Provenance
Cider apple growing has always been a big part of the Herefordshire/Worcestershire farming industry. Originally, cider apple trees were planted to protect the animals and the crops from the weather. Over the years the trees have been pruned and propagated to make them more productive and other methods have been used to protect animals and crops. The varieties of bittersweet apples that are on offer in the UK are truly unique in the world because of their low acid and higher tannin content. This imparts an astringent and bitter characteristic which gives British cider a truly complex and distinctive flavour and colour.
The uniqueness of the British cider apple varieties is created because of our ‘terroir’ and because of the historical breeding and development programme undertaken in this country. (For details on each variety please see ‘Variety’ blog.)
