CAMRA announces Britain's best ciders.
The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) has today announced the winners of its search for the best real cider and perry in the UK.
The winners are Hecks Kingston Black - Somerset - Best Cider and Seidr Dai - Cardiff - Best Perry.
Gillian Williams, CAMRA's director of cider and perry campaigning said: "Commercial ciders are enjoying something of a boon at the moment thanks to lavish advertising, but it should not be forgotten that exceptionally high quality real cider is still being made all over the UK. Just squeeze the juice out of the fruit and leave to ferment naturally. At its best it is a wonderful drink allowing the true fruit flavour to come through to the full.
"Nowhere is this more evident than in the high quality premium products that have won this year's competition. CAMRA is delighted that consumers will be rewarded with a cider and a perry which are testament to the skill, experience and craftsmanship of their producers."
Judging of more than 120 real ciders and perries took place at the Reading Beer and Cider festival over the course of the May Day bank holiday weekend.
On being told that his Kingston Black cider had won gold, Andrew Hecks of Hecks Farmhouse Cider said: "It's marvelous, we had no idea we were likely to win. I would like to thank the family and all our customers for their help over the years."
The Hecks family has been producing cider since 1840 and has been established as cider producers in Street for 110 years.
Their winning cider is made using Kingston Black apples grown locally in their own orchards.
Dave Mathews of Seidr Dai was also overjoyed on being told that his perry had won, and said: "I thought I would spend the rest of my life chasing this award and I can't believe it has happened. I would like to thank all the people who help us make our cider and perry."
Seidr Dai is a newer producer based in Wales, where cider is seeing a revival with the assistance of the Welsh Perry and Cider Society of which Dave Mathews is Chairman.
Seidr Dai, which was founded 6 years ago, specialises in the production of perries and ciders from fruit grown in Wales.
The winning perry uses a pear called Hellens Early which is grown in local orchards.
CAMRA also announced the national bottled cider champion is Steve Hughes of Llandegla, Wrexham, North Wales for his Rosie's Triple "D" cider.
