I'd like to raise the topic of real cider and its position right now at the beginning of 2009. The thing that concerns me most is that the advertising campaigns for deceptively bucolic looking Irish bottled drinks marketed in the UK have been so successful that the supermarket shelves are now full off copies of that style of industrial cider, at the expense of craft ciders which had been beginning to make some headway.
As well as all the big brands versions of Magners, there are also Scandinavian alcohops made with springwater and flavouring that also take up shelf space masquerading as cider.
So what's the difference between real cider and industrial cider?
The other 70%
Real cider is made from as close as dammit to 100% pure apple juice whereas with these imposters most of the alcohol has been derived rom fermenting corn starch syrup which is then diluted with water. Then they have to add malic acide in order to get a bit of taste back into it. Nothing to do with cider except in name and the fact that
a minor portion may have see some kind of apple product at some stage in the production process.
Arr oi quite like the ruff stuff...we often have a great choice of ciders down here in Sussex.. with guest brews frequently making an appearance in the better bars...don't know if it's a Norman influence, but Battle cider is full of head swimming flavour and there's a pink blackcurrant version for those frivolous moments...
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We have written two articles which we hope you will find useful:
How to find real cider - <a href="http://www.real-cider.co.uk/how-to-find-real-cider/";>www.real-cider.co.uk/how-to-find-real-cider/</a> and
5 ways to spot a great real cider - <a href="http://www.real-cider.co.uk/discover-a-great-real-cider";>www.real-cider.co.uk/discover-a-great-real-cider/</a>
I've never been big on cider, for the reasons that everyone is complaining about it - the best we could do here in Australia was Strongbow - or so I thought! I don't know what real home made cider tastes like but the pear cider from Little Creatures brewery was not in any way objectionable.
I've started brewing my own beer and have idly been considering cider.. i'll keep an eye on this thread!
I make my own cider at home from pure home-pressed apple juice. I've only been going at it a couple of years and now have managed to produce a very high quality product. The cr@p that zaccety admits to drinking is made from at best, concentrated juice with added sugar and water, along with a whole host of other additives. Those products are designed for people who like an depthless, easy drink that they can get at any outlet. If you like good cider then you can't go wrong with Westons' products. Their range caters for all palets. My favourite is Old Rosey. Strong, cloudy and with a slight fizz. My advice is stay clear of the ones mentioned by zaccety search out a real, quality product!
I agree to a certain extent, but I feel that real cider doesn't get the backing and marketing that it should. Also if magners are making huge sales then can cider producers produce a simmilar real cider? People also need to back it aswell as help it to become widely available.
Hey, thanks for raising the subject of real cider, nothing can beat it , thats for sure! at the end of the year I will be running a cider making course here at river cottage, so if any of you are interested, please go on to the main river cottage web site and look under events and courses, and click on cider making to register your interest, should be a really good day!
I think you're all being a bit unfair!! Personally I prefer the light and crispy fresh taste of a strongbow, or even bulmers (at a push!!!). Who wants to drink that horrid dark nonsense!?!? It just gives you a bad tummy (and I should know!!) And anyway, they don't make real cider strong enough, I mean there's nothing to touch diamond white for strenght AND taste!!!
I so agree with this! Real cider is the only way to go. I look on in horror when in a Pub and fab real ales and ciders available and they go for those wishy washy weak fizzy apples juices. But worse than that they serve them with ice!!! So it is even more watered down than when they start! I will be making my own apple joice / cider (however it turns out!) as I have a huge area to forage and collect apples by the sides of the roads that people just leave and ignore! I cannot wait now for the late summer / autumn season to start for apple picking! Bring on Real Cider!!!!