Decade of Success for Welsh Cider Society

Online, July 13, 2011 (Newswire.com) - This month the Welsh Perry and Cider Society celebrates a decade of success and is hosting a party this weekend to celebrate its anniversary.

The society, whose mission is to reignite the craft perry and cider industry in Wales, was formed by Dave Matthews and Alan Golding, cider enthusiasts who had started to dabble in some cidermaking, in 2001.

Dave Matthews, who began as one of two men at the very first meeting is now Chairman of the Welsh Perry and Cider Society and still operates the same mission with which the society was created.
Dave Matthews said: "In 1999 Alan Golding and I hit upon the idea of making cider, and so our company 'Seidr Dai' was born. By sheer luck, our first brew was a success, and in our subsequent enthusiasm we decided to found a national association. At that time there were cider associations for cider makers, and of course CAMRA was there for the drinkers. We thought why not have a society that caters for both? And so the Welsh Cider Society was born at the Clytha Arms one June evening 2001, with Alan the Development Officer, and I the Secretary."

In 2010 the effectiveness of the Society increased many fold, with a grant award by the Welsh Assembly Government through the Supply Chain Efficiencies Scheme. This meant funds to promote Welsh cider and perry, a Development Officer and Admin Assistant to deliver the programme, and a new Society office to act as Welsh Cider HQ.
With the number of cider makers in Wales having doubled in the past 5 years, the Welsh Perry and Cider Society is working hard to encourage cider enthusiasts to try their hand at cider making and assisting cider makers to train and develop their skills. This has proved an advantage to producers, giving them the opportunity to gain necessary training, such as Personal Licence training, with financial and administrative assistance.

Dave Matthews added: "The Welsh Perry and Cider Society have made great progress over the last ten years. We have supplied positive coverage and strengthened awareness of these refined craft products. The future also looks bright for Welsh cider and perry. More and more people are joining the ranks of Welsh cider makers, the number of Welsh cider festivals is set to increase, and rare varieties of Welsh apple and pear trees are regularly discovered, propagated and planted."

"Ten years of successfully promoting Welsh cider and perry has resulted in increasing numbers of producers and annual increases in the quantity and quality of cider and perry produced. We hope and plan to continue this success going forward."

Every year the society runs the Welsh Perry & Cider Festival on Whitsun May Bank Holiday weekend. The first event in 2002 was a great success, and each successive year has seen an more and more ciders and perries on sale, with great crowds of people filling the pub and its extensive grounds. This August 12-14 sees the launch of the society's most ambitious project yet - the International Craft Cider Festival. Cidermakers from France, Germany, Spain, England and Wales are all due to touch down at Llancaiach Fawr in south-east Wales, with fantastic food and great live music all adding to what promises to be a great occasion.

Hobbyists, professionals and enthusiastic cider drinkers, with support from under the umbrella of the Welsh Perry and Cider Society are working to dispel the image of cheap, get-drunk-quick brands reminiscent of youthful alcohol introductions, replacing it with more refined craft varieties that can be sipped, savoured and enjoyed with food in the same way as a good wine.

The Society was set up in 2001 as a not-for-profit organisation that aims to promote cider and perry made here in Wales, ideally from Welsh fruit. It provides assistance to existing and potential cider makers, as well as researching and regenerating orchards, and working to identify and conserve rare varieties of Welsh cider apples and perry pears.