As I look back over 2019 I think it will be remembered as somewhat of a defining year in cider’s history. Sure there were many firsts in 2018; Cider Salon, Pommeliers, etc. but it’s the second times, the repeats that really show something is taking hold. 2019 has given us that, plus so much more. CraftCon provided a platform for craft cider makers to learn, share and grow as a community. The Cider Salon mark 2 was bigger and bolder, taking over Bristol for a whole week and Ciderlands brought the world of cider tourism to Herefordshire. Cider clubs have launched all over the country bringing producers in direct contact with their customers to share their stories and passion. The way cider is now talked about, the language and vocabulary used, has leapt forward considerably. “Rethink cider” has become a slogan to promote a change in mentality of what cider is and can be. The tide is changing and 2020 is going to be a great year to ride the cider wave. Fine Cider Friday …

The other night I hit a little personal milestone. The 500th new cider or perry I’ve tasted in 2019. It wasn’t something I’d planned from the start of the year, but as the tastings and events and cidery visits snowballed it became a little, dimly-distant hare that I decided to chase. Finding myself in the aftermath of June’s Cider Salon on somewhere around the 300 mark it finally began to crystallise as an achievable target. And on Saturday night I opened, tasted and recorded number 500. As you’d expect, once I found myself tootling past 450 or so, a little time was spent idly pondering the potential identity of the 500th new taste. Scrattings was spooled; special bottles in the collection were set aside. I had in mind something suitably auspicious and celebratory; a pour from the slightly hazy and roughly-defined “fine” end of the ledger. Perhaps something champagne-method from Eve’s or Find & Foster. Or – we’re well into Christmas, after all – the unctuous decadence of a mouthcoating Eden, Brännland or Saragnat ice cider. I flirted with the …

“One more song, one more song,” the chants filled the air, the atmosphere pulsing with excitement. The coloured lights flickered across the ceiling, occasional shimmers of gold reflected off the crowd from a certain bold jacket (you know who you are). You could be forgiven for assuming that I’m at an arena but I’m not… this is the closing night of Ross Cider Festival being rocked by ‘Burnside’. Hidden away in an idyllic Herefordshire valley this annual event captures the heart of a small (by festival standards) but dedicated and extremely friendly crowd. My first visit with family and friends in tow certainly increased our love for Broome Farm and cemented what will from now on be our annual pilgrimage. As I sat in the main barn the following morning listening to Floaty & Special, whilst eating one last amazing stone baked pizza, I reflected on what was a marvellous weekend. Thursday’s Cider Club was the perfect start, with Haritz (aka Ciderzale) leading us on a wonderful Basque sidra journey. Acid led Sagardo naturala’s (natural ciders), a …

I have this flight of fancy, I walk into a pub and I ask “Do you have any ciders?” The response I get overwhelms me, “Certainly sir (it’s a very polite flight), we have traditional ciders, fruit ciders; both on draught and bottle, full juice and concentrate, single variety and blends. We’ve also got ice cider and a good selection of Perries.” Chances are if you live in Bristol, Manchester and maybe London, there might be a few establishments that could respond in a similar fashion to that. For the rest of us and particularly on my side of the Midlands (East) there is no chance. The reality for most of us if we say the ‘C’ word the response we can expect is “We’ve got a fruit cider and an apple one on tap and a few other fruit ones in bottle”. As I’ve encountered recently, sometimes they only have a fruit one on tap. They may also have no idea how they’re made or what they’re made from. Depending on your age you …