An Introduction to Cider

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. When life gives you apples, you’re in business. The fermentation of 1 of your 5 a day leads to a beverage that has been at the forefront of the UK brewing scene for millennia. The UK consumes more cider per capita than any other country in the world and for good reason. Cider is an incredibly versatile product and when paired with perry and other such fruits, becomes one of the most sought after alcoholic drinks in the world. We showcase the best from our local cider breweries, to the UK’s most loved cider brands, to the world’s most unusual, a combination that we have become renowned for.

History
The origins behind cider are difficult to pinpoint, although the Roman invasion of the UK is often used as a reference for this, stating that Julius Cesar himself enjoyed a traditional cider on the odd occasion he had no Italian wine to hand. The traditional strong cider instincts were well rooted up to 1066 AD, when the Norman invasion brought multiple new varieties of apple from the continent and committed to plant many orchards up and down the country. It soon became a vital part of society, being used as a payment method for farm labourers, as well as being a large industry for the farms and Monasteries themselves, well up to the 1800’s, where changes in agriculture resulted in a decline in cider production. The twentieth century saw a revival in bottled cider; the more commonly produced ciders then gave way to a more recent craft trend of organic cider in the UK and hard cider in the USA.

Definitions
Apple cider is an alcoholic drink made from apple juice that has been fermented.
Pear cider is made from fermented pear juice to create an alcoholic beverage.
Organic cider is produced from organically certified fruit and it passes strict regulations to be labelled as such.

Hard cider is what cider is known as in the USA. Soft cider is what we would call apple juice.
Sparkling cider is made from fruit cider and is naturally carbonated, while still cider does not have any carbonation.

A sweet cider has a high sugar content in comparison to a dry cider, which in turn tends to have a higher alcohol percentage than a sweet cider.

A scrumpy is traditionally made in the West Country and it can be described as a rough cider with a high ABV, normally of 7% or higher. It was used as a form of currency for farm labourers and can be very desirable despite its harsh nature.

Mother’s Day Cider Pack  – only £29.99
This year Beers of Europe have a special offer for Mother’s Day, our Cider Mixed 12 pack for only £29.99 and you will find a real tasty cider journey inside –

Angry Orchard Hard Cider 500ml
Annings Strawberry and Lyme Fruit Cider
Blakstoc Quincy Jo and Hops
Brothers Wild Fruit Cider
Celtic Marches Lily the Pink Cider Can
Cidre Breton Brut Traditional 330ml
Cornwall Cider Co Apple Slayer
El Gaitero Red Grape Cider
Herrljunga Blackcurrant and Lime Cider 500ml
Himachal Premium Indian Cider
Mayador Cider
Sheppys Raspberry Cider