First stop on the #NoLow Orchard Tour- Apple Ciders
Part 2: The one with stats, lists, styles and classifications
Cider is amongst the top five alcoholic drinks us Brits[1] like to consume, with apple cider continuing to hold the largest share of the cider market — a respectable 59.9%! That’s an increase of 0.6% from 2020. Fruit cider[2] has also increased its market share to around 35%, however pear cider[3] has dropped to only 5%. Bad news for the good ol’ pears …. Note to self: drink more perry!
Combined, around 65% of the ciders (and pear ciders/perries) we consume are made from fermented apple (or pear) juice, whether made from concentrate or not. The other 35% are flavoured fruit ciders.
Interestingly, the top five off trade (alcoholic) mainstream cider brands feature 2 apple and 3 fruit ciders, namely
1. Strongbow (1st place)
2. Strongbow Dark Fruits (2nd place)
3. Thatchers Gold (3rd place)
4. Kopparberg Strawberry & Lime (4th place) and
5. Kopparberg Mixed fruits (5th place)
I’ve knowingly only ever had Strongbow and Thatchers Gold, which isn’t too surprising, considering I’m not usually too keen on fruity ciders, and probable would choose a beer if the only cider available would be a fruit cider.
When we consume no and low ciders, however, we seem to prefer the fruit ciders over the apple ones: a staggering 70% of all no and low ciders we buy, are fruit ciders!
According to Weston’s Cider Report 2021, “[…] No and low alcohol cider has gone from a value of £17.1M last year to £22.7M in the latest year. […]”[4] with no and low alcohol ciders appearing “[…] to attract the more affluent shopper than its parent category […]”[5]. The report further states that 3.2% of no and low cider buyers have not engaged with the alcoholic ciders on offer.
It’s clear that cider still has a niggling image problem, but the planets are aligning for a new world: no and low cider is being drunk by consumers who don’t drink alcohol and/or alcoholic cider! That’s huge for cider!
I must admit, when I sat down to write my shopping/wish/drinks list, I didn’t specifically choose the ciders, but simply collected the ones I could readily buy. And yes, there are many more options out there, so if #nolow cider is your thang go forth and explore!
Surprisingly, my list reflects the 65% apple and 35% fruit cider trend of the overall alcoholic cider consumption…
This may be my subconscious talking (I haven’t really tried many fruit ciders yet so may have gravitated toward the apple ones), or it reflects the shops I got my ciders from. Whatever the case, I thought it was time to find out why most consumers opt for the fruity over the appley ciders.
I’m not too keen on tasting notes, whether reading or writing them to be honest[6], but I haphazardly jot down my thoughts. For me, taste is such a personal experience, and our perception can vary from day to day, so I typically keep my notes to myself, and use them to remind myself of the drinks rather than supplying snippets for others.
I recently visited a brewery and was once again reminded that the best time to taste beer is 11am, so even throughout the day, we experience a drink differently.
All that being said, there are some amazing people out there who can taste and describe the liquids perfectly, and it’s worth listening to them!
Anyway, let’s have a gander at my first two flight boards:
The Apple Flight #1[7]:
· Thatchers, Zero Alcohol Free Cider
Eyes: 500ml bottle, crown cap; gold, bright and clear; sparkling
Nose: lemony, hints of cider
Mouth: cider apples, hints of fermentation,
In a nutshell: a cider which reminded me of sitting in a pub garden with friends, pre-Covid; pleasant sparkle, balanced and hints of traditional cider apples
· Westons, Stowford Press Low Alcohol
Eyes: 330ml bottle, crown cap; gold, clear and vivid, sparkling
Nose: wet grass and/or leaves, smells like autumn, cidery?, crisp apples
Mouth: light, crisp apples, tastes like summer, fresh
In a nutshell: a cider which felt like being outside after summer rain; satisfying, fresh apples in combination with fermented apple aroma and flavour
· Brothers, Toffee Apple Alcohol Free Cider
Eyes: 500ml bottle, crown cap; amber, clear and vivid, sparkling
Nose: vanilla, chewy apple sweets and/or chewing gum, creamy, full
Mouth: autumn in a glass, cream soda, childhood memories, toffee, chewy
In a nutshell: a cider full of childhood memories of autumn nights by the fire; modern, apple character combined with childhood sweetness
· Adnams, Wild Wave Low Alcohol Cider
Eyes: 330ml can, gold, clear and bright, sparkling
Nose: fresh apple, musty?, yeasty, wet orchard floor
Mouth: green apple, cidery after first impression
In a nutshell: a cider fit for taking on a walk around the countryside; refreshing with cider apple aroma and flavour
· Drynks, Smashed Cider
Eyes: 330ml can, gold, slight haze and vivid; sparkling
Nose: green apple, apple sweets (soft, chewy), dessert apples
Mouth: crisp and fresh, apple juice, sparkle, green apple
In a nutshell: a cider which wants to be enjoyed with your friends in the park or on the beach; tickly, fresh and pleasant, fresh apple flavour and aroma
The Apple Flight #2
· Crafty Nectar x Wise Bartender Cider
Eyes: 330ml bottle, crown cap; straw, clear and bright; sparkling
Nose: apple, cidery, citrus, farmyard
Mouth: acidic, farmyard, lemony, apple
In a nutshell: a cider for the whole year — from fresh and cold to mulled and spiced; satisfying, fermented apple both in aroma and flavour
PULP, Apple Alcohol Free Cider
Eyes: 500ml, crown cap; straw, clear and vivid, sparkling
Nose: apple, candy, hard boiled apple sweets, cidery, fresh
Mouth: very light to begin with, hints of toffee apple
In a nutshell: a cider which ticks all the boxes for being enjoyed in the sunshine; enjoyable sparkle, warm apple aroma and flavour
· Sheppy’s, Low Alcohol Classic Cider
Eyes: 500ml bottle, crown cap; gold, clear and bright; sparkling
Nose: sweet apples, ripe apples, fresh
Mouth: fermentation, cidery, apple juice
In a nutshell: a cider which can handle any situation thrown at it — an all-rounder; really refreshing, full of apple flavour and aroma
· Wignac, La Lady Squirrel Alcohol Free Cider
Eyes: 330ml bottle, crown cap; amber (almost glowing?), slight haze and vivid
Nose: smells like autumn, cooked apples, French cidre, applesauce, apple juice
Mouth: intense flavour, summer sweetness, apple juice / concentrate,
In a nutshell: a cider which smells like a holiday in France (damn I miss travelling!); refreshing, just on the right side of cloying, apple flavour and aroma shouting cidre!
· Holly GoLightly, Low Alcohol Cider
Eyes: 500ml bottle, crown cap; gold, bright and clear; sparkling
Nose: fresh apples, wet grass in autumn
Mouth: caramel apples, hint of toffee
In a nutshell: a cider full of summer memories and autumn feelings; pleasingly easy to drink, hints of apples and cooked sugar
I’ve decided to group these two together as both showcase apple ciders, although I didn’t drink all of them in a session… that would have been a bit too much cider even for me.
As mentioned before, we like to categorise our world, sometimes we group things and ideas together rather vaguely, whilst other times we generate specific definitions. My two flight boards follow a somewhat open categorisation of being made from apples without added fruits, herbs, spices or other flavours… well, with the exception of the Brothers cider perhaps which moved a little further afield from your classic cider idea.
Speaking of definitions, The Cider Institute of North America (CINA)[8] for example, classes ciders into Modern Ciders, Traditional Ciders and Speciality Ciders, which include Hopped, Mixed Fruit, Spiced and Wood-Aged Ciders, as well as Unlimited Ciders[9] (i.e., mainstream ciders).
Modern Ciders are essentially made from cooking and eating apples, such as Bramley’s Seedling and Gala respectively, and are typically lower in tannin and higher in acidity, compared to other categories. They tend to be refreshing and easy to drink, without being challenging to the palate. Modern ciders show you that cider doesn’t have to be made from cider apples alone.
Traditional Ciders are typically from countries which have long standing traditions of cider making, think French Cidre, sidra natural, sagardo naturala, Herefordshire and Somerset ciders here as excellent examples. These ciders are generally higher in tannins than modern ciders, but each country has their own tradition of cider making, so they can’t really be compared to each other. French cidre tends to be on the sweeter side, while English ciders are often dry. And if you ever had a sidra natural or sagardo naturala, you know that they can be quite sharp. Traditional ciders are a great way of exploring a country as they will showcase the passion of cider makers for their craft, their country, and their apple, but they can be challenging to the palate, compared to Modern Ciders.
So, let’s see where our ten apple ciders would fit in[10]:
Unfortunately, not every label tells you everything about the liquid, so this list it the result of extensive (read embarrassingly short internet search) research. If you are aware of anything I have missed or is indeed incorrect, get in touch and we can discuss things over a glass of cider.
Modern
Adnams Wild Wave Low Alcohol Cider
Sheppy’s Low Alcohol Classic Cider
Wignac La Lady Squirrel
Traditional
Thatchers Zero
Drynks Smashed Apple
Westons Stowford Press Low Alcohol
Crafty Nectar x Wise Bartender 0.5
Pulp Apple Craft Cider
Holly GoLightly Low Alcohol
Oh, and our Brothers Toffee Apple? Staying within the CINA types and styles, I would likely class this one as a Speciality / Spiced Cider, I know bear with me, as it a cider in which the apple character is balanced with the added flavour. Although, it is made from traditional cider apples…. I’m not sure I like it there…. so, I reserve the right to change my mind. Please get in touch if you can think of a better home for it.
As you may know, all ciders are not created equal: some makers only use full juice and ferment this, whilst other use rehydrated juice made from concentrate to create their wares. There is merit in both, and I’m not going to judge whether a cider is better/worse/more genuine/fake/etc. depending on the makers’ choices. But I invite you to bear this in mind when you’re sipping away next time, as each different method creates a different cider. And what a time to be alive, where you can find a cider for every situation you may find yourself in!
So, following on from this, we have another list[11]:
Full Juice
Sheppy’s Low Alcohol Classic Cider
Crafty Nectar x Wise Bartender 0.5
Pulp Apple Craft Cider
Wignac La Lady Squirrel
Holly GoLightly Low Cider
Made from Concentrate
Adnams Wild Wave Low Alcohol Cider
Thatchers Zero
Drynks Smashed Apple
Westons Stowford Press Low Alcohol
Brothers Toffee Apple Alcohol Free
Remind you of something? Yup, I classed my first ten ciders into flight boards of full juice and made from concentrate. Coincidence? Perhaps, I let you be the judge of this.
And there you have it for the apple ciders. I guess my message after sipping my way through them is to consider these drinks as drinks in their own right and not as some form of substitute or alcohol-free versions of an otherwise alcoholic drink. NoLow ciders typically have a thinner body, but that shouldn’t stop you from enjoying them.
I personally do not think you can compare them: alcohol (ethanol) can add toward the overall flavour and aroma profile of a drink and — extreme example alert — an alcohol-free version of a boozy Imperial Stout will appear less than exceptional, equally a no alcohol cider may appear rather thin (after dilution) compared to its alcoholic sibling.
Well, let’s see what the fruity no and low ciders will bring to the table, until then
Wassail!
xx
[1] us Brits she writes sipping on her tea…
[2] I’m using the American Cider Association (ACA) definition here, as mentioned in Taking the scenic route through the #NoLow Orchard
[3] a.k.a. perry — the result of fermented pear juice, again ACA’s definition
[4] Westons Cider Report 2021, p. 28 https://www.westons-cider.co.uk/cider-report-2021 [accessed 12/11/2021]
[5] Ibid.
[6]If you read Hop-bombs, applesauce and sweaty horses! you’ll know :-)
[7] Yeah, that name-thing is bugging me know… come on Lisa, you should have thought of something catchier….
[8] CINA | Cider Institute of North America https://www.ciderinstitute.com/ [Accessed 12/12/2021]
[9]The Professional Handbook of Cider Tasting, Travis Robert Alexander & Brianna L. Erwing Valliere, 2020
[10] Not too sure where all these lists are coming from at the moment… maybe I need some more structure in my life at the moment… who knows…
[11] I can only apologies for al these lists, but for some reason I needed them in my life right now
