CAMRA National Cider and Perry Championships 2010 Devon and Gloucestershire producers top of the tree!

Cider-

GOLD- Sandford Orchards, Cider (Crediton, Devon)

SILVER- Gwynt y Ddraig, Black Dragon (Llantwit Fardre, South Wales)

BRONZE- Pickled Pig, Porker’s Snout (Stretham, Cambridgeshire)

Perry-

GOLD- Hartlands, Farmhouse Perry (Tirley, Gloucestershire)

SILVER- Rathays, Brandy (Sutton St Nicholas, Herefordshire)

BRONZE- Ralph’s, Old Badland Perry (New Radnor, Powys)

CAMRA, the Campaign for Real Ale, has today announced the overall winners of the National Cider and Perry Championships 2010. The competition is held annually at the Reading Beer and Cider Festival, Reading, Berkshire.

The winner of the Cider Gold medal is Sandford Orchards Cider, which the judges described as ‘having a fruity aroma with wonderful honeysuckle and banana notes, and a long, sweet aftertaste’.

The winner of the Perry Gold medal is Hartlands Farmhouse Perry, which the judges described as ‘a beautiful perry, well-balanced in aroma and taste, with a great combination of spice and sweetness’.

CAMRA’s National Cider and Perry Championships 2010 in Reading featured 24 ciders and 24 perries, selected from different regions of the UK, and assessed on factors such as aroma, flavour, overall balance and finish by a judging panel consisting of publicans, drinks writers and CAMRA members.

Delighted at the news of the cider competition, Barnaby Butterfield of Sandford Orchards cider, said:

‘I’m staggered, as we’ve been making cider by artisan methods for many years, and we always endeavour to use old fashioned methods. It’s having this recognition that makes all the hard work worth it- I’m totally gobsmacked!’

On hearing the results of the perry competition, Dereck Hartland of Hartlands, said:

‘It’s wonderful news, and to say I’m delighted is an understatement. I can retire a happy man and it’s the highlight of my year!’

Andrea Briers, CAMRA National Cider and Perry committee chairman, praised the quality of this year’s entrants. She said:

‘The competition today brought out a wide range of tastes and aromas, and was a real showcase for the craft cider and perry industry. CAMRA just hopes that any future Government puts in place measures that will protect this historic industry, and ensure these award winning producers are able to continue producing such quality.’

CAMRA launches ‘Local Cider’ and ‘Local Perry’ stickers

As part of its continuing campaign to promote pubs selling real cider and perry at the bar, CAMRA has launched a new pump clip crowner initiative to make it easier for drinkers to know whether they are drinking local produce. Having launched the initiative this week, CAMRA branches across the UK will be supplying their local pubs that serve local real cider and perry with these pump clip crowners, with the definition of ‘local’ varying to accommodate for areas of the UK where real cider and perry is not as common.