Archive for June, 2009

Online Sales Boost Traditional Cider making

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

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. Closed


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. Closed

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. Closed

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. Closed

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