Enjoying a little hard cider from the UK

[Torian]

Any of my brothers from another mother across the Atlantic enjoy a little Strongbow Hard Cider every now and then?

[Simon@thecustom300cshop]

Yeah occasionally. Why do you ask, is it new out there?

[devilmaycare]

I don't drink much cider these days, but is this Strongbow stuff anything like the "scrumpy" of years ago? I can remember cycling through rural Somerset in my teens, stopping at a country pub for refreshment and when asking for the cheapest drink they had, being offered draught scrumpy for 9 pence (that's old pence) a pint. Duty free in those days! I nearly fell off my bike afterwards.

[Simon@thecustom300cshop]

Originally Posted by devilmaycare

I don't drink much cider these days, but is this Strongbow stuff anything like the "scrumpy" of years ago? I can remember cycling through rural Somerset in my teens, stopping at a country pub for refreshment and when asking for the cheapest drink they had, being offered draught scrumpy for 9 pence (that's old pence) a pint. Duty free in those days! I nearly fell off my bike afterwards.

No mate nothing like scrumpy. You can still get scrumpy though, wicked stuff lmao

[chrisp]

We make it where i work in engineering and it ain't Scrumpy. Mass produced in a few days like most of it these days.

[Armchair]

Originally Posted by Torian

Any of my brothers from another mother across the Atlantic enjoy a little Strongbow Hard Cider every now and then?

My wife likes a drop of cider. She found it really hard to find in the US though.

Every year we have a family cider making party. Last year we managed to press over a 1000 UK gallons. Unfortunately, this year was half that because of the poor apple harvest.

With the addition of sugar, ends up around 10.5 to 12.5% although the 12.5% stuff isn't as drinkable.

[Armchair]

And more

[devilmaycare]

Originally Posted by Armchair

With the addition of sugar, ends up around 10.5 to 12.5% although the 12.5% stuff isn't as drinkable.

That stuff is more like wine strength! Quite an operation you have there. I assume there's no duty payable if you drink it all yourself, but is there any limit on how much you can brew?

[Torian]

Originally Posted by Armchair

My wife likes a drop of cider. She found it really hard to find in the US though.

Every year we have a family cider making party. Last year we managed to press over a 1000 UK gallons. Unfortunately, this year was half that because of the poor apple harvest.

With the addition of sugar, ends up around 10.5 to 12.5% although the 12.5% stuff isn't as drinkable.

Wow, that's pretty strong. Must be quite a party!

[Armchair]

Originally Posted by devilmaycare

That stuff is more like wine strength! Quite an operation you have there. I assume there's no duty payable if you drink it all yourself, but is there any limit on how much you can brew?

It's around 2000 gallons, if I remember correctly. Some of it does get sold to local pubs, but not the 12% stuff. The Prince of Wales heard about it and has tried some.

It started off a few years ago with just a few gallons being made but has turned into a big social event.

It's dead easy to make. We put the apple juice into four gallon water cooler bottles and just leave it. The yeast is naturally occurring on the skin. It will stop at around 6% unless sugar and a drop of "essence of dead rat" is added.

Originally Posted by Torian

Wow, that's pretty strong. Must be quite a party!

The secret is not to drink too much, too quickly. I once lost the use of my legs after just 3 pints (full size UK 20oz pints.) I've lost the taste for it now.