South East Essex Camra
Cider
September 2010
4th annual SE Essex CAMRA Cider and Perry Festival
September 17th and 18th 2010
Bar Lambs,
Lamb and Lion
270 Station Road,
Westcliff,
Essex
SS0 7SD
Westcliff Station on c2c line (Fenchurch Street to Shoeburyness line)
Friday 6pm to 11pm
Saturday 11am - 11pm
Free entry
Food available
At least 8 perries and 17 ciders including at least 3 from Essex.
Provisional Cider list:
Buffoon's Ribcracker
Totham Kneecracker
Paglesham Punch
Double Vision
Janet's Jungle Juice
Gwatkin Yarlington Mill
Wilkins
Gwynt Black Dragon
Crossmans
Original Moonshine
Gwatkin Stoke Red
Skippys
Springfield Sledgehammer
Rumtiddley Tum
Gwynt-y-Draig Pider
Provisional Perry list:
Impeared Vision
Gwynt-y-Draig Two Trees
Broad Oak
Hartland Farmhouse
Newton Court
Olivers
List correct at time of going to (cider) press!
There will also be at least 4 real ales on, including Essex LocAles.
October 2010
Saturday 16th October 2010
Planet Thanet Cider Trip by coach
Now booking : Please telephone Christine: 07789010545
Cider
Of The Festival 2008 Presentation
Tuesday
3rd March saw a short presentation take place
during our Branch Meeting at the Rose & crown in Rochford.
Christine Storer, aka Cider Woman, presented a framed certificate to
Trevor Buffett for winning Cider of the Festival in November 2008 with
Buffoon's Ribcracker. Congratulating him, she also mentioned that his
excellent cider had come second in the East Anglian regional cider
contest that had been judged in Norwich last year.Trevor thanked the branch and mentioned that several people, including the GBBF, had approached him to supply his cider to their festivals. He stated that being a craft cider maker he can only produce small quantities each season, but assured us that his priority would always be to supply the Rochford Beer and Cider Festival.
National Cider Pub of the year
After
finishing runner-up for the previous two years, the Square &
Compass in Worth Matravers, 
Dorset
finally wins the right to call
itself CAMRA's National Cider Pub of the Year. One of only nine pubs in
the UK to have appeared in all 36 editions of the CAMRA Good Beer
Guide, it is full of character, boasting a rich family history with
many features of its 250 year existence remaining intact. An unique
feature is the museum housing fossils and artifacts from the village's
past.
Andrea Briers, Chair of CAMRA's Cider and Perry Committee said, "It is of little coincidence how a pub that has such a fantastic array of local cider and perries, and a rich family history, has won so many industry accolades. The pub is quite simply a true success story among discerning pub-goers, and a beacon of light in a time where pub closures continually blight the media landscape."
Contact details: Square & Compass, Worth Matravers, Dorset, BH19 3LF Tel: 01929 439229
The Pomona Award 2008
Roger Wilkins, of Wilkins Cider, Lands End Farm, Mudgley, near Wedmore, Somerset, scooped the award for his lifelong devotion to producing some of the most renowned cider in the county. Wilkins's contribution to the industry is so well-appreciated that customers have been buying from the Farm for over thirty years.
The Pomona Award is named after the Roman Goddess of apples and is presented by CAMRA to the person, place or thing who has done the most to promote real cider or perry primarily over the previous twelve months and secondarily, where there is no outstanding contender in the last twelve months, for ongoing work.
Roger Wilkins said, "I am delighted to receive this recognition for doing something that I love and for carrying on the tradition of farmhouse cider-making that my grandfather taught me. I must also thank all the people who have supported my work over the years, and I hope they have enjoyed my cider."
Wilkins has been winning CAMRA awards since the 1980's, most notably taking the Cider of the Year accolade at both the 1988 and 1989 Great British Beer Festival. He took over the family business after the death of his grandfather in 1969, and to this day produces up to 20,000 gallons of cider per year. Wilkins also has a concern for tradition, keeping alive the ancient tradition of wassailing, held every January.
Sarah Newson, Vice Chair of CAMRA's Cider & Perry Committee said, "This phenomenal contributor to the industry thoroughly deserves this award for his sheer enthusiasm and commitment to producing the best real cider. With his farm overlooking Westhay Moor Valley, Roger could not produce cider in a more stunning location. Maybe these surroundings have been the inspiration for his continued success!"
Champion
Cider & Perry of Britain 2008
The best ciders and perrys in Britain were sampled over two days by judges at the festival. The judging panel described the winning Green Valley Farmhouse Vintage Cyder as having "a lovely ‘proper cider' aroma, like an Autumn morning. It was easy drinking with a pleasant lingering aftertaste."
Chris Coles, of Green Valley Cyder said, "We are over the moon about this award. We didn't expect to be on the rostrum again. It's a great accolade for the orchard in Woodbury Salterton, where the apples came from, because it was this same orchard which won us bronze last year. We must be doing something right!"
Gregg's Pit Perry, produced by Herefordshire based Gregg's Pit Cider and Perry, won the national Gold Award for best perry. The judges described the winning perry as "A balance of citrus aroma with a winey aftertaste. Fabulous."
James Marsden, of Gregg's Pit Cider & Perry said, "We are delighted to have won this accolade from CAMRA whose members have been great supporters of our products over the last 14 years. It's a tribute to the quality of the fruit we use, the care we devote to our perry making and to the wonderful lady who taught us much of what we know now - Jean Nowell, the former owner of Lyne Down."
Cider
Perry
GOLD:
Green
Valley Cider - Vintage Farmhouse (Devon)
GOLD:
Gregg's
Pit Perry (Herefordshire.)
SILVER:
West
Croft - Janet's Jungle Juice (Somerset)
SILVER:
Ross-on-Wye Perry (Herefordshire)
BRONZE:
Blaengawney
- Cider (Gwent)
BRONZE:
Hartland's
Perry (Gloucestershire)
Phil
Kempton, CAMRA's Director for Cider said, "I would like to congratulate
all of the producers that won awards at CAMRA's National Cider
& Perry Championships. Britain is currently producing a superb
variety of real ciders and perrys and I would urge anyone who has
perhaps tried a mass-produced fizzy cider or perry in the past to try a
drop of the real stuff. You will not find anything better and will not
be disappointed!"
Annual
Price Survey 2008
CAMRA's
latest survey of pub prices across Britain has been released. It shows
that the average price of real cider has increased by 7% to
£2.63, but this is still better value than keg ciders at
£2.67 a pint.
Over 1,000 pubs were surveyed in CAMRA's annual survey of pub process
that was conducted between 24th January and 24th
February.
The
apple is "The most important fruit in the world. It inspired Isaac
Newton's laws of gravity; it keeps the doctor away if consumed on a
daily basis; it tastes so lovely, not even Adam and Eve could resist
its charms; and, most exciting of all, it's the (ahem) core ingredient
of cider!"
What
is Real Cider & Perry?
Real
cider and real perry are long-established traditional drinks produced
naturally from apples and pears. Neither are carbonated nor pasteurised.
Apples used are cider apples, which are grown specifically for making cider, although in the Eastern counties - Kent up to Norfolk (including Sussex) - it is traditional to use a mixture of eating and cooking apples. Some Norfolk producers are growing cider apples as well.
Cider
apples are smaller, harder and lack the unblemished attractiveness of
eaters and cookers. They are generically identified as "Bittersweets",
"Sweets", "Sharps" and "Bittersharps", all having different
characteristics. This is why most ciders are made from a variety of
apples.
Pears
used are perry pears, which tend to be smaller and harder then
dessert pears. They are grown specifically for perry production.
In
recent years, a number of producers have started making cider and
perry from single varieties of fruit; these produce an interesting and
sometimes surprising result from a tasting point of view. Whilst cider
comes in dry, medium sweet and sweet styles, perry is normally medium
sweet or sweet.
Production
generally begins in September and continues through to early
in the New Year, and, depending on ambient temperatures, fermentation
can take until the following spring.
For a more comprehensive definition of real cider and perry, please see
www.camra.org.uk
Matching
Cider Co. 01277
890519
Pitfield
Beer Shop
www.pitfieldbeershop.co.uk
Trevor Buffit (Canewdon) 01702 258784 Totham Kneecracker 01621 892946
Previous
Winners of the Champion Cider & Perry of Britain Award
2007
Cider
Perry
GOLD:
West Croft -
Janet's Jungle Juice
GOLD: Hartland's Perry
SILVER:
Cornish Orchards
– Dry
SILVER:
Newton
Court
BRONZE: Green Valley
Cider - Vintage Farmhouse BRONZE: Gwatkin Malvern
Hills
2006
Cider
Perry
GOLD:
Hecks - Kingston
Black
GOLD:
Seidr Dai
SILVER:
Harechurch
– Dry
SILVER:
Ross on
Wye, Broom Farm
BRONZE: Dening's
– Medium
BRONZE:
Mr
Whiteheads
2005
Cider
Perry
GOLD:
Ralph's - 3B's
GOLD: Gwynt Y Ddraig -
Red & Green Longdon
SILVER:
Upton –
Sweet
SILVER:
Minchews
BRONZE: Newton Court
– Medium
BRONZE:
Hecks - Farmhouse
2004
Cider
Perry
GOLD:
Gwynt Y Ddraig
– Medium
GOLD:
Gwatkin -
Blakeney Red
SILVER:
Upton –
Sweet
SILVER:
Summers
BRONZE: Dunkertons
– Medium
BRONZE:
Butford
Farm - Dry
2003
Cider
Perry
GOLD:
Summers
– Medium
GOLD:
Hartland's - Sweet
SILVER:
Gwynt Y Ddraig
– Medium
SILVER:
Double
Vision - Medium
BRONZE: Hecks –
Hangdown
BRONZE:
Barkers -
Dry
2002
Cider
Perry
GOLD:
Gwatkin -
Yarlington Mill
GOLD:
Minchews -
Blakeney Red
SILVER:
Cornish Orchards
SILVER:
Hindlip -
Sweet
BRONZE:
Burrow Hill
– Sweet
BRONZE:
Hecks - Hendry
Huffcap
2001
Cider
Perry
GOLD:
Weston's - Old
Rosie
GOLD:
Hecks - Hendry
Huffcap
SILVER:
Dunkertons
– Organic
SILVER:
Franklin
BRONZE:
Gwatkin
– Foxwhelp
BRONZE:
Gwatkin -
Oldfield
2000
Cider
Perry
GOLD:
Weston's - Old
Rosie
GOLD:
Dunkertons - Perry
SILVER:
Gwatkin -
Yarlington Mill
SILVER:
Westons
BRONZE:
Luscombe
– Dry
BRONZE:
Gwatkin -
Oldfield
Previous
Winners of the National Cider & Perry Pub of the Year Award
2007
Winner
Runners Up
The Valley Bar,
Scarborough, Yorkshire.
The
Bell Inn, Caerleon,
Gwent.
The Pembury Tavern, Hackney, London.
Square & Compass, Worth Matravers.
2006
Winner
Runners Up
The Old Poets'
Corner, Ashover, Derbyshire.
The
Penrhyn Arms, Penrynside, Conwy.
The Banham Barrel, Banham, Norfolk.
Square & Compass, Worth Matravers.
2005
Winner
Runners Up
The Miners Arms,
Lydney, Gloucstershire.
The
Brandy Wharf Cider Centre,
Lincolnshire.
The Wellington, Birmingham.
The White Horse, Hedgerley, Bucks.
March
2007:
Annual
Prices Survey
These pubs were a mixture of managed, tenanted and free houses and pubs owned by brewers and pub companies.
The Retail Price Index (RPI) in the year Feb 2006 - Feb 2007 was 4.2%. Details of past surveys are available from CAMRA.
For
more
information contact:
CAMRA
press office: 01727 798443
CAMRA
Chief Executive Mike Benner: 01727 798441 mob:
07971 591224
Head
of Public Affairs Jonathan Mail: 01727 798448. mob:
07720 724733
Research and Information Manager Iain Loe: 01727 798449. mob: 07801 706607
June
2007:
Petition
The
European Union are reviewing the 70hl (1500 gallon) tax exemption for
small craft cidermakers. Things are looking far from rosy and those
involved are having to tread warily in case the all-seeing eye of the
EU focuses too tightly on the current exemption solely enjoyed by UK
craft ci
Peter
Hughes of Borough Market and Barry Topp of New Forest Cider have
set up an on-line Downing Street petition to the PM and UK government
to gather support for this issue. If more than 250 signatures are
received, then a "ministerial response" is triggered.
July
2007:
Bottle
Conditioned Cider
A
new competition for East Anglian bottle conditioned cider has been held
at the Cambridge Beer Festival. Twelve ciders were entered and the
winner was "Old Spot" from Pickled Pig Cider. Second place went to the
Hereward Brewery for their "Medium Dry Cider" whilst "Yarlingt
Sept
2007:
Rochford's
First Cider & Perry Festival
We
held our first cider & perry festival on Saturday 22nd
and Sunday 23rd September at Blanchfield's Bar,
Rochford.
Nov
2007:
The
Big Apple Wins The Pomona Award 2007
The
Big Apple Association has won CAMRA's Pomona Award 2007 for its work
promoting apples and orchards.
Gillian Williams, CAMRA's Chair of Cider and Perry Campaigning, said,
"The Pomona Award is only given to those who have shown an unwavering
dedication to promoting delicious real cider and perry. Despite the
fact that The Big Apple Association is a small community organisation,
run entirely by volunteers and with very limited outside funding, they
have enjoyed tremendous success in promoting cider making in their area
and are worthy winners of the Pomona Award."
Secretary of the Big Apple Association, Jackie Denman, added, "Each one of us involved with the committee of the Big Apple Association in our corner of Herefordshire is absolutely thrilled to hear that CAMRA has picked us out to receive their coveted Pomona award. We're all involved with this community organization because we enjoy doing what we do. But the real reward for our efforts is in sharing the enthusiasm of cider and perry makers and watching them go from strength to strength.
There
is great satisfaction for us in seeing visitors trying and enjoying an
increasing range of their high quality products. It is great to see
that traditional orchards are being retained because they have a real
working purpose as well as a special place in the landscape. Our work
locally since 1989 parallels what CAMRA's Cider and Perry Committee has
been working for nationally. So we're especially proud that they have
recognized us - thank you CAMRA."
The
Big Apple Association was set up in 1989 to promote small scale
family farming dominant in Herefordshire. The group networks with local
farmers and cider producers to produce a programme of annual events
celebrating all aspects of apples and orchards.
Sept
2008:
Rochford's
Second Cider & Perry Festival
We held our second cider & perry festival on Friday 19th and Saturday 20th September at the Horse & Groom, Rochford. Opening hours were 11am - 11pm on both days and admission was free
Sept 2010
4th annual Cider and Perry Festival
September 17th to 19th 2010
At Bar lambs, Lamb and Lion, Station Road, Wesrcliff, Essex
At least 17 ciders and 8 perries including at least 3 from Essex.
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