With this years Cider Salon in Bristol just over two weeks away, I thought it was time I let you all know about some wonderful creations from across the pond, that I was lucky enough to get samples of at last years event. Now the Salon isn’t just about the ciders, it’s also an opportunity to meet and talk to the makers, which is a fantastic chance to hear the real stories behind their creations and hear the passion they have for their craft. Ryan Burk – Angry Orchard First up is ‘Edu’ from Ryan Burk of Angry Orchard, a homage to a friend from Asturias. The bottle describes it as a complex cider made from bittersweet and sharp apples, taking its cues from Spanish cider makers. Ryan was sharing this cider along with his “Understood in Motion” collaboration with Tom Oliver, and another, but embarrassingly I can’t recall…it has been nearly a year… Angry Orchard Edu 6.9% Popping the crown cap I’m greeted by green apple and slight citrus aromas and there’s some volatile acidity …

For anyone who’s visited Devon or an English Heritage site or indeed your local large farm shop, chances are you’ve come across some of the many wines, liqueurs or ciders that Lyme Bay Winery produce. They are a multi (and I mean MULTI) award-winning producer, including from the International Cider Challenge.  They have been making cider from their home in Devon’s Axe Valley for over twenty years. Starting with traditional more simple varieties, such as their Jack Ratt Scrumpy or Vintage and now expanding it to more innovative flavours and combinations. Firstly a few years ago by expanding into the fruit cider arena with their Annings range, named after Mary Anning the world famous paleontologist who’s fossil finds along the Jurrasic Coast adorn the walls of the Natural History Museum in London. More recently they have launched a range of flavoured ciders called the Ammonite range, so named after the plentiful fossil of a long extinct marine mollusc. There is a theme here and it’s one of history and heritage that Lyme Bay Winery are …