Jan 21, 2018
Revellers braved the elements on Wednesday evening (17th January 2018) for the annual Wassail Ceremony held in Thatchers Cider’s orchards at Myrtle Farm and hosted at The Railway Inn, Sandford.
The Wassail is a traditional ceremony that sees apple trees blessed with cider and awoken from their winter slumber, ensuring a good harvest for the year ahead. Led by The Green Man and the Mendip Morrismen, the weird and wonderful celebrations include hanging cider-soaked toast in the branches of the Wassail tree, pouring cider onto the tree’s roots, and firing shotguns into the upper branches to scare away the evil spirits. That’s accompanied by singing, dancing and of course, mulled cider.
This year’s Wassail Queen was Olivia Damerell.
Martin Thatcher, fourth generation of the Somerset cidermaking family, is keen to keep traditions such as Wassailing alive, he says, “The Wassail is a great tradition which reminds us that orchards and cider have been a part of West Country life for hundreds of years.
“Despite the rain, everyone had a fun-filled evening, and warmed up with a delicious supper in the Railway Inn to round off the celebrations.”
Jan 19, 2018
We hope to bring you a series of new recipes using cider this year, to celebrate the great range and diversity of British ciders. Here is the first one from food blogger “The Fuss Free Foodie” using Sheppy’s to help create this lovely dish – visit the recipe page and watch the video here:
Mussels with bacon and Sheppy’s Cider
250ml Sheppys Vintage Cider
1.2kg Mussels, cleaned and debearded
100g Smoked streaky bacon, chopped
2 small shallots/1 large shallot, finely diced
2 tbsp sage, finely chopped
50ml double cream
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
Dash of olive oil
Pepper
1. Clean the mussels by removing any barnacles from the shells, removing the beards and swilling in water until the water runs clear. Tap any mussels that are open on the hinge to see if they close. If they remain open, discard them, as they are not alive. Also, remove any with cracked shells.
2. Put the olive into a large pan and heat on a medium-high heat. Add the bacon and fry until the fat has rendered down and the bacon has browned and is crispy.
3. Turn the heat down to a low to medium heat, add the sage and shallots and gently sweat for a few minutes until they translucent. Then add the garlic for a couple of minutes.
4. Turn the heat up high and add the cider and bring it up to a rolling boil, then add the mussels straightaway.
5. Place a lid on the pan and leave the heat on high. Keep shaking the pan to move the mussels around to ensure even cooking.
6. Cook for about 5-7 minutes, until all the mussels have opened. Remove the mussels from the pan with a slotted spoon to a clean dish, throwing away any that remain closed. Place the lid of the pan over them to keep them warm.
7. Keep the heat high under the pan, add the cream and reduce for a couple of minutes, season with a twist of pepper and then pour the liquor over the mussels. Leave the last few tablespoons in the bottom of the pan in case it has some grit in it.
8. Serve with some delicious bread to mop up the delicious creamy, salty cider broth!
Jan 17, 2018
January is a time for celebration in the cider orchards of Great Britain, and this week, that celebration moved to Westminster. The All Party Parliamentary Cider Group (APPCG) and The National Association of Cider Makers (NACM) reception was well attended with over 150 guests from across all the political parties and the drinks trade, gathering together to witness the range and diversity of this ancient British product.
The guests were shown brands from cider makers large and small, from across the country. Many use different apple varieties, different blends and have a very different taste, but its more than just apples they all have in common – it is pride. All of the people (and counties) involved in making cider for generations have a desire to share this wonderful tradition with others, with many orchard tours now available for tourists.
As NACM chair, Helen Thomas (Managing Director of Westons Cider) points out:
“The simplicity of the word cider belies the depth and breadth of this tremendous category. Look around and you will see that cider requires a vast number of adjectives to help to describe the wide range and styles of drinks presented here this evening.”
This versatility is reflected in the recipes and food matching ideas that are being generated, to help consumers learn about the nuances of the different styles and appreciate the tradition of cider making that has been carried out in Britain for centuries.
However, all is not completely rosy in the cider maker’s world. Challenges exist, with the introduction of a new duty band, risks for smaller cider makers tax thresholds, and consolidation of cider makers. As Helen explains:
“The cider makers here tonight need your support to return this important category to growth and whilst we are all grateful for the excise duty freeze in the last Budget, it is not enough to turn a market that has been declining since 2009. A 2p per pint duty reduction is needed this year.”
But as the industry looks to the year ahead and ancient Wassail ceremonies are held in orchards across the country to bless the trees and their crops, the message here is very much one of that we should all raise a toast to secure the future of our Great British ciders.
Ends
Notes
- NACM is the UK cider industry representative body, working on behalf of large and small producers
- For more information, contact pr@cideruk.com
Dec 21, 2017
It was with sadness that we heard this month about the passing of Peter Ellis, former managing director of Aston Manor Cider. In an announcement from the business, Chief Executive Gordon Johncox said:
“Peter had been ill for some time but faced his condition with huge courage and his normal humour. He always remained keen to hear the latest news from and performance of the business, he was extremely proud of Aston Manor and all who work here. Without Peter’s commitment, leadership and work over many years Aston Manor would not be the successful company it is.
At this moment our thoughts and prayers are with Peter’s family who are suffering such a tragic loss.”
Dec 19, 2017
Dabinett and Redwood are the two new ciders introduced into the Thatchers Cider Barn range for 2017/18.
The series of special vintage ciders feature small batch runs, with each cider demonstrating a particular skill or story about the apple varieties chosen. The ciders may use a single variety or dual variety, or a blend.
Thatchers Redwood, 6.0% abv, is new to the range, blended from a selection of bittersweet and culinary apples including Katy, Harry Masters, Dabinett and Yarlington Mill. Infusing with new oak during maturation adds a subtle vanilla note. Redwood is a golden cider with a rich and intense character.
The second cider to be introduced is Dabinett. Crafted from the Dabinett apple, this single variety, 5.3% abv cider, is soft and full bodied, with hints of vanilla aroma. The Dabinett apple, which was first discovered in the 1900s, creates a medium sweet cider that is amber in colour and has a full rounded mouthfeel. It makes a welcome return to the Thatchers range following a few years’ break.
In 2016 Thatchers released its 8.4% Redstreak Cider within the Cider Barn range, which has gone onto receive acclaim from industry experts, winning the Supreme Champion at the International Cider Challenge, and most recently named the World’s Best Sparkling Cider in the World Cider Awards. Redstreak, a single variety cider, embraces the cuvage technique, where the apples are milled and then held for a day before pressing out the juice. This single variety cider is crafted from the historic Redstreak cider apple, which has been grown in Somerset since the 16th century. The red and yellow striped bittersweet apple is one of our cidermakers’ favourites. Thatchers Redstreak is a bold, peppery cider with a spicy apple pie flavour, a smooth mouthfeel and deep, rich colour.
Redstreak will continue to be a part of the Cider Barn range in 2017/18.
Martin Thatcher, fourth generation cidermaker says, “Being able to produce batch ciders with some of our favourite apple varieties of each harvest is a real joy. This year Redwood has enabled us to look at new ways of maturing this cider – by infusing with new oak, we have been able to create a rich, intense character to this cider.
“The Dabinett apple has long been recognised as an outstanding English cider apple, producing an excellent quality cider. The cider is bright and golden, and will appeal to those who like a fine, robust, traditional cider.”
All three Thatchers Cider Barn ciders are now available in Thatchers Cider Shop in Sandford, Somerset, and online at www.thatcherscider.co.uk.
