New Outlet - Southwick Brewhouse...

I already supply draught to the Golden Lion in Southwick - a beautiful pub with links back to the planning of D-Day - but, in their car park, you can find the Southwick Brewhouse. And off licence and a museum of brewing, the Brewhouse is partly run by Al - who was involved with Swamp Donkey (a now defunct cider producer in Hampshire). So he ought to know about his cider.

From their website; "This early Victorian brewery last saw active service in 1957 when master brewer Dick Olding hung up his keys on the hook for the last time at the ripe old age of 81. It was he who had crafted the ales to supply The Golden Lion public house next door, where Generals Eisenhower and Montgomery took sustenance as they planned the D-Day landings in 1944. 


The brewhouse remains in tact and complete in every aspect since Dick locked up for good. But new life is being breathed into the building as it re-opens as a retail emporium boasting a comprehensive range of beers and ciders of local, national and international distinction. Suthwyk ales, made from barley grown on nearby Portsdown Hill, are among those sold."

Now stocking Hampshire Heritage and Wild West ciders in 500ml bottles. And that isn't the only cider they hold - the selection is actually really very broad!

Calling time on Eastern Delight for 2011...

I knew this would happen sooner or later. However, things seem to have happened rather more quickly than I had expected for Eastern Delight. As a fully eastern style cider, I thought it may take a bit of 'getting used to' on people.

Anyway, apart from those festivals who have already ordered some Eastern Delight, I cannot take any further orders for it for this year. Having said that, as it has been recieved so well it will become a permanent feature in the 146 Cider line up and will be more freely available in 2012.

The festivals where you can get it will be:

July - Guildford Cricket Club Festival
September - Colden Common Beer Festival
September - Wickham Beer Festival
October - Nottinhgam 'Robin Hood' Beer and Cider Festival
October - Woolston Beer and Cider Festival
Early 2012 - Winchester Beer Festival (when they decide to order some:-)

There will also continue to be a reasonably limited amount of bottle conditioned Eastern Delight available through Bitter Virtue in Southampton.

Sorry about that. There is plenty of Hampshire Heritage and Wild West left though:-)

Coming up...

There are a few additions to the events pages to report:

The Junction Inn Festival, St Denys, Southampton - Both Hampshire Heritage and Wild West ciders will be apearing at this event on 9th - 12th June. Click here for more information

The Boarhunt Beer Festival, Boarhunt Social Club - Hampshire Heritage and Wild West ciders will be present at this annual real ale and cider festival. It runs on 18th and 19th June. Click here for more information

The Hyde Tavern Festival, Winchester - All three ciders - Hampshire Heritage, Wild West and Eastern Delight will be featured at this festival. It runs on 18th -19th June.

The Bath and West photographic proof...

Thanks to Cider Workshop member Rich (Hoody) for taking this photo:

Highly Commended for 146 Cider Company...

I am very pleased to announce (and I hope not too prematurely) that 146 Cider has been awarded 'Highly Commended' for its dry farmhouse cider at this years Bath and West Show - one of the premier competitions in the UK for cider and perry.

OK, its not 1st, 2nd or 3rd. Rose Grant - mentor, friend and double winner at Bath and West took 3rd in the dry Farmhouse class (well done to her). However, the fact that it ranked so highly is a very pleasing feat in only my second year of commercial cidermaking... though my 7th or 8th at making cider!

I ought to mention that my comrade Hampshire cidermaker Barry and John Topp of New Forest Cider won Champion Farmhouse Cider for their sweet cider - a great achievement and I am a big fan of theirs.

I entered two classes - Dry Farmhouse and Dry bottled - there really aren't that many dry cider categories and many entries from across the UK. I have no idea how the bottled got on. I could increase my chances by enterintg more classes, but I just don't like sweetening my cider!

Let me rephrase that: when I am able to stop my cider fermenting through to dry I will probably do a medium dry. But at the moment, with the technology available to me, it is difficult. In any case, I make cider that I enjoy drinking - that is what I started off with aiming at, and it still is. Furthermore, I like my dry cider - it isn't that dry after all (OK - my strict definition it is very dry as it finishes at an SG of about .995). So, 146 Ciders are dry - full juice and naturally fermented...

I guess I should never say never, but for the moment I think it is doing quite well enough au naturale:-)

Well done to all the winners this year - I understand there were vast amounts of entries for all classes. And well done to the judges for working through them all!!!