Online Sales Boost Traditional Cider making

Published at June 28, 2009 in buy cider online and cider vinegar. 0 Comments

Anybody making cider for sale these days needs to consider online sales as well as local outlets, supplying pubs or farm gate sales.

Traditional products combined with modern marketing methods have proved a fruitful combination for North Devon cider maker Peter Hartnoll of Ostler’s Cider Mill

Peter first started producing cider at Ostlers Cider Mill in Goodleigh 17 years ago and over the years has added cider vinegar and chutneys to the output from the 1,200 apple trees he planted on what was previously unused and bramble-strewn land.

Interest has grown steadily and the onset of a website has given an extra boost, with products now being dispatched nationwide.

source: North Devon Gazette – Cider making is in the family.

Three Counties Show Cider Competition Results

Published at June 23, 2009 in competition and three counties. 0 Comments

Judged 19th June 2009 at the Three Counties Show, Malvern

Class 1 Dry Cider

1. Ross on Wye
2. Rosie’s Triple D
3. Bridge Farm
Highly Commended – Tony Jones

Class 2 Medium/Sweet Cider

1. Oliver’s Cider & Perry
2. Equal second, Sheppy’s Cider and Once Upon a Tree
Highly Commended – Henney’s Cider

Class 3 Dry Perry

1. Ross on Wye
2. Orchard’s Cider & Perry
3. Barbourne Cider

Class 4 Medium/Sweet Perry

1. Heck’s
2. Butford Organic
3. Ralph’s

Class 5 – Bottle Fermented / bottle conditioned Cider or Perry

1. Oliver’s Cider & Perry
No other prizes awarded in this category.

Best in Show (by a hairsbreadth from Ross on Wye Dry) Oliver’s Medium Cider
Best producer in Herefordshire – Oliver’s
Best producer in Worcestershire – Barbourne
Best producer in Gloucestershire – Orchard’s
Highly commended was a pear cider 9 made from dessert pears) from Fox
Barrel Cider, USA.

Congratulations to all the prize-winners. The judges agreed that the
standard was generally very high this year.

Cider Festival at Hebden Bridge

Published at June 22, 2009 in French Cider and festivals. 0 Comments

Cider Festival  Hebden Bridge, Yorkshire

3rd International Cider Festival,

Hebden Bridge  hosted its 3rd International Cider Festival at the Stubbing Wharf public house, on the weekend of 27th to 28th June, with the special preview night of the ciders on offer, on Friday evening.

The Cider Festival continues to get bigger and better each year, with a growing variety of ciders, combined with two days of music and entertainment.

“Our ciders will include recent award winners and favourites requested from previous years, plus many others from around the world to enjoy over the weekend,” adds Phil Kennedy, who organises the event with the Stubbing Wharf.

“We also have the return of our popular French Cider Bar with some new Breton Ciders as well as our popular draft cider ‘Mont St Michele, which is unique to the north of England.”

More details at Hebweb news 2009: Cider Festival.

More than 2,000 cider lovers turned out at the Stubbing Wharf, King Street, Hebden Bridge, for a two-day event celebrating all things apple-related
in the town’s third annual cider festival.

Cider drinkers were treated to more than 70 different types of cider from Spain to Shropshire as well as feasting on a hog roast.

Matt Browne, pub licensee said:

It went brilliantly and was unbelievably popular. It exceeded all of our expectations. We are delighted.

Entertainment was from the Ryburn Long Swords, music by Denny and Co, a magic act and a cider themed comedy show.

Paul Fowler, of Hebden Bridge, who brought his daughters along, said:

It is a lovely setting for it and the cider was pretty good as well.

Geraldine Allport said

It is something a bit different and a lot of fun really. We are not usually big cider fans but when it looks as good as this you have to try.”

Non-alcoholic apple juice was available for the youngsters.

The 3rd Hebden Bridge cider festival was organised by Matt Browne and Phil Kennedy.

French Cider Exhibitors in London

Published at June 19, 2009 in French Cider. 0 Comments

French Cider exhibitors

The French Trade Commission in the UK (Mission Economique UBIFRANCE) is to hold a special beer and cider tasting event in London on Thursday 2 July 2009. The tasting will feature beer and cider from various regions of France.

The event will provide an ideal networking opportunity for both French beer and cider producers and exporters looking for representation in the UK, as well as British importers and wholesalers looking for drinks to add to their portfolio.

In 2007, France produced 15.1 million hectolitres of beer, of which 1.8 million were exported. Beer is produced in many regions of France, from Corsica to the Alps. French cider, on the other hand, is mainly produced in the west and north-west of France. In 2007, France exported 266,726 hectolitres of cider, of which 67,733 were sold in the United Kingdom.

Les Celliers Associés/Val de Rance which was founded in 1953, is a cooperative that makes cider using apples from 420 French cider producers producers, all members of Les Celliers Associés.

Domaine Duclos is a family-run cider producer based in Normandy. The company uses traditional and environmentally friendly methods to produce a selection of top-of-the-range ciders.

Chateau de Brouay has been producing cider and Calvados since 1823. The company, which uses organic farming methods, has 23 varieties of apple trees in its orchards, enabling it to produce a wide range of drinks.

Cidrerie Traditionnelle du Perche makes both dry cider (brut) and sweet cider (demi-sec), as well as Calvados, cider vinegar, apple jam, and cider jam.

Gaec du Mesnil D’O is a family-run company, located in the heart of Normandy. The company produces two uniform batches each year – one of slightly sweet cider and the other one of dry cider.

Domaine Dupont is a family-run company with 30 hectares of cider-apple orchards. The Dupont family produces a large range of both traditional and innovative drinks.

About the French Trade Commission in the UK

The Beer and Cider event organised by the French Trade Commission will take place on Thursday 2 July 2009 between 10.00am and 5.00pm, with a buffet lunch from 12.30pm. Journalists interested in attending the event should contact the French Trade Commission for further details of the venue.

Ms Caroline Morton
Food and Drink Department, French Trade Commission in the United Kingdom
Direct telephone line: 00 (44) [0] 207 316 4156
Email address: caroline.morton@ubifrance.fr

Bath & West show 2009 cider & perry competition results

Published at June 15, 2009 in ciderandperry and competition. 0 Comments

Full results of the cider and perry competition at the Bath and west show 2009

Well done to Rose Grant of Cider by Rosie for coming away with the Supreme champion cider (best in show) prize

Class 1 Open sweet cider
1st Thatchers
2nd Thatchers
3rd Thatchers

Class 2 Open Medium Cider
1st Thatchers
2nd Thatchers
3rd Sheppys

Class 3 Open dry cider
1st Andrew Lea
2nd West milton cider club
3rd Steve Hughes

Class 4 Organic Cider
1st Butford Organics best organic trophy
2nd Sheppys
3rd Mr G Travis

Class 5 Cider as presented to the retail trade
1st Tom Oliver Best retail judged from calsses 5 and 7
2nd Burrow Hill
3rd Thatchers

Class 6 two or more year old bottle fermented in champagne glass
bottles
1st Tom Oliver
2nd Burrow Hill
3rd Mr J Mitchell

Class 7 Single variety as presented to the retail trade
1st Thatchers
2nd Sheppys
3rd Thatchers
highly commended Sheppys
commended Tom Oliver

Class 8 Single variety apple juice
1st N Stewart
2nd Mr P Dart
3rd Hecks
Highly commended Broomfield orchard

Class 9 Blended apple juice
1st Perrys
2nd National Trust
3rd Lord King
Highly commended G Travis
Commended Broomfield Orchard

Class 10 Perry open
1st Butford Organics Best perry trophy
2nd Gwatkin
3rd Tom Oliver

Class 11 Farmhouse dry – 2008 apple crop only
1st A Heck
2nd Rose Grant
3rd Green valley cider

Class 12 Farmhouse medium – 2008 apple crop only
1st Rose Grant Reserve Farmhouse champion as judged on Wednesday -
Supreme champion cider (best in show) as judged by different judges
Thursday!
2nd Mr R Crabb
3rd Perrys

Class 13 Farmhouse sweet – 2008 apple crop only
1st Rose Grant Champion farmhouse cider as judged wednesday
2nd Perrys
3rd Bollhayes

Class 14 International
1st R Matlock – Jersey
2nd Michel Ameleine – France

International Cider & Perry Competition Results 2009

Published at May 25, 2009 in ciderandperry and competition. 0 Comments

from the CIDER MUSEUM, HEREFORD

International Cider & Perry Competition Results 2009

The results of the International Cider & Perry Competition held at the
Cider Museum on Wednesday 13th May 2009 are as follows.  The judges
were:  Mr. Bob Chaplin of Gaymer Cider Co, Somerset; Mr. Peter
Mitchell of Mitchell F&D Ltd, Worcestershire and Mr. Patrick Shave,
Proprietor of The Hop Pocket Wine Company Ltd, Bishops Frome,
Herefordshire.  A total of 120 entries were received from 35
cidermakers from throughout the United Kingdom, Canada and the USA.

OVERALL CHAMPION  -     Once Upon A Tree Ltd, Putley, Ledbury,
Herefordshire
(Single Variety Cider – Kingston Black)

Class 1 – Dry Cider
First                   Ralph’s Cider & Perry, New Radnor, Powys
Second                  The Amazing Cider Company, Ledbury, Herefordshire
Third                   Ross-on-Wye Cider & Perry Co Ltd, Peterstow, Herefordshire

Class 2 – Medium Cider
First                   Burrow Hill Cider, Martock, Somerset
Second          H. Weston & Sons Ltd, Much Marcle, Herefordshire
Third                   Gwynt-y-Ddraig Cider, Pontypridd, Mid Glamorgan

Class 3 – Sweet Cider
First                   Thatchers Cider, Sandford, Somerset
Second                  Knights Cider, Aston, Birmingham
Third                   Blaengawney Cider, Newport, Gwent

Class 4 – Perry
First                   Gwatkin Cider Co. Ltd., Abbey Dore, Herefordshire
Second                  Gwynt-y-Ddraig Cider, Pontypridd, Mid Glamorgan
Third                   Stuart Cooper, Checkley, Herefordshire

Class 5 – Single Variety Cider
First           Once Upon A Tree Ltd, Putley, Ledbury, Herefordshire
Second          Oliver’s Cider & Perry Ltd, Ocle Pychard, Herefordshire
Third           Thatchers Cider, Sandford, Somerset

Class 6 – In-Bottle Fermented Cider or Perry
First           Oliver’s Cider & Perry Ltd, Ocle Pychard, Herefordshire
Second          Cidrerie St. Nicolas, Canada
Third           Newton’s Cider & Perry, Leominster, Herefordshire

Class 7 – Best Presented Packaged Cider or Perry
First           Healey’s Cornish Cyder Farm, Truro, Cornwall
Second          Gwynt-y-Ddraig Cider, Pontypridd, Mid Glamorgan
Third           Once Upon A Tree Ltd, Putley, Ledbury, Herefordshire

The Somerset Cider Handbook is out now

Published at May 23, 2009 in books. 0 Comments

New Cider Book – The Somerset Cider Handbook by Alan Stone

The Somerset Cider Handbook is out now somerset cider handbook

Richard Stone thought we would all like to know about this new book on cider which is being launched at the Bath and West Show on Wednesday. It is the first ever comprehensive survey of all commercial and semi-commercial cider makers in Somerset, and contains details of almost 40 cider makers as well as a number of articles on cider heritage.

The first batch came back from the printers yesterday and it looks really good.

The Somerset Cider Handbook will be available in the cider tent at the Bath and West Show, as well as online at www.somersethistory.co.uk and at numerous bookshops, pubs and cider producers throughout the region, and from the ukcider bookshop at amazon