Why support Real Cider - and what is it anyway?

What are we doing supporting cider & perry, I can almost hear you say - I thought we were the Campaign for Real Ale.

However, cider has been a traditional drink in Britain for at least as long as beer and (although records are few) probably much longer. Roman authors record that the occupants of these islands made an intoxicating brew from apples.

And as to why we support it - well, we are the only consumer organization that champions the drinkers' cause and it is a natural product like real ale so CAMRA has always campaigned for cider (and perry) along with real ale although admittedly with a lower profile.

What is real Cider? CAMRA's definition of real cider is NATURAL cider - the fermented juice of the apple, with nothing added and nothing taken away.

A hundred years ago all cider fitted that description. It was strong, still and flavoursome.

Today, however, about 90% of cider is fizzy, pasteurised and kept and served under gas pressure. Much of today’s cider is made from imported apple concentrate (and often other fruit pulp) rather than real apples, which is often essential to meet demand and is cheaper that using real home produced apples.

Keg cider is filtered to make it clear and, in some cases, may also contain artificial flavourings and colourings.

There is an alternative. Natural cider is made in the traditional way, usually from English apples.

As premium products become more and more in demand, so too does traditionally made cider.

So, where can we get it? Sadly we have found very few outlets in the Croydon & Sutton area - if you know of any, please contact us!

The Claret in Addiscombe stocks JB's cider and Biddenden cider - see the cide board over the bar. Cider is fetched from the cellar.

The George in George St., Croydon stocks hand pulled cider as well.

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