May Day Postponed...

The May Bank Holiday weekend beer festival at the Crown Inn, Elton, appears to have been posponed until the end of the month. Not sure why, but we will hopefully still be sending cider and perry for the re-arranged date.

On the same weekend we will also have cider and perry available at the Newark Beer Festival (28th - 30th May). It's been a few years since we visited the Newark Beer Festival, and it appears to have grown a bit since then. It's going to be a busy weekend, with the excellent Northampton Beer Festival also in full swing.

Coronation Tap

Looks like they've made it to Brizzle, and the (in)famous Corrie Tap. I really hope they didn't resort to the Addlestones...

Newton Abbot

In the absence of any hard facts emerging from Paul & Sue's Grand Tour of the West Country, I'll have to make some up...

This first pic shows a mixed double of ciders being enjoyed in Ye Olde Cider Bar in Newton Abbot. The smaller of the two appears to be Thatchers Cheddar Valley, a garishly orange cider known locally as Diesel! The larger, man-size glass contains local speciality Sam's Dry Cider, from the Winkleigh Cider Co. This is an exceptionally clean, low tannin cider in the Devon style, made by a former worker at the Inch's ciderworks.

I don't think it would be overstating the case to describe the Cider Bar as a national treasure. One of only a handful of genuine 'cider houses' in the UK, where cider (and fruit wines) hold sway and beer doesn't get a look in. The Cider Bar is notable for it's range of ciders (naturally), and basic but atmospheric interior, which if Paul had been more of a tourist and less of a 'local', I might have been able to show on here! Instead here's a video of Cider Bar owner Richard Knibbs, talking about Darling's recent attempt to increase duty on cider by 13%:


Last heard our intrepid cider tourists were overdosing on clotted cream scones and something called 'Real Ale'! It now looks as if they've 'gone native', so here's a couple of pics from the Newton Abbot archive.

Henley & Sons was a sizeable regional ciderworks at Abbotswell near Newton Abbot. They were taken over by Whiteway's Cyder in 1933 and eventually closed. The picture below is from a small exhibit at Newton Abbots other treasure, Tuckers Maltings, where Henley's Cyder was formerly bottled.

Buds & Blossom

From the top: Pear Blossom in Middleton Orchard, Pink Bud on Tremlett's Bitter cider apple, Healthy growth showing on Shepperdine Silt graft, Rondo Grape Vine cutting, Flower buds on Rondo Grape Vine

Go West

This lovely pic shows Leicester CAMRA cider bar manager (and one half of the Aylestone Picking & Panking Team) Susan Shirley, enjoying the view from the inside of noted cider pub, the Plough Inn, Taunton. Ciders and perrys on offer included Hecks, Orchard Pig, Rich's, Sheppys, Tricky, and Thatchers. It's no wonder Sue has a smile on her face.

The Rockingham Forest Cider Envy-ometer is currently reading '9'... and rising!

We hope to bring you more cider-tinted images from Paul & Sue's West Country Grand Tour, if and when Paul remembers to send any. Gurt Lush, as they apparently say in Brizzle.