About Real Cider & Perry
What is Real Cider & Perry?
CAMRA defines real Cider or Perry as being fermented from the whole juice of fresh pressed apples or pears, without the use of concentrated or chaptalised juices. It is shocking that many certain commercial ciders can have as little as 35% actual apple juice, the rest is water and sugars – this percentage is set by HMRC as a minimum. Good quality real cider and Perry will be 90% or more juice content.
#NotFromConcentrate is the Hashtag for our campaigning.
CAMRA set up a cider and perry committee to inform consumers about the choice of real cider and perry available and to encourage the producers to continue production.
CAMRA would like to encourage all pubs to stock at least one real cider or perry preferably, if possible, from a local stockist. There are now cider producers all round the country and not just the traditional cider counties of Devon, Somerset and Herefordshire.
Unlike real ale production, which brewing can happen at any time of the year, real cider & perry can only be made when the fruit is ripe. October is a very active time for producers, especially for those who make only a small amount of cider. Harvest time for cider fruit is roughly from September to November and by October production is in full flow.
Cider Alive in SE London
London hasn’t been a great place for cider in recent decades, but more recently a rise interest in Cider has seen many pubs retailing real cider rather than the fizzy stuff made from concentrate.
SE London pubs like the Blythe Hill Tavern have been stocking real cider for a few years with a good following.
The rise of the micro pub has seen other real cider outlets opening such as the Long Pond in Eltham, the Shirkers Rest in New Cross and River Ale House in East Greenwich.
The Miller in Snowsfields, SE1 has a number of cider handpumps and puts on its own large one day cider & perry festival in July each year.
Cider can be found in The Victoria just off Tower Bridge Road SE1 and not far in Borough Market The London Cider House.
Cider making itself is alive and well in our Branch area with an award winner produced in Eltham and also an allotment based operation in Honor Oak Park, One Tree Hill cider with a public open day for pressing apples. They both source apples from local back gardens that would otherwise go to waste. These ciders are usually to be found at our Branch beer and cider festival in May.
Our branch hosts a one-day cider festival at the Matchstick Pie house Theatre (Between New Cross and Deptford), normally held in April.
More Information
More information about real cider & perry
