Celebrating The Local Cider Pub

Online, October 5, 2011 (Newswire.com) - Welsh cider pubs are being celebrated as key to raising the profile of real ciders and perries by the Welsh Perry and Cider Society because of their prominence in the community. A cider pub is your local independent pub that proudly displays and sells its collection of local real ciders alongside, or indeed above, the more usual commercial suspects, championing the pure juice vintage or the bottle-conditioned aged perry being made only a few miles down the road.

The Blue Bell Inn, near the top of Halkyn Mountain in Flintshire, is one such cider pub, which regularly changes the draught cider available, giving guests the opportunity to try a variety of British ciders and perries. Since they took real cider on board in 2005, they have offered 130 different cider varieties of 100% pure juice cider and perry.

Steve Marquis at the Blue Bell Inn, Halkyn said: "Real cider is very important to us. The 'Magners Effect' caused a big increase in the interest of cider, which, in result has really pushed 100% juice ciders. We regularly change the ciders we offer and always have 1 medium cider, 1 dry cider and 1 perry or pyder on draught. This has given us a reputation where people seek us out."

"It's interesting how far people will travel to try the different ciders. Real cider is not always easy to find which is why cider pubs are so important to encourage drinkers to try different varieties. It really does bring people to the area, which is great for us and the local community."

Further down south, The Bell at Caerleon, near Newport, who won CAMRA Cider Pub of the year 2011 for South and Mid Wales, is another well renowned cider pub. They sell bottled and draught cider to customers and incorporate cider into their food menu, using local ciders to create outstanding dishes.

Lee Taylor at the Bell at Caerleon said: "Winning CAMRA Cider Pub of the year has definitely reinforced our quality offering and I'm pleased to say our cider and perry sales have increased. Real cider and perry is a real unique selling point for us pulling customers from far and wide. We have a stable of draft and bottled cider and we currently have 20 guest ciders and perries from local and national independent producers, offering customers over 50 to choose from."

"Real Cider now represents 18% of wet turnover and has been instrumental in growing our overall wet sales by 78% since 2008. We try and choose a broad range of styles for our special ciders and perries so we can appeal to as many guests as possible."

Cressida Slater, Development Officer of the Welsh Perry and Cider Society said: "The society celebrates all aspects of cider, from the nurseries where the fruit is grown, to the producers themselves, to the pubs and businesses that sell it."

"Real cider pubs are very important in being the shop window for producers and it is vital that they are recognised for this. Not only do these pubs help to increase awareness of Welsh cider and perry, but they are allowing small cidermakers to expand their businesses."

"The Welsh Perry and Cider Society aim to involve as many of these cider pubs into our agenda as possible for the future. This will include holding meetings and events at these locations to raise their awareness to our members in the hope that we can give something back to these great local establishments."

In times where more and more pubs are closing, it is important that the growth that these independent pubs are seeing is recognised and supported. If you know a pub near you that needs recognition for supporting the real cider industry, send your nomination in to [email protected].

A cider pub is a public house that sells one or more real Welsh cider (100% juice cider) or perry at all times. This product can change, but it is necessary to have at least one draught cider or perry available at any time. A list of cider pubs in Wales can be found at www.welshcider.co.uk