Perry Cider

[soad]

Who ever knew it tasted so nice? I always overlooked it in favour of beer. Thinking (mistakenly perhaps) cheap cider was homeless/alcoholics drink of choice.

Sampled some yesterday, Brothers mixed pear Strawberry/Lemon flavoured ones, found them easily drinkable, but a bit lacking in flavour.

Also had a bottle of Gaymers pear cider - was very nice, sweet, bargain at £1 per bottle.

I guess that above taste totally different to a normal apple cider which is drier, less sweet in flavour.

Erm, it brings back childhood summer memories in my Grandparents house. Any surplus apples would be taken away to be pressed. Acquired juice fermented at home, turning it into alcohol. Strangely Grandpa called it “wine”. Cannot recall tasting it…

[Plotloss]

Brothers Festival Strength.

Best enjoyed in a field in Somerset.

[HectorOldbranch]

Morrisons were doing Rekorderlig ( I think thats how its spelt ) a while back at £1 a bottle. I went through a phase of buying one on the way home putting it in the freezer so by dinner time it was almost a slush.

Most most quaffable.

[bint]

Perry and cider are two different things.

Pear cider is made with pears (Brothers Festival strength is ace) and fizzy.

Perry is made with Perry pears and is usually still - more like a dry white wine.

[kiteless]

bint said:

Perry and cider are two different things.

Pear cider is made with pears (Brothers Festival strength is ace) and fizzy.

Perry is made with Perry pears and is usually still - more like a dry white wine.

Apples = cider

Pears = perry

The fizz factor matters not.

For example, Broadoak Perry is fvcking delicious; has a natural light carbonation achieved through fermentation, is sweet and sharp, and will knock you out after 4 or 5 pints of the stuff.

[ClassicMercs]

Perry is overlooked - but don't tell everyone. There are not enough trees to grow enough pears to meet potential demand. The trees that do exist are often centuries old, although many new ones are being planted.

I would personally suggest you try something from the less 'commercial' brands (including Westons et al) - something more 'artisan'.
Dunkertons is good for all perry and cider - and Ivor is a character - and available I think in Waitrose.
Also Gwatkin or Olivers, but more specialist to get hold of. Having something specialist like York Beer and Wine Shop nearby helps. In fact why not do what I did. Get a good holiday cottage in Hereford and have a fun week. Keep plenty of space in the car for the return journey !

One word of warning for your palette. The artisan products are generally dryer - moving from a commercial brand you will want to start with a medium 'artisan' to adjust your palette. Some of the dry stuff really does become dry and full of tannin.

However, each is very different. If your ever come across 'moonshine' (think thats what its was called) its like drinking syrup - 8%'ish - which for a perry is as strong as it gets. You only need a half (to share with someone).

[Stu R]

kiteless said:

bint said:

Perry and cider are two different things.

Pear cider is made with pears (Brothers Festival strength is ace) and fizzy.

Perry is made with Perry pears and is usually still - more like a dry white wine.

Apples = cider

Pears = perry

The fizz factor matters not.

For example, Broadoak Perry is fvcking delicious; has a natural light carbonation achieved through fermentation, is sweet and sharp, and will knock you out after 4 or 5 pints of the stuff.

I've always understood it as:

Perry is made exclusively with Perry pears.

Pear cider that's made from something other than Perry Pears, is Pear Cider.

Pear flavoured cider (ala magners pear rubbish) is just normal cider with pear flavouring added.

Edited by Stu R on Tuesday 19th January 01:02

[bint]

Stu R said:

I've always understood it as:

Perry is made exclusively with Perry pears.

Pear cider that's made from something other than Perry Pears, is Pear Cider.

Pear flavoured cider (ala magners pear rubbish) is just normal cider with pear flavouring added.

Ar, that's kind of what I was trying to say - you did it better.....

However, I thought I'd do a quick Google and find a definitive answer, then thought, who would PHers trust most? Wiki can be dubious due to the open editing, but then I stumbled upon the CAMRA definition!

http://www.camra.org.uk/page.aspx?o=aboutciderandp...

What it has to say about Perry;

CAMRA said:

Perry is a drink so difficult to find that most people don't even know of its existence.

* This drink is made exactly the same way as cider is from apples, perry is from perry pears.
* Like cider apples; perry pears are grown specifically for perry production.

[soad]

Thanks for correcting me, i was talking about pear cider. Typed it wrong in the main title, my apologies.

[Simpo Two]

The marketing people have got the masses to know what cider is (if you call Magners cider).

So now they 'segment the market' by changing the fruit, but have to leave the word 'cider' in the name otherwise nobody will know what it is. I expect there will cherry cider next year...

[kiteless]

ClassicMercs said:

Good things

Especially concerning Gwatkin and Dunkerton, as I can also vouch for their goodness (tried at the annual cider festival at The "Tiddlywink" near Ellerdine Heath!).

[TubbyRutter]

I am partial to a babycham now abnd again!