Cider Lore
Timeline
Wild apples originate in Central Asia and spread throughout Europe – Today these would be recognised as our native crab apples
The ancestor of modern, domestic apples moves west from the Tien Shan mountains with traders along the Silk Road
Evidence suggests that Celtic Britons were making and drinking a primitive form of cider from crab apples
Romans invade Great Britain, bringing with them their domestic apple varieties and orchard techniques
The Middle Ages prove a quiet time for cider, with much knowledge and understanding of apples and cider lost
After the Invasion, the Normans brought over superior, high tannin cider apples, improved orcharding and advanced pressing technology
The Wycliffe ‘Cider’ Bible is published. It gets its name owing to the translation of the verse, ‘For he (John the Baptist) shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor cider’
Christopher Merret delivers a paper to the Royal Society detailing his experiments of fermenting cider in strengthened bottles, a method popularised in Champagne, but crucially, 6 years before pioneer Dom Perignon was even born!
Lord Bute’s Government introduces a tax on cider leading to ‘cider riots’ in the West of England. It also led to the phrase ‘an Englishman’s home is his castle’, coined by William Pitt the Elder, describing the layman’s right to protect his private property from entry by the tax man
True commercial cider production begins. Producers begin to purchase apples and make cider for sale, rather than for the farm
Truck, the practice of part payment of wages for farm labourers with cider, is officially deemed illegal, but continues well into the 20th century. Up to 8 pints a day were on offer for the best workers!
Cider making and orchard management techniques improved to increase yield and consistency to match increasing consumer demand
