The Three Counties
Cider and Perry Association

Cider and Perry Links and Addresses

Links

Alcohol Testing: It is very useful to be able to take your own accurate alcohol levels. Bellingham & Stanley supply an Alcohol Content Refractometer which is suitable for cider and perry. Contact details: Tel 01892 500400 or email

The CAMRA APPLE pages.

The Cider Academy offers a range of flexible training programmes to suit everyone - from an introductory to advanced level. Probably the most respected source of information and training available anywhere for the cider production industry.

Cider Making Jargon is explained in an article by Michael Quinion on his "Investigating International English" site.

Customs and Excise for form “CP 33 - Claim for exemption from registration by a maker of cider or perry for sale” with details of excise duty on cider and wine, how to register and how to claim for exemption from registration by a maker of cider or perry for sale. (CP 33 is a pdf file). The UK duty rates on cider and perry are also here.

Statutory Instrument 1989 No. 1355 The Cider and Perry Regulations 1989.

Drinkaware is an independent, UK-wide charity, which aims to change the UK’s drinking habits for the better. Drinkaware promotes responsible drinking and finds innovative ways to challenge the national drinking culture to help reduce alcohol misuse and minimise alcohol-related harm.

DEFRA have information on the EU Protected Food Name Scheme which has been operating since 1993. Much as French wines may be labelled "Apellation Controlee" so it is possible, within the EU, to have Regional and Local Food Names which are classified as Protected Designation of Origin - PDO - or Protected Geographical Indication - PGI. Herefordshire cider, Worcestershire cider, Gloucestershire cider and Herefordshire perry, Worcestershire perry and Gloucestershire perry have all been registered under the PGI heading.

DEFRA are responsible for CAP reform and its impact on traditional orchards. For details see CAP: Single Payment Scheme - Orchards and CAP: Single Payment Scheme - Orchards.
DEFRA are also responsible for the England Rural Development Programme (ERDP) which contributes to the delivery of the Government's Strategy for Sustainable Farming and Food by helping farmers to respond better to consumer requirements and become more competitive, diverse, flexible and environmentally responsible. It also provides help to rural businesses and communities which need to adapt and develop. The ERDP provides a framework for the operation of 10 separate but integrated schemes which provide new opportunities to protect and improve the countryside, to develop sustainable enterprises and to help rural communities to thrive. A total of £1.6 billion of EU and Government money is being made available under these schemes in England during the 7 years (2000-2006) of the Programme.

The Food Standards Agency for all sorts of information and guidance including

• the Food Standards Agency - Labelling Guidance - which applies to fruit juices, cider and perry.
• criteria for the use of the terms Fresh, Pure, Natural etc. in food labelling. (This is a pdf file).

Gillian Grafton's cider pages had not been updated for several years (since May 1996 in fact) but contained an absolute wealth of information. Paul Gunningham has now taken over and is bringing the information up to date. (The link is to the new location for the site).

Gloucestershire Orchard Group conserves, promotes and celebrates traditional orchards in Gloucestershire. Their website has lots of detail on the preservation of perry pears.

The Hereford Cider Route. The 2011 route lists eighteen cider and perry makers and apple juicers open to the public as well as five specialist retailers of ciders, perries and apple juices. Heaven!

The Hop Pocket Wine Company at The Hop Pocket Craft Centre, New House Farm, Bishops Frome, Herefordshire WR6 5BT seems to have a wider range of bottled ciders and apple juices every time one visits them.

Making French Cider, from talks given by Dave Matthews and Dr. Andrew Lea.

Marcher Apple Network who want to revive the traditional varities of apples and pears grown in the Southern Marcher counties have a cider apple and perry pear subgroup. They are currently trying to trace examples of all the cider apples and perry pears recorded in the Herefordshire Pomona.

NetRegs is free to use and is regularly updated. Its aim is to help small and medium-sized enterprises in the UK to understand the complex environmental regulations that can affect them. The site provides guidance on how to comply with environmental law as well as advice on good environmental practice. As well as general information there is sector specific information for Food and Drink.
There are Welsh versions of most pages on this site.

The National Association of Cider Makers. The site uses Flash but there are some links for royalty-free photographs.

Pectin Methyl Esterase (PME) and Calcium Chloride for keeving can be obtained from Chris Rylands who does ship to the UK. The website has links to a number of articles describing how to go about keeving.

The Portman Group works with drinks producers to raise standards of alcohol marketing.  The group challenges producers to be socially responsible and inspires them to achieve best practice. The Three Counties Cider and Perry Association supports responsible attitudes towards drinking.

The UK Cider and Perry site. They have several good links pages (even if they do use Flash). You can read all past discussions from the ukcider list by ploughing through the messages on the public archive at groups-beta.google.com/group/ukcider

All manner of pressing, bottling and filtering equipment is available from Vigo Ltd in Devon. Not just for cider making but for juicing as well. Vigo can be contacted by EMail at or directly at Dunkswell Airfield, Dunkeswell, Honiton, Devon, EX14 4LF, England. Tel: 01404 890 262 Fax: 01404 890 263.

The Welsh Cider Society for everything to do with Welsh cider.

The Wittenham Hill Cider Portal. Andrew Lea's comprehensive site which takes a scientific view of cider making. Andrew keeps this site up to date.

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Addresses

If you want to make cider or apple juice from your own fruit Simon Abiss has a mobile scratter and press for hire. (This is for "small commercial" scale pressing making gallons of juice rather than a few pints). Contact him on Tel 07733321319 or EMail for more details.