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Blossom Time Photos from Cider Makers

Off 10th May 2020

What is apple blossom?

The apple tree is a native of Europe, and the Apple blossoms come from April to June. From the fruit, cider is manufactured, and both the fruit and its cider are much used for domestic and medicinal purposes. Apple blossoms have Cherry pink and white petals.

Here is a collection of the best blossom photos that we’ve been sent from various apple tree owners and cider makers around the UK. AS as far as Scotland. Enjoy this magical time of year, and let’s wish for a great season ahead of sunshine and not too much rain!

If you would like to walk in an orchard of a West Country Cider makers – head to Sheppy’s on the 11th of May when they will be having an open day. As well as inviting visitors to sample their latest cider release.

Turning surplus apples into cider

108 Comments 11th June 2018

Do you have an apple tree but can’t use all your apples?

Please consider sharing your surplus apples and pears with other members of the Real Cider community.

Due to recent demand of people wanting to learn how to make their own cider, we are going to help make this even easier for you.

Why?

Well. there are plenty of people and places around the country that have surplus apples, and windfalls from neighbours that are never used, and are left to go to waste.

This is for everyone to use, whether you live in England, Wales, America and beyond!

What was your apple harvest like? Add to the 2012 crop report here

3 Comments 29th November 2012

If you grow apples, be it a single tree or a whole orchard let us know how much you harvested and how affected you have been by the weather this year. Good or bad? Let us know in the comments below.

The following report is from Orchard Pig Groundforce in West Bradley, Somerset.

We are thrilled to report that we have actually ﬁnished the harvest.
Some people have not been so fortunate and our hearts go out to them.. we’ve seen lots of waterlogged orchards.
It was a predictably poor crop and a very difﬁcult season. The dessert crop at West Bradley was about 65% of normal, whereas last year was 110%.
The modern plantings on wires have been the least affected by the weather and Falstaff has performed particularly well. Cider fruit has been on average a 45% crop for us as well as everybody else we know, but the trees look good, the fruit bud is forming, a good cold winter is forecast so let’s look forward to next year!

The great British cider, beer and food festival at Brogdale

Off 5th July 2011

A brand new festival is being held at Brogdale this year; the Great British Cider, Beer and Food Festival will take place on 24 and 25 September and producers will showcase food and drink from around Kent and the UK.

Brogdale Collections is a charity with the principle aim of creating awareness and interest in The National Fruit Collections and to enhance the long term sustainable future for the living collections at Brogdale.

The National Fruit Collections are the largest fruit collection in the world growing on one site, and comprise around 2,200 apples, 550 pears, 320 cherries, 350 plums, 50 hazelnuts, 150 gooseberries, 200 currants (black, red, white and pink), as well as small collections of vines, quinces, medlars and apricots.

Sally Roger marketing manager at Brogdale, home of the National Fruit Collections comments:

“Our traditional cider festival is very popular in September and also has a number of food producers attending so we have decided this year to broaden the festival to give equal prominence to cider, beer and food and to give local producers the chance to showcase the great food and drink which is on offer here in Kent.”

“The cider bar will be much larger than in previous years and we are hoping to have over 100 different ciders to taste or take home. Cider apples will still be very prominent both in a display and also as part of the orchard tours.”

“Many people don’t just come to taste cider at this time of year but we are increasingly getting a number of enquiries from people who want to make their own cider so choosing the right variety of tree is important and what better way than to see the many varieties of cider apple grown at Brogdale and to select one that best suits your tastes.”

There will be plenty to entertain at the festival for all ages so if you want a break from sampling all the food and drink on offer then there will be guided and self guided orchard tours, tractor trailer rides, miniature railway rides, cookery demonstrations and gardening talks, fruit variety identification and much more.

There will also be music to entertain throughout the afternoon and evening including on Saturday local bands The Fecks, Engine and Clutch & Gearbox and on Sunday Adrian Ben and the Chillbillies. There is also the marketplace shops, Grow plant centre, Courtyard Cafe and new Lottery funded children’s play area.

Anyone interested in having a stall at the festival should contact Brogdale at enquiries@brogdalecollections.co.uk or call 01795 536250. Stalls will cost £55 for a marquee space 10% discount if you bring your own gazebo.

Further information on visiting Brogdale can be found at www.brogdalecollections.co.uk

Cider making at home

Off 21st October 2010

These are photos from this year’s cider making.

We are fortunate to have a garden which allows us to wash, prepare and mash the apples. Our vigo press is the tool that lets us press the mashed apples and the pressed juice flows directly into our sterilised demijon containers.

We made 7 gallons from this collection of Gala, Bramley, Golden Delicious, Cox’s and Russet’s – all from the local Sussex countryside. We have two apple trees in our back garden – a Golden Delicious and Fiesta.

The Bramley is a cooking apple, with Russet, Gala and Golden all being rich, crisp dessert apples.

We are going to be racking off the cider in the next couple of weeks into spare demijons to allow a secondary fermentation to increase the final strength (ABV) of the cider.