Real Cider

Cider types around the UK

Posted on 17. Jan, 2010 by Jim C.

There are two broad main traditions in cider production in the UK – the West tradition and the Kent and East Anglia tradition.
The former are made using a much higher percentage of true cider-apples and so are richer in tannins and sharper in flavour. Kent and East Anglia ciders tend to use a higher [...]

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The future of Scottish orchards

Posted on 13. Jan, 2010 by Jim C.

UK apple orchards have been in decline since the 1980s, with Britain losing nearly two thirds of its commercial and private orchards in the last three decades.
With the market dominated by cheap imported fruit, a narrower choice of varieties have been available. Smaller orchards have been replaced by housing and business developments. But in Scotland, [...]

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Links of the month – January

Posted on 11. Jan, 2010 by Jim C.

Here is our regular monthly collection of cider links, from newspapers, food web sites that we find with interesting content, and  articles that appear in our RSS feed tagged “Cider”
These articles are hand picked issues and topics that are of interest to cider producers, publicans and cider fans.
Here are January’s collection:

Government accused on launching war on [...]

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Wassail events 2010

Posted on 10. Jan, 2010 by Jim C.

Wassailing is an old custom that takes place on Old Twelfth Night (17 January) or thereabouts, to exhort apple trees to fruit well the following season.
Customs and songs differ from place to place. At many events cider is poured onto the roots and shots fired through the branches to ward off evil spirits. Warm cider [...]

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Cider making with Roger Wilkins

Posted on 06. Jan, 2010 by Jim C.

Roger has been cider making since he was a boy, taught the skills of the ancient art by his grandfather.
The business was passed onto Roger through the family and now he produces around 15,000 gallons each year at his home at Landsend Farm, Mudgley, near Wedmore.
Roger, who is married to Mary and has three grown-up [...]

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The Cider year

Posted on 02. Jan, 2010 by Jim C.

The cidermaker’s year, like the school year starts in September when the harvest gets under way in earnest and the business of cider can begin.
Autumn
Picking apples in any quantity isn’t easy, especially in old-style orchards where climbing to the tops of the tree with a basket is required! The other alternative of waiting for the [...]

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Merry Christmas to all our readers

Posted on 21. Dec, 2009 by Jim C.

A big thank you to all of you that have got involved with the Real Cider community this year.
All your comments, photos, and discussion, and the producers that have added and reviewed our buy cider pages – the web site and community wouldn’t be the same without you!
Since the web site was launched in February [...]

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Links of the Month – December

Posted on 20. Dec, 2009 by Jim C.

Here is our regular monthly collection of cider links, from newspapers, food web sites that we find with interesting content, and  articles that appear in our RSS feed tagged “Cider”
These articles are hand picked issues and topics that are of interest to cider producers, publicans and cider fans.
Here are December’s collection:

The hard truth about cider from [...]

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