Ciderhouse News - June 2014

We're approaching 'Peak-Cider' time here at Rockingham Forest Cider, with both cider and perry (almost) literally flowing out of the ciderhouse and straight down the throats of thirsty customers. Almost! We do have to transfer the golden liquid into boxes and barrels to aid this process. Licensees help too with their fancy 'glasses' and stoneware cider mugs, for which we thank them.

It's an inevitable reaction to the hot weather. People prefer to move around a lot less in the heat, and what then are they to do with those idle hands and moribund legs? Might as well shuffle to the bar and order a pint. That's where we come in..

This coming weekend you might want to shuffle over to Oakham for pints (or halves) of cider at the almost accurately named Oakham Ale Trail. Fear not cider and perry lovers, it's not all malt'n'hop in the capital of Rutlandshire. Our regular outlet in the town, the terrific White Lion, has expanded its range to include our Vilberie Cider, Red Kite Cider, and Green Horse Perry. Exotic 'foreign' cider will also be available from 'Udders Orchard of 'Uddersfield-in-the-North. Rare and unusual beers will also be available, as well as Maria's rare and tasty 'Craft' Pies (fully endorsed by the Rockingham Forest Cider branch of the Campaign for Real Pies) as well as other food type things.

Staying in Rutland for a moment, our Red Kite Cider will also be available at a mini-beer festival at the Exeter Arms, Barrowden. I haven't got a good picture of the Exeter Arms, but this photo of Saturday afternoon Cribbage play in the bar gives an idea of the kind of traditional village local it is. It's also home to the Barrowden Brewery, so expect some of the beers to have been sourced from literally 'yards' away.

Continuing to stay in Rutland for just one more paragraph, a Rockingham Forest Cider blend continues to be on tap at the bijou Veranda Cafe at Wing Hall. Great food and regular live music evenings here too, including the fabulous Latin Jazz sounds of the Sven Klang Jazz Band on the evening of 5th of July.

In other news, the ciderhouse has now been fully fitted out with a vintage skittles table, something else to do with those idle hands and moribund legs in the Winter. This table will be making an appearance at the forthcoming Cottingham & Middleton Village Fete (5th July), as will a box of our Red Kite Cider. The date for this popular village event has (almost certainly) been set to celebrate the day after American Independence Day (possibly), although I haven't managed to get confirmation of this yet (and probably won't). Either way, come and celebrate 'something or other', with a glass of cider and a throw on the skittles table. It's what Summers were made for.

(Some) Cider is Go!

With earthquakes hitting the tiny, fragile village of Rutland almost every day now, the Rockingham Forest Cider Emergency Delivery Team have literally strolled into action ahead of the Easter weekend.

In a bizarre reversal of normal earthquake disaster behaviour, reports suggest refugees are literally pouring onto the Wing Hall Campsite, though sensibly equipped with caravans, BBQ's, and an array of emergency ball games. Supplies of Rockingham Forest Cider have now been car-lifted onto the site, and initial reports suggest that there should be plenty of buns and cake at the Veranda Cafe to see desperate campers through the weekend in relative comfort.

The White Lion line-up today

Meanwhile, Les at the White Lion in Oakham has reported that the pub was at the very epicentre of recent seismic activity. At the height of this mornings catastrophic event, glasses clinked alarmingly and Maria is understood to have been very fearful for her pies. Recent over-indugence of Hazelnut Porter by Les has so far not been ruled out as the source these dangerous vibations (boom-boom!).

Just to be on the safe side, we've delivered a stabilising box of cider to the pub, and can confirm that the pies have survived their ordeal intact and tasty as ever.

Trophy Wife

The Uppingham Fete, Flower and Produce Show comes around but once a year, which is just as well in my opinion. Winning prizes at this level of competition takes some effort. Late nights bottling and baking, early mornings straightening carrots and polishing Marrows. It takes real dedication, even without the aid of a hangover the size of Rutlandshire (more of which later...). So was it worth it?

Well, yes and no!

It's certainly true that the High Sheriff of Rutland will awake tomorrow wondering where half the county's silverware has gone. Three of the coveted Flower Show Cups have now been smuggled across the border to a small village in Northamptonshire. We're particularly pleased to have retained the Mathews Rose Cup, but we also won the Uppingham Home Produce Association Cup, and the mighty Uppingham Flower Show Cup for the most points in show. There are of course many Cups, but there's only one Uppingham Flower Show Cup. It's a kind of 'One Cup' to rule them all, and rest assured, we're keeping it safe, keeping it secret...


Our Cups Runneth Over

The downside of all this is that I won't be getting my name on any of this hard-won booty. Each year we take it in turns to 'own' the entries, and this year it was Karens turn. Her name, and her name only, will be inscribed on the silverware for all eternity. Bah! Not Fair!

Anyway, back to that epic hangover, brought on by a late-late night of fried Lough Neagh Eels, Chucklehead Cider, and an all-you-can-drink Wot's Occuring buffet in a secret location in Cottingham. Bad is it was, it could have been so much worse. The polite offer of a decadent dip in the Hot Tub was intriguing, but very sensibly declined. Another day maybe...

Hangovers like these need a jolly good feeding, so once the early morning business of delivering Karen's entries to Uppingham had been accomplished (I'm not bitter, honest...) , it was off for a bit of cosy comfort food. The Veranda Cafe Bar at Wing Hall provided the cure with homemade Cheese-topped Beef Chilli with Nachos (and 'stuff'), washed down with a restorative pint of Rockingham Forest Red Kite Cider. Goats Cheese Tart with Salad (and 'stuff') for the ladies. Both equally delicious, though for a hangover I can only really recommend one of the above... with cider of course!

We took the opportunity to deliver more of that Red Kite Cider to the Farm Shop and Cafe today, so they won't be running out any day soon. I'll also be delivering some of our Green Horse Perry in time for the live music session next Saturday (featuring multi-talented local muso-legend Chris Conway in cool Jazz mode). Karen will be available for autographs, and photos with the Trophys during the interval.

Ciderhouse News - July

• If you hurry, there's still time to catch this years Cheese, Cider & Perry Festival at the Criterion in Leicester. We popped in for a few halves on Thursday, and particularly enjoyed the Border Orchards Perry, and Sandford Orchards Fanny Bramble Cider (Cider with Blackberries). Quite a few of the ciders listed were being held in reserve, including our own Red Kite, and local Charnwood Cider from Leicestershire, so there should be plenty left for today and the week ahead.

• The first release of our new Kingston Black blend of cider has gone to Wing Hall, ready to service the needs of an influx of holiday campers. The Kingston Black is available in the Farm Shop, with Red Kite Cider available from Zia's cosy Veranda Cafe Bar.

• It's now only a week until the start of the 6th Tollemache Arms Beer Festival (1st - 7th August). Over 30 ales, ciders and perrys are promised, including our own, and Eves of Kettering. The weekend also incorporates the 2nd annual Music Festival, with 25 acts performing for our pleasure.

• The following weekend is the 3rd Raunds Cricket Club Beer Festival (11th - 14th August), featuring 28 ales, cider & perry, plus a whole bunch of entertainment on and off the pitch. I can now confirm that the cider and perry range for the weekend will be: Once Upon A Tree - Tumpy Ground Cider; Rockingham Forest - Kingston Black Cider, Red Kite Cider, Perry; Ross-on-Wye - Cider, Perry. The good folk of Raunds have a habit of drinking the cider and perry dry at this popular event, so we've increased the number of boxes/barrels we'll be supplying so there should be something available throughout the festival.

Weekend Welland Valley Wanderings... and Wing

Some memorable moments from one of the biggest weekends in the Welland Valley year:

The view from the George & Dragon, Seaton







Barrels and Mr Bip at the Red Lion


• Local legend Mr Bip rocks the Red Lion Middleton on Friday night, aided and abetted by a bus load of extremely up-for-it drinkers from the Shoulder of Mutton Weldon. If you want to know why our Green Horse Perry temporarily ran out on Saturday (and why the Red Lion floorboards may need replacing), the good folk of Weldon must (ahem!) shoulder some of the blame. Videos of the evening available 'under the counter' at the Red Lion...


• Excellent cider and perry range at Welland Valley Beer Festival newcomers the Fox Inn, Wilbarston. The Burrow Hill Cider was my pick of the festival, closely followed by the Parsons Choice. Served cool and delicious from the outside bar at the Fox, accompanied by the fleet-footed men and women of Braybrooke Morris. An excellent debut from the Foxters.


• Multiple cider re-orders for the Red Lion Middleton, as thirsty festival-goers drink the bar dry. Around 300 pints of our cider and perry were consumed over the weekend at the Red, plus another 100 or so of cider and perry from our friends at Charnwood, Ross, and Torkard. Excellent work from all the staff, particularly the glass washing team. You can't drink real ale and cider without a glass...



Ales, Cider & Perry at the Red Lion



• Whoever it was that organised the Lancaster Bomber to fly low over Lyddington on Saturday, top job Sir (or Madam)! Or was it just passing through to an air show...

• Vintage buses. Lovely!



• The mighty Skibbereen do what they do best on Saturday night at the Red Lion, as thirsty customers do what they do best at the bar. A slightly surreal night as the Red seemed to turn into a ciderhouse, and the Skibbereen Pipes player warms his instrument up in the Gents...



• The wind-down session at Wing Village Fete was a little bit on the wet side, but just the job nevertheless. A glass of Welland Valley Festival Special Cider helped ease the pain, with tea and cakes in Zia's terrific Veranda Cafe, and more Spaniels and Labradors than you can shake a sausage at, all wrapped up in a thoroughly traditional English Summer drizzle. Well worth getting a hangover for.

Welland Valley Wind-Down Session

After a hard weekend at the Welland Valley Beer Festival, what better way to wind down ahead of the return to work than tea, cake and a Gun Dog demonstration at the Wing Village Fete at Wing Hall in Rutland. Mind you, if by any chance you haven't had your fill of ale and cider, there's ale and cider available too, local cider at that. Rockingham Forest Red Kite, Welland Valley Festival Special, and Green Horse Perry to be precise.

Ciderhouse News - Bank Holiday Special

Our two regular outlets for cider and perry are now both up and running for the Summer. The Red Lion, Middleton continues to offer Red Kite Cider (7%) on handpump, plus Blakeney Red Perry (4%) from the chiller cabinet. We feel that this lower alcohol, sweetish perry benefits from being served at a cooler temperature than the more robust Yarlington Mill cider. Extra ales will also be available at the Red next weekend, with local band 'This Way Up' playing their hearts out on Friday evening.

Wing Hall Cafe-Bar

Wing Hall in Rutland is now accepting happy campers for the new season, with Zia's excellent Cafe-Bar also open following a Winter break. We've supplied the cafe with Red Kite Cider, which is also available for takeaway from the well-stocked Farm Shop along with our Blakeney Red Perry. You don't have to be a camper to enjoy the delights of Wing Hall, a love of very Free-Ranging Chickens helps though!

What's being billed as 'The Event of the Decade' is shaping up nicely. Here's the latest version of the cider and perry list for the mighty Swan & Rushes Cider & Cheese Festival which kicks off next weekend (the cheese list can be viewed here):

Some of the Cheeses at last years festival

Herefordshire
Greggs Pit (3 perries)
Ross-on-Wye (3)
Carey Organics
Springhern (2)
Upper House Farm
Border Orchards
Olivers Cider & Perry
Gwatkins (3)

Somersetshire
Wilkins Dry & Med
Westcroft Dry & Janet’s Jungle juice
Rich's (2)
Hecks (4)
Naish Cider
Chants Cider
Broadoak Moonshine

Gloucestershire
Hartland (2)

Worcestershire
Barbourne (2)
Boston Farm

Northamptonshire
Rockingham Forest Red Kite Cider & Blakeney Red Perry

Lincolnshire

Skidbrooke

Jollydale

Hampshire

Mr Whitehead’s

OK Grant, you've made your point. Probably the largest range of ciders and perries ever assembled in the county and all that... Leicester Beer Festival need to raise their game etc... Size isn't everything you know!

Ciderhouse News - July/August

It's been a busy-busy few weeks in the (metaphorical) Rockingham Forest Ciderhouse, and it's about to get much busier...

First a bit of sad news. We recently lost our favourite hen Dolly to a series of illnesses. Dolly was as sweet a hen as you're likely to find, the baby of the flock, and the only one of the three who was always up for a cuddle and a pet. We're really going to miss that hen, and the Rockingham Forest Cider Flock just won't be the same without her. Sminky and Myrtle are both fine, and looking forward to the arrival of a new member of the flock in the near future.

Meanwhile, thirsty Red Lion customers have been enjoying our limited edition Red Kite Cider over the last couple of weeks, and we'll be delivering the last of this special single variety Yarlington Mill cider to the pub soon. A couple of barrels have also been put aside for festivals, more of which later.

More Rockingham Forest Cider will be winging its way to (err) Wing Hall in Rutland this evening, ready for weekend campers and anyone else who chooses to visit the shop or cafe. On a not-very-related Rutland theme, here's a picture of some of the famous Rutland Hippos. These ones were spotted in the market town of Uppingham. What a great idea, and much cuter than Northampton Town's rather scary Pride of Lions. Just another 23 to find on the terrific Rutland Hippo Trail...

Forthcoming events where you can find our ciders and perrys include the annual Tollemache Arms Beer Festival (2nd - 8th Aug) in Harrington, and Raunds Town Cricket Club Beer Festival (5th - 8th Aug). In addition to our Rockingham Forest Cider there will also be limited quantities of Red Kite Cider, Green Horse Perry, and in the case of Raunds some Ross-on-Wye Cider and Perry.

Red Kite Takes Wing

These boxes of our new Yarlington Mill single variety cider have now been delivered to Wing Hall in Rutland. There will be a box in the Farm Shop, and another in the Veranda Cafe Bar, ready to refresh the happy campers on site.

The cider is rich and fruity, a deep orangey-red, and has a strength of 7.4%. The cider has been named Red Kite, after one of the areas most famous residents.

This Red Kite Cider should also be going to the Raunds Cricket Club Beer Festival in August.

Closer to home, the Red Lion in Middleton currently has our Welland Valley Festival Special Cider (6.9%) on tap. This is a clean, fruity, medium cider, made from local dessert and culinary apples. This is a very limited edition cider, so get it while you can.

Ciderhouse News - May

Things are really hotting up in the ciderhouse. Not literally of course, a heatwave in the ciderhouse would be very bad news indeed for our ciders and perrys. What I mean is the ciders and perrys are all ready to go, and demand over the next few weeks is very high. Here's a round up of some of the events we'll be supplying:

The cider bar at the Northampton CAMRA Beer Festival has gone from strength to strength since a relatively modest start at Delapre Abbey in 2006. We're sending around 60 gallons of cider and perry this year, which may sound quite a lot, but if last year is anything to go by, don't be too surprised if one or all have sold out before Saturday. That's not to say the cider bar itself will be sold out, there will be plenty of other good ciders and perrys available, but possibly not ours, and my advice is to go on Friday for the very best range. I'll be propping the bar up during the Friday session, and may have something interesting in my pocket for sampling so do stop me and try one if you like. Here's what we'll be sending:

Rockingham Forest Cider (Med/Dry) 7.2%
Rockingham Forest Bulmers Norman Cider (Med) 6.5%
Rockingham Forest Perry (Med/Dry) 5.6%

Newark CAMRA are having their well-established Beer Festival on the same weekend as Northants, which is a shame as I'd have liked to have gone to both. Rockingham Forest Cider and our Blakeney Red Perry will be available here, as well as a range of ciders from our friends in the north Ray & Gail of Torkard Cider.

I don't know many details on this one, but Ray & Gail of the aforementioned Torkard Cider have strongarmed some of our own cider and perry for a Vegan Beer Festival in Nottingham (5th - 6th June). Ciders like ours are of course entirely free of animal derived products, though it's perhaps inevitable that the odd Wasp may have found its way into the juice at some point. We can certainly guarantee that no animals were hurt in the making of our ciders and perrys (just humans), and if anything did die in the making, well, it surely died happy...

Further on down the line, we've noticed that the dates for the Criterion Cider & Perry Festival have been changed to 19th - 25th July. You can't shake us off that easily Russell. Change the dates as often as you like, we'll still be delivering our cider and perry whether you like it or not.

Meanwhile, our cider continues to be available at the Red Lion, Middleton, and Wing Hall Farmshop and Cafe-Bar. We hope to bring you up-to-date news of the forthcoming Welland Valley Beer Festival just as soon as anything interesting reaches our finely tuned ears.

Cakes and Ale (and Cider)

We went for Tea & Cakes at Wing Hall this weekend. And if that sounds like a grand day out, well it was. Very grand!

Wing Hall is an impressive Victorian country house located in the lovely rolling Rutlandshire countryside between Oakham and Uppingham. It's a proper peaceful stretch of countryside too, and the family have exploited this by offering a range of holiday accommodation, most obviously through camping and caravanning in the grounds close to the hall. There's fishing for those that want it, and most importantly from our perspective, a terrific Farm & Village Shop and associated Veranda Cafe.

The shop specialises in a wide range of locally sourced produce, including one of our own favourites, the yummy breads from nearby Hambelton Bakery. It's one of those really useful 'little-bit-of-everything' shops, providing a genuine service to villagers as well as those using the campsite.

Then there's the terrific homemade cakes, generous slices of which can be enjoyed in the shop itself, or on the lovely garden terrace accompanied by the gentle cluck-cluck of free-range hens. We had Chocolate, and very moreish Carrot & Walnut. The Veranda Cafe opens at the weekend from Friday evening, and is fully licenced to serve local ales, wines, and our own Rockingham Forest Cider*. We'd obviously recommend the cider as a perfect accompaniment to the home cooking, and fully intend to try the experience for ourselves in the near future.

*The cider is also available for takeaway from the farmshop.

Rutland - Open for Sales

In our efforts to keep the 'cider miles' to an absolute minimum, we've been looking for a local outlet for our ciders and perrys in addition to our 'Cider Tap' the Red Lion, Middleton. Given the choice, we'd much rather sell all of our cider locally rather than send odd barrels to events further afield. Sadly, the vast majority of local pub outlets are either tied on wet sales, or prefer to stick to tried and tested national brands, unwilling to take the risk on small-scale local concerns such as ourselves.

Now I'm well aware that the pub trade is an increasingly difficult one to make a living from. It's perhaps no surprise that licensees have a tendency to play safe with their drinks offering, after all, most of their customers are similarly 'conservative' in their tastes. Nevertheless, it still frustrates me that so few pubs see their cider choice as an opportunity to offer something different, perhaps even something unique to the area, and thereby give themselves a small but important competitive advantage. It's interesting to me that Delicatessens and Farmshops have seen the benefit of offering local, distinctive produce for many years, yet most of the pub trade is still lagging behind in this regard. We've been approached on numerous occasions to supply farmshops and other speciality food outlets, a market we would love to exploit just as soon as the bottling line is up and running. Sadly the same cannot be said for the pub trade, even those which are free to source their cider from wherever they like...

Meanwhile, one local business willing to take the initiative and stock our 'local' cider, is the excellent Wing Hall Farmshop in the pretty Rutland village of Wing. From this weekend our Rockingham Forest Cider will be available for offsales from the farmshop, or by the glass to accompany a meal in the Cafe-Bar. We aim to visit the Farmshop and Cafe this weekend for Shopping, Tea & Cake, and a spot of Free-Range Hen Watching. We'll post a full report of our findings on here.