Gillow Kingston Black Cider

Okay, last one for this round of single variety ciders. I have to admit, I have learned something from this exercise - you see, as a cider maker I am interested in ciders expressing themselves differently - not simply the dry, medium and sweet that many ciders can be found. As a full juice cider producer, there are only two ways of doing this: through process and through choice of ingredients.

I love the idea of 'western' and 'eastern' style of ciders because they are very different. However, that is not the same as all cider varieties = western and all dessert = eastern. In this regard, eastern is more tricky as there are more dessert varieties that make bad cider. For me, you need to hunt down the very best. No, I am not going to provide a list, although there are a few obvious bad choices - Bramley, Braeburn, Pink Lady and Golden Delicious are all poor choices in my view (I understand that a properly ripe Golden Delicious does work... in America!)

The same is true of cider varieties, so I am still inclined to feel that blending is best. But that doesn't have to simply be as many varieties as you can get your hands on! I have tried some really interesting combinations where only 2 or 3 varieties are chosen. And that is really the point of this exercise. Try, say, a Brown Snout with a lighter variety, say Michelin, and you could well be onto a winner. Acid and tannin in balance with Michelin rounding of the edges of both tannin and acid...

Clearly the obvious final choice for these SV reviews had to Kingston Black. I have tried a few already on Cider Pages, but I hope I can approach this one a little differently.

What is Kingston Black then? Well, apart from reportedly being the ultimate vintage quality apple, it is a mild bitter sharp apple, with a bit of tannin in them that gives it more balance than many other apple varieties. What do I think of them??? Well, I am a bit ambivalent. They are a pain to grow well and are very fickle with fruit which can be prone to brown rot. However, my experience is not necessarily prescriptive and they do produce really good juice. Add to this the fact that I think, like Bramley, Kingston Black has been over promoted and you will understand what I have against it. But then you come back to the quality of the juice and I doubt anyone could truly dislike this variety.

On to Gillows version of the SV Kingston Black then. In its bottle it is a golden liquid with a loose sediment at the bottom. This just means bottle conditioned (well, mostly it does... some filter and then add in dead yeast for effect and so they can call it 'cloudy scrumpy', but this definitely isn't that!) On opening there is a nice fizz - a product of bottle conditioning, although as the sediment is fairly free it does mean that you get a bit of floating yeast in the glass.

Its aroma is fairly light and fruity. It is earthy but at the same time I don't get a whole lot of tannin in the smell. This is definitely Kingston Black - just a little lighter than I am used to.

The taste is sharp and fruity with a little tannin which doesn't really interfere with the fruitiness too much. This is odd - Kingston Black is a bold cider apple with big flavour... I think the driest cider I ever tried was a Kingston Black single variety... this is almost a watered down version. The tannin and fruit is fairly weak, although the sharpness is most definitely there,

There is a short aftertaste, which is pleasant. Actually, this cider is odd and NOT entirely great all the way through. This isn't Kingston Black as I know it - and I have tried a few now. It could be 'terroir' but I think its much more than this...

This cider holds a lesson - of sorts - for cider drinkers and makers alike. You can take an apple like a Kingston Black and make a cider from it. And this cider will taste different from a Kingston Black cider that was made in a different part of the country (indeed - different country too). Why? Well, as with wine, each and every tree grows in different conditions. Each region is subject to different climate/weather. And even the way an apple is harvested, kept and pressed may have a bearing on the outcome. Consistency is not something that we should aspire to as cider makers! Embracing difference is actually pretty liberating:-)

Now, the question I have with this version of Kingston Black is whether there has been a bit of jiggery pokery in the process of production. At 6.6 its not a bad strength at all, but it just simply doesn't have a number of KB 'key markers' for me. Saying that, it is not horrible. A score of 68/100 is not quite a bronze apple.

Gillow Cider Brown Snout Cider

Brown Snout is not an apple I am familiar with. In fact, I am not entirely sure where I would get some to play around with (well, not strictly true - though none of the orchards I frequent have any). So this is a bit of a journey into the unknown... which is exactly why I wanted to do this exercise. And as it is being published three quarters of the way through the pressing season (assuming its going to last into January yet again) its probably too late to do much about it now. Mind you, it will be recorded and borne in mind for next year!

In addition to this it comes from a producer I have not had much to do with too. Gillow's got a reasonable review from the 2011 Great British Beer Festival last year, a Herefordshire producer who seem to be well established, I managed to find a couple of their ciders to try earlier this year from Truffles Deli in Ross on Wye (which also goes to show how much of a back log of ciders I have... what a nice problem!). A quick look at their website suggests that there are more of theirs to try too, though I think I would have a few words to say about the choice of names for one of their ciders (the marketing head on my shoulders wonders how on earth they sell a cider called 'Knicker Dropper' to their intended punters (i.e. they claim its aimed at ladies)???)

Brown Snout is a moderate bitter sweet variety from Herefordshire (early 19th century, in case you are interested). From what I can find out about it, its a russetted apple - essentially its a rough skin texture... pick up an egremont russet in a local supermarket to see what I mean. There is a saying that russets make good cider, so I am sort of expecting this one to be rather nice. It is harvested late October to early November. Re-reading this paragraph, I ought to validate the comment about supermarkets: pick up a russet in a supermarket (if you can get them this year) and you will get the texture of the skin. That is why it is a 'russet'. However, odds are a bite into it will reveal a cardboard like texture. Now try a russet from a farmers market. Wow! The taste will be complex, juicy and full...

So, lets have a go at this cider then (NOOOO! I refuse to join in the latest trend on starting every sentence with 'so'. My apologies. Please allow me to starts again. OK, homies, Lets 'ave a bash at this cider then. Ah, much better!

This is a still cider, deep golden - almost brown - and with a good layer of sediment at the bottom of the bottle. It appears clear although I cannot imagine it is filtered. At 6.4% its a reasonably alcoholic cider. Pouring carefully to avoid yeast I can smell a deep tannic cider. A little short on fruit, but typical of a fruit with a bittersweet character.

The taste is very nice - moderate tannin that isn't drying at all and is quite fruity. This is actually a little surprising, as the aroma was full of tannin. The fruit in the taste is good although its not a lively taste in itself. The surprise in this drink is the acid. It is reasonably astringent, not particularly sharp but is a persistent flavour which develops almost a petroleum like quality through the drink. My notes say that the acid wins over the tannin (but not by much). This is not because the acid is any bolder than the tannin but simply by remaining for longer.The aftertaste is long and acidic, with the tannin falling away.

I like this cider quite a lot. It is interesting and hangs together pretty well. I guess my only question is whether it has been played with or adjusted... I guess only Gillow can answer that, though I am happy that this is the real thing (pretty much). Brown Snout itself would add a lot to a cider, although as an apple with a foot in both bittersweet and bittersharp camps its not one to use for adjusting the profile of a cider.

Gillow Tom Putt Single Variety Cider (GBBF)

 
Tom Putt's are described as a triple use apple, and are rated by many good cider makers as an excellent addition to a blended cider. What is a triple use apple? Well, its one that is both a culinary, eating and cider apple... It is a sharp, cooking apple. It is also, if left to mature, edible. And when pressed produces some very nice juice indeed.

Does it make a single variety cider though? My first thought was 'brave', but I don't see why not.... except you have to bear in mind that I am always sceptical of SV ciders.

Its a little hazy in the glass, and very light in colour. It also has a pretty light aroma to it as well, although I am already suspecting that it is going to be a pretty sharp cider. And I am right, it is hellishly acidic! Biting - with gnashing teeth, and actually makes me pucker each mouthful. Forget its medium dry status, any sweetness is totally lost in this cider.

If Gillow are after a cider that is different, they have done it well. There is nothing wrong with this cider - it just has more harsh acidity in it than any other cider I have tasted... ever (probably). Once you settle in to the drink, it becomes more bearable and in the end I did actaully enjoy it more. However. Wow. It is sharp!

As expected from Tom Putt, there is no tannin in the cider. That is good, as it makes this an honest cider that reflects its ingredients. However, I wonder how tempted Gillow werre to adjust it?!

So, it is recommended. But you could practice for it by sucking a lemon first:-)

A score of 67/100