CAMRA - Its not just about Beer
Real cider and perry are often forgotten parts of CAMRA's campaign. A separate arm of the organisation exists to promote these equally threatened traditional products and this arm is known as APPLE. Just like real ale, real cider is a live product. English cider is produced mainly in the South-East, the West Country and the Herefordshire/Worcestershire areas. Particular varieties of English apples (traditionally, some use is made of eating apples in the South East) are used to provide the juice and natural apple yeast required for the fermentation process.

Cider is classed as dry, medium or sweet, although some cross the boundaries and are described as medium-dry, medium-sweet, etc, but beware - sweet traditional cider is extremely sweet. Most ciders tend to be somewhere between dry and medium and this seems to suit most palettes. Also, cider tends to start around 5% Alcohol by Volume (ABV) - much higher than many real ales - and is often seen at 7 or 8%. Because the fermentation process is left very much to itself, the ABV will vary on a particular producer's cider, from batch to batch, year to year.

Perry is made in a similar manner to traditional cider, but is made from the juice of pears. Perry has its own distinct taste compared to cider and is sometimes preferred to its stablemate. Many cider producers also produce perry.

A number of pubs in Birmingham now stock a real cider. The biggest selection of traditional ciders and perrys in Birmingham is to be found at the annually held Birmingham Beer Festival, which takes place in September each year.

This range proved very popular and extra stocks were brought in to meet demand :

An impressive selection, we're sure you will agree.

To find out which pubs in the City are currently stocking a real cider, click here.

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Last modified: 03/11/07