These articles are hand picked issues and topics that are of interest to cider producers, publicans and cider fans.

Here are July’s collection:

• Apple strength to help cider makers avoid extra tax
• Planting for cider making
• More Welsh foods to get ‘protected’ status
• Burglar left his prints on can of Blackthorn

View this years Cider and Perry winners at the Show.

See you next year!

There are over 25 cider producers in Somerset alone, many of them small family businesses. Shepton Mallet, Somerset, is home to the largest cider plant in Europe, Bulmer’s.

Many of the orchards are attractions in their own right so make a little time to explore. Get out and about down the backlanes, take in the countryside that produces the apples and meet the people behind some of the best brews!

Download the Cider Lover’s Somerset Guide published by the ‘Visit Somerset’ Tourism Board

The guide outlines all you need to plan a cider lover’s break in Somerset. Visit in May when the trees are covered in blossom, in the Autumn when the air is filled with the wonderful heady aroma of crushed apples, in January when the traditional ‘Wassailing’ ceremonies take place, or at any time through the year!

These articles are hand picked issues and topics that are of interest to cider producers, publicans and cider fans.

Here are June’s collection:

• Fourth cider win for family firm sticking with tradition
• Cheers and fears over budget for the South West

Bath and West 2010 News

• Rose celebrates the double
• The sweet taste of success for cider guru Andrew
• Cider and perry award winners

Obviously you don’t have to follow these tips, but if you do you will ensure you get the best taste from your selection of ciders.

Cider being poured at the Bath & West 2010

Pouring cider is a useful technique for still or conditioned bottles that have sediment, usually yeast cells at the bottom of a bottle or container.

Pouring cider correctly means you will get the cider and leave the sediment at the bottom of the bottle, assuming that the bottle hasn’t been shaken or inverted in the previous few hours.

Instructions on how to pour cider

The flow of the cider has to break against the rim of the glass. In this way, the air mixes with the carbon dioxide of the cider and the organoleptic characteristics of the cider, such as taste and perfume became significant and are released.

If you are pouring cider from a bottle, you need a glass that can take the whole bottle in one go, holding the bottle at shoulder, eye level.

The glass should be held by the thumb and first finger with the second finger on the bottom of the glass. The ring finger and the little finger should be folded over the palm of the hand.

You should always attempt to prevent frothing of the cider poured, so poured slowly in one smooth movement.

How is cider drunk?

The cider from your glass should be swallowed rapidly, but not as a shot of whisky for example. The cider will loose its spark or organoleptic qualities due to the traditional way of pouring if sipped or swallowed slowly.

Pouring cider Spanish style

The last part of the cider in the glass is emptied onto the floor, a traditional practice in Asturias, Spain.

This is a social tradition as much as it is ancestral.

The traditional pouring technique for sidra is to hold the bottle at head height, and the glass at the waist. The devices shown in this video ensure you get more of your cider in the glass!

So travelling by bicycle on a fine spring afternoon, first stop was trendy Pimlico and Chimes SW1V 2LP. First impressions are a colourful British restaurant that doubles as a shrine to cider and perry. It’s your chance to get stuck into glasses of Old Rosie, Stowford Press, Kent’s Bibbenden Extra Dry or the house cider here. Very relaxed atmostphere.

Central London and it has to be the The Harp WC2N 4HS in Leicester Square, to escape tourist hoards. A marvellous pub. The Harp always comes up trumps with a superb selection of off-the-beaten track. CAMRA London Cider Pub of The Year 2008 They have a changing range of ciders from jugs/bottles in the fridge.

Next up, in Fitzrovia is The Green Man W1W 7EP, described by its owners a traditional London cider house, albeit a quirky one. The Green Man has a choice of 32 different ciders (View cider list PDF). Perhaps Fitzrovia’s best kept secret – and the main characteristic all these pubs had is that they were not the commercial pub you normally find in the city.

Next we headed north to Islington and The Wenlock Arms N1 7TA, CAMRA’s 2009′s London Cider pub of the year. Always a interesting selection of at least 1 draught and a selection of bottled ciders.

Leading the way for superior Spanish cider in London is Bar Camino, N1 9NR, the Islington bar and restaurant are open until 1am. One of the most enticing drinks on its extensive menu is Zythos Sidra Natural, a small-scale cider from Asturias, northern Spain’s apple-growing region.

Next up the road in Kentish Town is The Dartmouth Arms, NW5 1SP. Cider is big with gastropub-goers, too. The Dartmouth Arms has more than a dozen bottled boutique ciders as well as draught on rotation at the bar. The fresh lobster served with a bottle of Dunkertons’ organic perry is on promotion at £15 until the end of the month.

The Dartmouth Arms, NW5

Finally heading back towards the city, a very traditional pub in Hackney is The Pembury Tavern E8 1JH, has sold a vast range of regional ciders since it has opened. The website will tell you what it is currently serving. Interesting building and interior, plus a bar billiards table complete with instructions! With regular beer and cider festivals.

View all our listings for cider pubs in London and London cider map (external link).

Also don’t forget the cider stall at Borough Market every weekend managed by New Forest Cider.

Why?

Beer’s been jinxing English football since 1966.

Every pint of lager and ale has been a nail in the coffin of our national team for nearly 50 years. And only real cider can break the spell.

The new web site to send this message out to all fans of football, friends and family is www.drinkciderforengland.com

You can share your stories with other passionate football and cider lovers on the site. Were you, or someone you know drinking beer when England lost last time? Did real cider help?

You can download our beer mats designs that have actually been placed in pubs across London and the South-East during the World cup.

It’s a campaign that hopes to generate a lot of fun, and change the thinking of people in pubs drinking boring old beer or lager. So order a pint today and do your bit for Fabio and the boys in South Africa!

Designs of Beer Cider mats that are being used to market the ‘Drink Cider for England’ Campaign across pubs in the UK.

Apple cider vinegar is made by crushing apples and squeezing out the liquid. Yeast which naturally occurs in the fruit enables an alcoholic fermentation, which turns the sugars into alcohol. In a second fermentation process, the alcohol is converted by acetic acid-forming bacteria (acetobacter) into vinegar. Acetic acid and malic acid give vinegar its sour taste.

It’s history?

According to Dr. Mindell’s book “Amazing Apple Cider Vinegar,” the Babylonians were the first to convert wine into vinegar in 5000 BC, because they believed it had excellent healing properties. The book also mentions that it has been used by Hippocrates as an antibiotic, samurai warriors and U.S. Civil War soldiers.

Since 400BC, Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, and others, have used vinegar and vinegar mixed with honey, as an energizing tonic and a healing elixir.

Uses of cider vinegar

• Apple cider vinegar has been used to improve health for centuries, even your pet can benefit.
• Vinegar is a natural food that can help increase energy, improve vitality and enhance the immune system.
• Apple cider vinegar can be used as a health aid diluted in water or juice or in supplement form. Due to its acidity, apple cider vinegar may be very harsh, even burning to the throat. If taken straight (as opposed to use in cooking), it can be diluted (e.g. with fruit juice, honey, or sugar) before drinking.
• Diluted apple cider vinegar with plenty of water can be applied to the hair while shampooing as a natural remedy to prevent dandruff.
• It is also used in cooking, baking or as a salad dressing.

Health benefits

According to HealthNews.com, apple cider vinegar has been proved to help with medical conditions, such as diabetes, gout, arthritis, infections, allergies, high cholesterol, candida, reflux and dermatitis. It is also used as a beautyaid to improve acne, skin tone and appearance and hair shine, and as a weight regulator.

Make your own cider vinegar

You might even decide to make your own vinegar. The best quality vinegar is made from cider which is made from 100% fresh apples because the nutrients from the pure juice will allow a faster fermentation resulting in fresher tasting and more aromatic cider vinegar.

Just leave cider in a shed or cool, dry place to ‘over’ ferment. Once the cider has been fully fermented into vinegar, it is usually matured for a further few months, before bottlling. It can be filtered if you want a clear and bright appearance.

With reason to celebrate Welsh cider after the recent award to Gwyntt Y Ddraig at the International Cider and Perry awards.

With more and more small artisan producers emerging onto the competition and festival scene, it’s exciting times for the revival of traditional real cider in Wales.

The Welsh Cider and Perry Society is proving to be a catalyst for these producers. The societies aims are to encourage a greater appreciation of these natural craft drinks, spearhead a new era of orchard planting and promote Welsh perry and cider as an indigenous alternative to wine.

The last bank holiday of May, Welsh cider makers and fans, gather for the annual competition and festival in the grounds of the Clytha Arms in Monmouthshire for the Welsh Cider and Perry festival. I’ve been for many years, and is exciting as the Clytha is a fantastic pub anyway, the festival adds another dimension with around 40 different makers producing many different ciders and perries, and  various  live bands on to entertain the drinkers throughout the weekend.

This years event, despite the rain there was a good turnout. The weather improved on the Sunday and by all accounts it was another successful weekend.

The results for the Welsh Perry and Cider championships that are held at the festival are as follows:

Welsh Perry & Cider Championships 2010

Cider

Dry Draught Cider

• Gold: Palmer’s Upland Cyder Cheeky Jackdaw Cyder
• Silver: Des Devlin Drunk Dragon Dry
• Bronze: Blaengawney Heartbreaker

Medium Draught Cider

• Gold: Seidr Dai Knotted Kernal
• Silver: Rosie’s Triple D Medium
• Bronze: Ty-Bryn Cider, Oak Barrel Medium Sweet

Sweet Draught Cider

• Gold: Springfield Dabinett
• Silver: Seidr O Sir Cantref
• Bronze: Rosie’s Triple D Black Bart

Spirit Cask Cider

• Gold: Rosie’s Triple D Wicked Wasp
• Silver: Berriew Bettws
• Bronze: Troggi Penallt

Bottled Still Cider

• Gold: Springfield Dabinett
• Silver: Rosie’s Triple D Rampant Ram
• Bronze: Blaengawney Heartbreaker

Bottled Sparkling Cider

• Gold: Ty-Bryn Cider
• Silver: Blaengawney Dabinett
• Bronze: Ty Gwyn Medium

Champion Cider

• Gold: Springfield Dabinett
• Silver: TyBryn Medium-Sweet
• Bronze: Rosie’s Triple D Wicked Wasp

Perry

Dry Draught Perry

• Gold: Llanblethian Orchards Pick ‘n Mix
• Silver: Three Saints Burgundy
• Bronze: Bragdy Penywern Dry

Medium Draught Perry

• Gold: Ty-Bryn Blakeney Red Medium Sweet
• Silver: Seidr Dai Hellen’s Early
• Bronze: Bragdy Brodyr Silver Lady

Sweet Draught Perry

• Gold: Raglan Cider Mill Old Vicarage
• Silver: Troggi Llansoy
• Bronze: Gwynt Y Ddraig Two Trees

Bottled Still Perry

• Gold: Blaengawney Perry
• Silver: Three Saints Divine
• Bronze: Rosie’s Triple D Perfect Pear

Bottled Sparkling Perry

• Gold: Troggi 2008-EP
• Silver: Ty-Bryn Medium Sweet
• Bronze: Palmer’s Upland Cyder Blakeney Red

Champion Perry

• Gold: Ty-Bryn Blakeney Red Medium Sweet
• Silver: Raglan Cider Mill Old Vicarage
• Bronze: Troggi 2008-EP

Follow @ArfurD for more Welsh Cider updates and the Brew Wales blog.

If you want to attend a Welsh cider festival this weekend (10-12th June), get along to Cardiff and the Great Welsh Beer & Cider Festival. Cheers!

There is no admission fee, the entertainment is totally free and there will be at least 15 ciders from the area throughout the 10 days.

We are hoping people will come ready for an afternoon of fun, food and cider. Why not bring a blanket or deckchair, chill out and listen to the music and drink loads of local cider! Although there is lots of decking furniture and benches.

The BBQ will be a selection of the top 20 local sausages that can be purchased on a skewer with bread and sauces. There is also a full Sunday lunch on offer too from £9 per roast!

Then on the Sunday the 11th July a jazz and sausage BBQ just before the World Cup final happens which will be showing on our 50″ TV screen in the garden (fingers crossed for good weather!!!)

Then on the 18th July – the Mangled Wurzles for the afternoon.

The pub has a huge garden and a raised decking – perfect for totally chilled afternoons in the summer sun!

More details and venue address:
The Ship and Castle
Tel: 01934 833535
The High street, Congresbury
North Somerset, BS49 5JA