sweeter than dry, and the tannins are not at all drying in the mouth. Thinking about it, I can taste something - perhaps sucralose? It is soft though - a nice cider that is quaffable.

The aftertaste is lingering and fruity. Cider fruit on the bittersweet side. There isn't much acid in this drink to speak of, and it certainly doesn't compete with the tannin at all.

Hey, a cider served in London at the right temperature. Points to Southampton Arms:-)

Now, I have scored this cider down a touch because of it not being in top condition. However, this hasn't come straight from Harry, so it could have picked it up on it's travels. Unfortunately, I can only go by what I find at the time, so if anyone has better experience please shout.

A score of 69/100 sees it just missing an apple - which is a shame (I had subtracted the usual 5, but reduced it to 3... still didn't make enough difference) A good cider nonetheless.