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Ivanhoe Martin
Cider Bus Convert
Oman
273 Posts |
 Posted - 30/08/2005 : 17:09:41
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Had a nice day out in Kent (I know. I used to live there and I thought it was impossible too. Words were thoroughly eaten) yesterday. Visited Biddenden “Vineyards and Cider Works”. Nice setting, just outside a chocolate-boxy village, with acres of vines all around (no sign of apple trees in the immediate vicinity, but we passed plenty of orchards on the way there and back).
Not much to see once you’re there (most of the working bits are under cover and locked), but they have a great outdoor apple-washing pit (that, as far as I could work out, worked just like Keith’s set-up but on a bigger scale - with a screw at the bottom of the pit to take the apples out and lift them up to drop them into the building where the mill and press were), and a lot of 100 gallon (or 4500 litre, if you’re French) tanks.
Tasted the dry and Special Reserve ciders (they also had medium and sweet, which were going down a bomb with the grannies on a day out, and some sort of spiced cider tomfoolery).
The dry (8.4%) was perfectly nice: smooth, still, clear (presumably filtered), but a bit bland for anyone used to 3 Counties/Somerset cider. They only use desert and cooking apples, and you can tell. No “bite”. I asked the nice man in the shop about the apples and why they don’t use cider apples and we had a good discussion about the Kentish tradition of making cider from non-cider apples. His view was that it was just as traditional for him to make cider in this way as it was for West Country makers to use cider apples (and he did have a point. I’d just never thought about it that way before).
The Special Reserve was matured in whisky barrels, and came out at 13%. It was a good example of whisky cider. The whisky had more to add to the drink, perhaps because the original cider was a bit bland. At 13% it’s perhaps something that would be nice over ice, or in one of the cider-based cocktails that I’m going to make my fame by developing (in my dreams).
We brought back half a dozen bottles for research purposes (would have had more, but we were on our scooters), so Tharg, if you’re reading this - or if any of the rest of you are passing through London), please feel free to invite yourself round for a try while stocks last.
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Tharg drinker of cider
Cider Bus Convert
Borneo
184 Posts |
Posted - 14/09/2005 : 09:04:58
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Make much cider in Austria?
And you will know us by the trail of empties.... |
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Ivanhoe Martin
Cider Bus Convert
Oman
273 Posts |
Posted - 14/09/2005 : 10:02:35
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quote:
Originally posted by n/a
Am i the only one seeing a patern here?
I think so. I'm too slow on the uptake.
Michigan hotels
- poker
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CiderWiki
White Lightning Beginner
United Kingdom
5 Posts |
Posted - 19/09/2005 : 20:41:37
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The spiced tomfoolery is called Monks Delight and it's an OK drink, though best diluted at least 50/50 with Biddenden Dry. They seem to make a lot more fuss about their English than the cider these days, although I'm sure the cider pays the bills.
ukcider.co.uk/wiki |
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Ivanhoe Martin
Cider Bus Convert
Oman
273 Posts |
Posted - 20/09/2005 : 11:07:38
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| Hi Andy. Just checked out your site. Excellent stuff. |
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Gents
HMZ God
Trinidad and Tobago
2214 Posts |
Posted - 20/09/2005 : 18:11:58
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Ah i have got a bottle of spiced tomfoolery in my cupboard which was a nice present off of someone... i understood you had to have it "mulled" so was waiting for a cold winters night to try it, is that the case does anyone know? I loved the whiskey one, didn't realise it was that strong until id had a bottle of it, it made for a very interesting Glastonbury preview which i wrote afterwards but barely remember doing. As for their standard ciders I haven't had one since New Years Eve 2000 when i had several... thats about my only experience of Kent cider but Ive got to say i liked it quite a lot surprisingly, from what i remember anyway.
ZIDER |
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CiderWiki
White Lightning Beginner
United Kingdom
5 Posts |
Posted - 21/09/2005 : 00:54:41
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quote:
Originally posted by Gents
i understood you had to have it "mulled" so was waiting for a cold winters night to try it, is that the case does anyone know?
I reckon you don't have to have it mulled unless you want to. Strong cider is warming enough by itself, you wouldn't want it chilled though, or poured onto a pile of ice cubes. I quite like room temperature, or outdoor temperature come to that.
ukcider.co.uk/wiki |
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Gents
HMZ God
Trinidad and Tobago
2214 Posts |
Posted - 22/09/2005 : 08:40:17
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Yes I think must have mis-read the bottle when i looked first of all (probably straight after my bottle of Special Reserve), because after looking again last night it sounds like you're right CiderWiki. As it's getting to near-artic temperatures in Nailsea now anyway i might mull it after all, not sure yet though, I'll have to mull it over. Sorry.
ZIDER |
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Ivanhoe Martin
Cider Bus Convert
Oman
273 Posts |
Posted - 23/09/2005 : 15:25:57
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quote:
Originally posted by CiderWiki
Strong cider is warming enough by itself, you wouldn't want it chilled though, or poured onto a pile of ice cubes.
ukcider.co.uk/wiki
(On behalf of Mrs I) I've got to disagree with that one. She quite often has a glass of the Special Reserve over ice as a nightcap. But then again, Mrs I likes ginger wine and ice as a nightcap as well. |
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Al Caholic
Cider Bus Convert
Vatican City
145 Posts |
Posted - 27/09/2005 : 08:25:50
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When I visited Biddenden a while ago (I was Gent's mysterious present giver - sorry mate Santa isn't real) the owner told me that Monks Delight was best served warm. In fact he had a coffee maker with some heated up for you to try. I took my Grandad who rather enjoyed it, and the sopecial reserve, and the dry and the medium....
Al 
Zider I up barkeep! |
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Biddenden Cider - visit and tasting
