Cider

[from the land downunder]

So, just wondering what the hell is cider!

Forgive me i am from Australia, is there and Australian equivalent? and if not is cider nice, many people speak about this mystical beverage so i fell is am to fit in a Glastonbury i should know?

[reni]

So, just wondering what the hell is cider!

Forgive me i am from Australia, is there and Australian equivalent? and if not is cider nice, many people speak about this mystical beverage so i fell is am to fit in a Glastonbury i should know?

[CalvertsGhost]

So, just wondering what the hell is cider!

Forgive me i am from Australia, is there and Australian equivalent? and if not is cider nice, many people speak about this mystical beverage so i fell is am to fit in a Glastonbury i should know?

[Gingerbond]

Surely cider must be sold in Australia?

[ukslim]

Really? They don't have cider in Australia? What do 15 year olds drink before they learn to love beer?

Seriously, it's what you get when you ferment apples. In some parts of Britain (mostly Somerset, where Glastonbury is), it's the traditional alcoholic drink. There are some good grown up ciders there, such as the tart, dry Burrow Hill cider served from the bus near the Pyramid stage.

But I wasn't joking about the 15 year olds. Cider was sort of the original alcopop, being made in sweet, mass produced varieties. Strongbow, White Lightning, K, etc.

Frankly, I think Brothers is that second variety. It goes down easy, but it's just pop really.

Will anyone contradict me if I say there's a lot more depth and variety in the world of beer?

[Mardy]

An Australian cider maker:

http://www.thorogoods.com.au/cider-shop

[Josie's Cat]

I want to try this Suicider http://www.somersetmade.co.uk/oldscrump/ci...ms/wiscombe.php

just for the name really!

It's funny that website is called somersetmade.co.uk but this cider is from Devon.

I love cider, Kent is another county that produces it, being the 'garden of England' and all.

Personally I like cold and fizzy, the still cloudy stuff look's like horse wee, so it puts me off!

Edited October 9, 2009 by Josie's Cat

[Paul ™]

You do get cider in Australia, just harder to find

[smytho15]

I want to try this Suicider http://www.somersetmade.co.uk/oldscrump/ci...ms/wiscombe.php

just for the name really!

It's funny that website is called somersetmade.co.uk but this cider is from Devon.

I love cider, Kent is another county that produces it, being the 'garden of England' and all.

Personally I like cold and fizzy, the still cloudy stuff look's like horse wee, so it puts me off!

[cejx]

being from Herefordshire (ish)... tis the finest cider producing county in the land! Westons organic - they sell world wide. Yum Yum.

We also have perry which is a cider produced from pears... not to be confused with pear cider... perry is produced from a specific pear! The famous Brothers Pear cider at Glastonbury is not a perry, but is gorgeous and gets you drunk from the legs up. Stay clear of the yucky flavoured ones tho!

Unfortunately, Hereford is also home to Bulmers... of the famous "Wrongbow" - the choice of many 14 year olds. Stay clear of this. its vile!

[Mardy]

Kent cider is Kick arse stuff too Biddenden come in at about 9% and is so nice but if i have 3 i am smashed so the girlfriend has banned it when we go to the pub that sells it. however i do have a crafty one when i go there alone.

[Josie's Cat]

I used to live near Biddenden - and also a few minutes walk from the Merrydown brewery (is it brewery for cider? Or something else?) in Sussex - I think cider is obviously my drink!

Apart from Strongbow, which I do like (I'm a cider slut, no shame) which gives me a headache just looking at the cans.

[Mark E. Spliff]

Good replies from everyone else. Particularly the overall opinion that, if you're the type of person that prefers a can of extra-strength supermarket lager over a pint of real ale, then go for the Brothers stuff. Otherwise, stick with Burrows Hill - brilliant cider.

And as far as cider in Australia goes, here's what Wikipedia has to say on the subject:

In Australia, 'cider' is considered an alcoholic beverage made from apples. The most popular brands of alcoholic cider in Australia are Strongbow, and Mercury Cider made at the Cascade Brewery in Hobart, Tasmania. Cascade's 'Apple Isle' Sparkling Apple Juice is the most popular selling brand of non-alcoholic cider in Australia. Alcoholic cider is sold in bottleshops, while the non-alcoholic version is stocked in the soft-drink aisles of supermarkets. Three Oaks Cider made in South Australia by Vok Beverages has recently entered the market and is the only Australian Cider sold in 375ml cans. Pipsqueak brewed by Little Creatures (brewery) in Fremantle, Western Australia is a new player in the Cider market. Recently, Tooheys released Tooheys Extra Dry 5 Seeds Cider, which is Tooheys first foray into the cider market.

[Dukeicon]

Looks like I wont be moving to Australia! I love my cider too much to go without it!!

[Langdale Wolf]

You want to find some really cloudy stuff - that's the best.

I prefer Burrow Hill to Brothers, but to be honest, that's like asking if I'd prefer to have my man-MOT carried out by Beyonce or Natalie Imbruglia.

[Alf Tupper]

So, just wondering what the hell is cider!

Forgive me i am from Australia, is there and Australian equivalent? and if not is cider nice, many people speak about this mystical beverage so i fell is am to fit in a Glastonbury i should know?

Edited October 9, 2009 by Alf Tupper

[LondonTom]

So, just wondering what the hell is cider!

Forgive me i am from Australia, is there and Australian equivalent? and if not is cider nice, many people speak about this mystical beverage so i fell is am to fit in a Glastonbury i should know?

[DreadlockDan]

I want to try this Suicider http://www.somersetmade.co.uk/oldscrump/ci...ms/wiscombe.php

just for the name really!

It's funny that website is called somersetmade.co.uk but this cider is from Devon.

I love cider, Kent is another county that produces it, being the 'garden of England' and all.

Personally I like cold and fizzy, the still cloudy stuff look's like horse wee, so it puts me off!

[tonyonekenobi]

My mates in Oz just now.

Last time I spoke to her she mentioned thath she'd been drinking Strongbow.

[AndyR]

How many varieties are available at the festival? Quite partial to the odd one or five.

[joser1974]

i aint drank cider for a while now but i'm going to start again tomorrow with a big session just to get in a bit of practice. don't want to be under-prepared for these festival strength beverages

[ukslim]

mix into a snakebite which isn't to bad, fosters, Strongbow and blackcurrant cordial

[Paul ™]

That, sir, would be a 'snakebite and black'.

[shoptildrop]

Or as it's known up here.. a pint of Diesel

[cejx]

blah!! never did like that stuff!!! anything with blackcurrent in yuck bet you remember blastaway?!! lethal alcopop of times old......