As the cider revival continues, CAMRA has picked its Champion cider and perry for 2008.
The annual Cider & Perry Awards were judged at the Reading Beer Festival over the Bank Holiday weekend by a panel including The Publican's Pub Food Editor John Porter.
The champion cider is made by Green Valley Cyder of Exeter, Devon, while the Gold award in the perry category went to Gregg's Pit, perry of Herefordshire.
Authentic cider makers at the festival reported they are finding it hard to keep up with demand as customers turned on to cider by brands such as Magner's look to trade up to craft products.
Chris Coles, of Green Valley Cyder said, "We are over the moon about this award. It's a great accolade for the orchard in Woodbury Salterton, where the apples came from, because it was this same orchard which won us bronze last year. We must be doing something right!"
James Marsden, of Gregg's Pit Cider & Perry said: "We are delighted to have won this accolade from CAMRA whose members have been great supporter of our products over the last 14 years. It's a tribute to the quality of the fruit we use."
The full list of winners were:
Cider
- Gold - Green Valley Farmhouse Vintage Cyder (Devon)
- Silver - West Croft Janet's Jungle Juice (Somerset)
- Bronze - Blaengawney Cider (Gwent)
Perry
- Gold - Gregg's Pit Perry (Herefordshire)
- Silver - Ross-on-Wye Cider and Perry (Herefordshire)
- Bronze - Hartland's Perry (Gloucestershire)
Phil Kempton, CAMRA's director for cider said: "Britain is currently producing a superb variety of real ciders and perrys and I would urge anyone who has perhaps tried a mass-produced fizzy cider or perry in the past to try a drop of the real stuff.