Drink Warehouse UK Blogs

Published on May 19, 2023.

How is cider made, when i Cider and Peery month and what your venue should be drinking?

Cider is an alcoholic beverage made from the fermented juice of apples. It falls into four different categories depending on tannin, sugar and acidity levels. Most traditional ciders will contain a combination of all four, with producers blending to create the perfect balance of the three components. 

 

Unlike beer and ale, cider can only be produced when the fruit is ripe; therefore, Cider and Perry Month is tied to the natural cycle of the apple and pear trees. In May, the orchards bloom and begin producing the fruit which then gets harvested in October. Cider and Perry produced the year before reaches peak fermentation in May and can finally start to be enjoyed.

 

DWUK love all our sustainable brands, so we have some great recommendations that taste delicious but are also phenomenal for the environment.

Hawkes Urban Orchard Cider is brewed in London and have an amazing Apple Donation programme where Hawkes are trying to limit the wasted apple in the UK. Every single day over 2.5 million apples go to waste in the UK so Hawkes takes in any apples headed for the bin, no matter the shape, size, condition or variety. Every 3kg of apples equals a free cider! All these apples go into their Urban cider to create a combination of flavours such as tartness from Bramley or a sweetness from Gala. This upcycled cider has a zippy acidity balanced with that light and refreshing bubbliness and wine-like finish.

Kentish Pip have tackled their packaging problems, taking the sustainable highroad from 2021 by making all their packaging as sustainable as it can be. All their tape, can boxes, bag in box boxes, and purchasing pallet wrap has been made fully biodegradable. The can and bottle label material has been transitioned to a wood film and all mail order wrapping is now made from recycled cardboard. Kentish Pip High Diver plunges you into a world of fine bubbles and a blend of Cox and Bramley apples. The perfect sustainable pairing to seafood.

If you are looking for a non-alcoholic option, then Old Mout Berries & Cherries 0% may be the one for you. Old Mout have been protecting habitats alongside their partners, WWF, to save wildlife all over the world. They have particularly targeted New Zealand, homeland of Old Mout cider, improving the status of the national icon, the kiwi, from ‘endangered’ to ‘vulnerable’ with the determination to see them population flourish even more. This summery burst of fruit of the forest balances with the crisp apples to create the perfect alternative this spring.  

The place where the cider mission of Hawkes all started, using unloved apples and those donated by Londoners. Made from a unique blend of London-pressed and country apples, Urban Orchard is a medium dry cider that’s smooth and harmonious in body, complex and rich in texture with a crisp wine like finish.

High Diver plunges you into a world of fine bubbles and bobbing apples. A luxurious blend with Cox and Bramley apples, medium dry, marrying fresh acidity with a bright aromatic fruit character. It’s a perfect partner to oysters and seafood or simply to enjoy on it’s own. Take a dive and see what you find.

A non-alcoholic special blend of strawberry and raspberry with notes of blueberry. Finished off with a refreshing burst of juicy apple.

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About the author

Chloe Lewis

Chloe looks after all copywriting and proof-reading for Drink Warehouse UK, working with the Marketing team to deliver educational content to all our customers. She has spent many years in the hospitality sector, moving from behind the bar to now helping venues to stock their own. You can find more from Chloe about beer, cider, spirits, wine, non-alcoholic, soft drinks and RTDs all over our blogs, website, social media and Set The Bar magazine. 

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