What a good year for our cider

Gwynt y Ddraig's multi-award winning Black Dragon cider, now available from supermarkets like Asda

HEAR the words “real cider” and once upon a time you might have been forgiven for having the Wurzels and deepest, rural Somerset pop into your mind.

Now, however, a true cider revolution is under way across Wales. The number of cider makers in the country has almost doubled in the past five years, with new small outfits continuing to pop up all over the place.

With May blossom just passed and summer now upon us, along with this year’s shenanigans around the increase of cider duty at Westminster, the drink seems to be more visible than ever, providing a timely reminder of just how much cider is enjoyed across the entire UK.

Hobbyists, professionals and enthusiastic cider drinkers, with support from under the umbrella of the Welsh Perry and Cider Society are working to dispel the image of cheap, get-drunk-quick brands reminiscent of youthful alcohol introductions, replacing it with more refined craft varieties that can be sipped, savoured and enjoyed with food in the same way as a good wine.

The Society was set up in 2002 as a not-for-profit organisation that aims to promote cider and perry made here in Wales, ideally from Welsh fruit. It provides assistance to existing and potential cider makers, as well as researching and regenerating orchards, and working to identify and conserve rare varieties of Welsh cider apples and perry pears.

Following funding from the Welsh Assembly Government’s Supply Chain Efficiencies Scheme, the society is ready to offer cider and perry makers a whole new level of support with plans to increase the number of orchards in Wales, increasing the supply of apples and pears available to cider and perry makers and therefore increasing the volume of cider and perry produced in Wales.

With staff and bespoke training courses, increased promotional activity through events and branding exercises will stress the purity and uniqueness of a craft product made in Wales from 100% juice, and with a move to using a greater proportion of indigenous Welsh varieties.

One of the most important developments to come will involve winning protected name status for Welsh cider so produced from pure juice from Welsh apples. The Society is in the process of applying for Protected Designation of Origin (PDO), which will assure the quality of ciders and perries produced to specific guidelines within Wales. In having this  status, it will give a greater recognition on an international level to the quality of cider and perry made here, placing it alongside other world-renowned protected names such as Cornish Clotted Cream and Jersey Royal Potatoes. Next year the Society will be consolidating international links further by inviting cider makers from other producing areas across the world to join in the inaugural International Craft Cider Festival.

This year, the pinnacle of the cider calendar in Wales is the annual Perry and Cider Festival held at a remote country inn in the heart of gastronomic Monmouthshire. The 40-odd cider makers from across the country travelled to the Clytha Arms outside Abergavenny over the Whitsun bank holiday weekend to show their new season drinks – bottled, bagged or barrelled.

The festival also plays host to the Welsh cidermaking championships. This year, Monmouthshire cider makers swept the board, with Springfield Cider, of Llangovan near Usk, was named Champion Cider, closely followed by Ty Bryn of Grosmont near Abergavenny, with bronze medal going to Rosie’s Triple D from Wrexham. The Champion perries were also dominated by the Monmouthshire makers. This time Ty Bryn took gold position, Raglan Cider Mill had silver, and Troggi from Earlswood near Chepstow, a bronze.

Welsh cidermakers have also been picking up gongs elsewhere. At the recent Great Welsh Beer and Cider Festival, CAMRA held qualifying rounds for their 2011 UK Championships in which Gwynt Y Ddraig (from Llantwit Fadre, Pontypridd), CJ’s Cider (Raglan, Monmouthshire), Rosie’s Triple D and Seidr Dai (Cardiff) were successfully chosen to go through.

One of the Society’s largest producing members, Gwynt Y Ddraig, took Silver at this year’s CAMRA UK Championships with its Black Dragon Cider. The same cider that has now qualified for next year’s competition. Rosie’s Triple D has also had a good year so far,  winning second prize for its sweet cider at Hereford Cider Museum’s International Festival, and highly commended in the bottle class at the Royal Bath & West Show.

Will there be more awards to come? We hope so. However, for now, Welsh cider has proven that it has moved a long way from the West Country. And from the Wurzels.