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Aqualung
06-06-2013, 22:38
They announced their 2013 Cider Festival a few weeks ago but their web site now includes the menu which can be downloaded here (http://www.jdwetherspoon.co.uk/static/pdfs/admin-generated/podium/cider-festival-2013-192.pdf?t=1370553563).

I'm quite excited by this list compared to 2012 as there is only one weak (4%) one this list, the majority of them being between 5% and 7%. There are also three Gwynt Y Ddraig entries.

I've no idea what the prices will be, but currently a 7% cider counts as an "Ultra Premium" guest product at £2.75 in the lowest price band (£2.15 for a "Standard" guest). I'm sure that last year they had a blanket price for the festival ciders.

Aqualung
11-07-2013, 00:16
I thought I would resurrect this post as it kicked off today (I can already hear the loud yawns!).

The Last Post in Loughton had a really good setup with eight of the sixteen festival ciders plus Old Rosie being served straight from the cellar. Rather than going for the eight on offer I thought I would be sensible and stick to four then see what was happening in the King's Ford in Chingford and I wasn't disappointed as they had three on the handpumps.

I went from there to the Drum and was disappointed as the seven they had stacked behind the bar were all ones I had already tried, so I just went for the strongest.

Cider is a lovely refreshing drink in the hot weather and all seven I tried today were really delicious and relatively cheap ( £2.45 in the Last Post and £2.29 in the Ford). Warm beer tasted rank whereas warm cider tastes like warm cider and is quite drinkable.

The one that really surprised me was the minnow of the 16 namely the 4% strawberry cider. This was delicious with a big apple flavour and a really good strawberry taste on top.

I don't recommend drinking a mix of cider and beer pints, but having said that the pint of Big Mofo Stout I had before going home was out of this world.

aleandhearty
11-07-2013, 14:35
I thought I would resurrect this post as it kicked off today (I can already hear the loud yawns!).

Hey, no need to put yourself down - we'll do that! :) I'd actually like to explore cider a little more, but the trouble is if I have one session a week, two if I'm very lucky, I'm always going to be drawn towards beer. I'd have to be very disciplined to choose cider. As an absolute novice, my fear would be choosing something sweet and one dimensional. From the 'spoons list I was drawn towards Rosie's Pig, Cheddar Valley and the Orchard Pig Philosopher. By coincidence, I'll be in Loughton this weekend for a fiftieth bash. I'm hoping to slope off for a quick pint in The Victoria, before it starts, but maybe I'll dive into The Last Post as well.

Aqualung
11-07-2013, 15:04
Hey, no need to put yourself down - we'll do that! :) I'd actually like to explore cider a little more, but the trouble is if I have one session a week, two if I'm very lucky, I'm always going to be drawn towards beer. I'd have to be very disciplined to choose cider. As an absolute novice, my fear would be choosing something sweet and one dimensional. From the 'spoons list I was drawn towards Rosie's Pig, Cheddar Valley and the Orchard Pig Philosopher. By coincidence, I'll be in Loughton this weekend for a fiftieth bash. I'm hoping to slope off for a quick pint in The Victoria, before it starts, but maybe I'll dive into The Last Post as well.

Having tried ciders at Beer Festivals over the years that could only be useful as cleaning fluid, I would say that all 7 I tried yesterday were fairly friendly. None of them are bone dry, ridiculously sweet, very cloudy or taste disgusting. Whether they are all "real" ciders I don't know as I've no idea what the current definition is. I think they are all served from polypins.

The ciders in the Last Post are a better bet than the beers as I suspect they don't clean the lines often enough.

Farway
13-07-2013, 14:39
Not a great start in Denmead Queen (JD Weatherspoon) (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/75431/)

When I went in AM on Thursday 11th they had run out of Stowford Press, which is their bog standard draught cider.

Hope for better luck when I try again tomorrow

Aqualung
14-07-2013, 17:57
Not a great start in Denmead Queen (JD Weatherspoon) (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/75431/)

When I went in AM on Thursday 11th they had run out of Stowford Press, which is their bog standard draught cider.

Hope for better luck when I try again tomorrow


How ironic!

I've seen two Spoons with the cider just stacked on the bar. In this heat I bet it's not selling that well. They would do better to get rid of some of the rubbish from the fridges (eg. Hooch and East European lagers) and stick a couple of polypins in there.

Al 10000
14-07-2013, 18:48
How ironic!

I've seen two Spoons with the cider just stacked on the bar. In this heat I bet it's not selling that well. They would do better to get rid of some of the rubbish from the fridges (eg. Hooch and East European lagers) and stick a couple of polypins in there.

I have been in two Spoons over the weekend The Roebuck Inn (JD Wetherspoon) (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/58138/) and Admiral Sir John Borlase Warren (JD Wetherspoon) (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/76299/) both did not have any polypins that i could see,but there were a few ciders on pumps on the bar.
I dont like cider and some of the proper real ciders are far too strong for my liking.

Farway
15-07-2013, 14:46
Tried again over last couple of days Denmead Queen (JD Weatherspoon) (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/75431/)

They now have 15 polypins behind the bar, and seems a good selection, I have also got the guide, and am on my way through, but doubt I will sample all in the timescale

Seems to be doing well, IMO cider [or real, not giant factory cider] is OK at ambient temperature, you can taste the fruit for instance

loved my pint of cloudy "Rosie's Pig" this morning

Jim Brittin
18-07-2013, 07:45
Everything tried so far at The George (J D Wetherspoon) in Wanstead has been in good form, nothing unpleasant, missed the Tempted? though and will seek elsewhere.

Aqualung
18-07-2013, 10:56
Everything tried so far at The George (J D Wetherspoon) in Wanstead has been in good form, nothing unpleasant, missed the Tempted? though and will seek elsewhere.

There's a box of Tempted in the chill cabinet at the King's Ford in E4. The pub is also air conditioned!

Aqualung
19-07-2013, 23:20
Having got through another 7 this week, I'm only missing the Weston's and Sheppy's.

I think I can safely say that ny top three were the Hampshire Strawberry Cider (4.0%), the Devon Bramble Saison (5.3%) and the Leicestershire(!) Scrummage (6.5%).

The one that really surprised me was the Strawberry one as I assumed that the pathetic low ABV would mean it was thin and pretty poor. The reality was that it had a big apple flavour plus a very noticeable Strawberry flavour.

The Scrummage was a classic old fashioned dry cider and almost certainly the only one that I've ever tried from Leicestershire.

The Bramble Saison was a fairly standard medium cider but with added Blackberrys.

My BOTW list is a pathetic two beers!!

Aqualung
26-07-2013, 21:13
I completed the set this week with the Rosie's Pig which I found thin and the Sheppy's today which was good.

I stick by my top 3 and am now looking forward to returning to just beer!!

Farway
27-07-2013, 15:05
Having got through another 7 this week, I'm only missing the Weston's and Sheppy's.

I think I can safely say that ny top three were the Hampshire Strawberry Cider (4.0%), the Devon Bramble Saison (5.3%) and the Leicestershire(!) Scrummage (6.5%).

The one that really surprised me was the Strawberry one as I assumed that the pathetic low ABV would mean it was thin and pretty poor. The reality was that it had a big apple flavour plus a very noticeable Strawberry flavour.

The Scrummage was a classic old fashioned dry cider and almost certainly the only one that I've ever tried from Leicestershire.

The Bramble Saison was a fairly standard medium cider but with added Blackberrys.

My BOTW list is a pathetic two beers!!

Right, I liked the Bramble Saison, sort of blackberry & apple, always a classic, but will try the Hampshire Strawberry Cider [if any left] tomorrow :glass:

Farway
28-07-2013, 15:05
Right, I liked the Bramble Saison, sort of blackberry & apple, always a classic, but will try the Hampshire Strawberry Cider [if any left] tomorrow :glass:

None left, nor any of the Welsh perry, looks like back to Stowford Press from Monday

Aqualung
28-07-2013, 16:09
None left, nor any of the Welsh perry, looks like back to Stowford Press from Monday

I'm back on the beer now until I get around to a cider jolly down at the the Cock Tavern in Hackney!

Farway
29-07-2013, 14:24
I'm back on the beer now until I get around to a cider jolly down at the the Cock Tavern in Hackney!

You will have a job searching for that one on line once D Cameron gets his wicked way :evilgrin:

Aqualung
29-07-2013, 15:27
You will have a job searching for that one on line once D Cameron gets his wicked way :evilgrin:

I'm always VERY careful to add the normally redundant Tavern to this name whenever referencing it!!