Bulmers
From Ukcider
H P Bulmer - Bulmers (UK)
The Cider Mills, Plough Lane, Hereford HR4 0LE: 01432 352000
HP Bulmer is the world's largest cider producer, best known for Strongbow and Scrumpy Jack. Based in Herefordshire, it is now owned by brewing giant Scottish & Newcastle.
Throughout the years, Bulmers acquired a succession of smaller cider makers, among them Symonds of Stoke Lacy, and Inch's of Devon. Inch's, which had grown to be one of the largest independent producers, was acquired principally for its White Lightning brand. Inch's once-popular Stonehouse cider is now available only in keg form, and even then only in very limited circulation. Similarly, Bulmers' own real cider brand, Old Hazy, once had good distribution through Hogshead and similar pubs, but was dropped in the mid-1990s.
Principal brands are:
- Strongbow (dry)
- Strongbow Sirrus (bottled competitor to Magners)
- Bulmers Original (another bottled Magners-a-like - is this anything like the old Bulmers Original which Westons produced for a while?)
- Bulmers Pear Cider
- Scrumpy Jack (dry)
- Woodpecker (sweet, usually bottled)
- GL (sweet, sold in the Gloucestershire/Herefordshire area only)
- White Lightning (white)
- Jacques (flavoured cider produced in Belgium by a S&N sister company, apparently)
- Inch's Harvest Dry (a reasonably palatable drink that does actually taste of cider apples - probably the best of Bulmers' output)
- Symonds Original (in 2L plastic bottles, appears to be the pre-Magners Bulmers Original rebranded)
