How to Learn About Cider
“How should someone learn about cider?”
There are several reasons for which this question is not only a difficult one to answer, but one that I, in particular am ill-suited to tackle.
First, and quite simply: there is so much about cider which we simply don’t know. Rachel, in How to Learn About Wine, has wisely observed that you should believe no one who tells you they know everything about wine, as the field is simply too broad for one person to have all the answers, however long they have spent in dedication to the subject.
Not only is that case replicated in cider, but cider has had less than a hundredth – perhaps thousandth – of the dedicated time, money and research applied to it.
To give you just one indication of cider’s paucity compared to its grapey cousin, consider apple varieties. The flavours of grape varieties have been written about ad infinitum. There are literally books published on the subject. Almost anyone with a passing interest in wine can tell you that Merlot is classically thought of as “plummy”, that Sauvignon Blanc is likely to be zesty, citrusy, perhaps perfumed with cut grass and lime. They might tell you that Cabernet Sauvignon is typically associated with “blackcurrants”, that Pinot Noir smells of strawberries in youth and perhaps mushrooms or truffles with age, that Gewurztraminer is rose petals and lychees and that Syrah/Shiraz crackles, more often than not, with a seam of spice amidst its dark fruits.
When apples have been written about at all in terms of how their flavours translate into cider the focus has generally been only on whether they have tannin or acidity, and roughly how much. To my knowledge, the only resource on the actual flavours apple varieties produce in cider is this one which, full disclosure, I wrote. And also, delightfully, since I wrote the first draft of this article, ourpomona.org by Albert Johnson as well.
Apple varieties – which you might have thought of as the most basic step in learning about cider – are only the tip of the iceberg of underexplored knowledge, which is both the frustrating thing when it comes to learning about cider … and, to my mind, the most exciting.
Because all of us exploring this topic have a nearly blank map ahead of us – uncharted territory which we can fill in and discover for ourselves. There is no heavy codification as there is in wine and possibly in beer; there’s no pressure for your education to conform to an established template. What’s more, as Ben wonderfully pointed out here, those entering the world of cider will discover a level of access impossible in beer or wine or spirits.
Reach out to the likes of Ross on Wye, Oliver’s, Little Pomona – producers who would be considered among the world’s very best – and I can guarantee you will be responded to by the makers themselves, who will be only too delighted to answer any of your questions personally and without caveat. No PR department, no evasiveness, no sense of being above your questions.
Cidermakers include some of the most open and generous people I have come across in my years in the drinks industry and there is simply no better way to learn than by sending them an email asking anything you wish to know. Ninety per cent of everything I know about cider has been gleaned in exactly this way.
That being said, I know how daunting it can be to even send a simple message to someone you don’t know. The first time I was due to visit Tom Oliver I had a panic attack in the car and called the whole thing off last minute. So, should you wish to begin your own journey of cider discovery in a more private fashion, here’s where I would recommend starting.
Books
Comparative to beer or wine, there isn’t much published on the subject of cider, publishers being understandably wary of lower sales through lack of demand. But five that have helped me to learn the subject are:
World’s Best Cider by Pete Brown and Bill Bradshaw – my bible when I started learning. The first book to properly map the world of cider and underline the breadth of styles and producers available. Written in 2014, many of the recommended ciders and perries and producers would now be very different, were it to be revised, but as a guide to the history of cider and the cultures that the drink has inspired around the world, there is still no better book.
The Cider Insider by Susanna Forbes – Susanna is one of my favourite people in cider and has been generous to a fault in offering me information, guidance and contacts, even before I had written anything on the subject. Cider is so lucky to have her as a champion and ambassador, even apart from the magnificent ciders she makes with her husband, James, at Little Pomona. The Cider Insider is a run-down of 100 different creations from 100 different producers. Again, her list would be very different if she rewrote it today, but it is still an outstanding guide to the flavours, styles, methods and mindsets you will find around the world. Susanna writes about flavours and personalities beautifully, and I refer to this book constantly.
Ciderland by James Crowden – Cider can be, and is, made all around the United Kingdom – and all around the world – but there is a special history of and relationship to it in England’s West Country and Three Counties, and no one maps it more compellingly than Crowden does in this book. A deep dive into Cornwall, Devon, Somerset and Herefordshire, and the producers working around 12 years ago (many of whom are still going strong today) it is a gorgeous window on a place whose very soul is intertwined with this special drink.
Craft Cider Making by Andrew Lea – In the 1990s there was virtually no “craft cider” scene and no real easily-available guidance on how to make it. Until Dr Andrew Lea started posting detailed technical articles (still available) oncider.org.uk. Their success led him to expand them into this book, which has been revised into three editions since and has become the essential primer for those looking to make cider themselves. Simple and well-explainedenough for anyone to understand, the number of modern makers who have benefitted from its teachings is remarkable.
Modern British Cider by Gabe Cook (also see Ciderology) – Although the four aforementioned texts remain fabulous and important resources, the world of cider is so dynamic at the moment that none of them truly reflect cider’s modern face. Step forward this new work by Gabe Cook, to be published this autumn, which will look at the craft, culture, producers and regions behind British Cider in 2021. One minor fly in the ointment … it hasn’t been published yet! But it is due for release in the autumn of this year and you can pre-order a copy here.
Blogs and Podcasts
The chorus of dedicated online cider commentators has blossomed in the last year and a half or so and there are now some excellent (and free!) resources that will enhance your knowledge and enjoyment no end. Here are six I use frequently myself.
Cider Chat – The longest-standing resource in this list, now at over 250 episodes, all created by the marvel that is Ria Windcaller. This US-based podcast has covered every aspect of cider, particularly charting its meteoric rise in America, but also covering international territory. Cider is very, very lucky to have it.
Cider Voice – The brainchild of Ben Thompson and Albert Johnson, this relatively new website is already one of my favourites. Full disclosure, Ben and Albert are both good friends of mine, and I have made occasional small contributions, but the podcast conversations they’ve held with cidermakers and the thoughtful long-form articles they’ve published on modern cider culture are simply essential listening and reading. I confidently predict that this site will become one of cider’s most important.
Pellicle – Some of the most gorgeous writing currently available on cider. Like Burum, Pellicle are also concerned with beer and wine, but their cider articles, mainly spotlights on individual producers, are growing in number and are a total joy to read.
Along Came a Cider – Not many people have been writing about cider for longer than Meredith Collins, and with over 700 ciders now recorded on her website, no one that I’m aware of has published as many individual tasting notes. An invaluable way to keep track of the ciders and producers available in the USA.
The Neutral Cider Hotel – Another relative newcomer, but one that has made a real impact in the short time it has been broadcasting. Grant Hutchinson, Martyn Goodwin-Sharman and Gabe Cook (interviewed here) have been releasing their no-assumed-knowledge, lighthearted but informative podcast every week since late 2020, interviewing some of the most prominent cider producers and commentators along the way. Indeed you can listen to their conversations with Burum’s own Helen and Rachel here and here.
CAMRA Learn and Discover - With the indefatigable Dick Withecombe and Cath Potter pushing it forward, CAMRA’s focus on cider has sharpened and blossomed in the last year orso. The association’s Learn and Discover section, cultivated by Alex Metcalfe and featuring content from the likes of James Finch and Pommelier Susannah Mansfield, is turning into an invaluable resource. It’s mainly available to those with CAMRA membership, but if that includes you then you should absolutely check it out.
And as a somewhat cheeky bonus …
Cider Review – Take this recommendation with a large pinch of salt and asterisks, because this is the website I edit and write content for myself. It is also the youngest resource on this list, but one that had a head-start by being built out of cider and perry articles I had previously written for over a year on Malt, a whisky-focussed website. Now in a home of their own which I co-edit with James Finch, The Cider Critic, we aim to provide long form articles on world cider with opinions, insights and tasting notes on an amateur, semi-regular basis. Approach with due caveat and apologies for self-promotion …
Print Magazines
Again an area in which cider is rather poor compared to wine or beer, but quality more than makes up for quantity, and all three of these irregular publications are well worth checking out.
Full Juice – Originally launched by Susanna Forbes, Gabe Cook, Pete Brown and Bill Bradshaw as a free publication available in pubs, it made its way online during the pandemic and is currently working out the shape of its future.
Malus – A quarterly American subscription ‘zine with international distribution. Has written several seminal articles on diversity, equity and inclusion in addition to its broad coverage of cider culture generally. You can find free examples of the articles here, even without subscribing.
Graftwood – Inspired by Malus, Graftwood was founded and is co-edited by Little Pomona’s James Forbes and Ross on Wye’s Albert Johnson. It features long-form articles on UK and international cider by a huge range of voices across the community. Again I should add the caveat that I’ve provided co-editorial assistance since issue four, but it remains very much their brainchild and was top of my “must read” list long before I was personally involved.
Further Education
Chomped your way through all that reading matter and still keen to explore? For the last few years the beer and Cider Academy has run a range of educational courses cultivated by Gabe Cook and running from Foundational Level, through Advanced, ‘How to judge cider’ and finally the Pommelier Qualification. You can access those courses here.
Want to learn from somebody who's gone right through that journey of education and discovery themselves? The lovely Jane Peyton was the first person to qualify as a Pommelier and has since set up her very own cider education courses (in addition to wine and beer modules) as part of her School of Booze. They're downloadable, very good value and conveniently can be done in your own time rather than having to attend lessons. You can find all of Jane's courses (for whichever drink is your favourite) right here.
A Final Thought
As wonderful as it is that there is now so much more information available than even a couple of years ago, there is still no substitute for really diving into cider for yourself. (Not literally, of course – please drink (and dive) responsibly). It is now easier than ever to access a large range of brilliant and delicious ciders, with sites like Scrattings, The Cat in the Glass, The Fine Cider Company and Fram Ferment boasting online ranges of aspirational cider that would have been almost unthinkable when I started learning in earnest just five or six years ago.
So ask one of those retailers – all are run by lovely people – for a recommendation or two, pick yourself up a couple of bottles (or cans!), have a taste and perhaps make a note of what you think. There are no wrong answers when it comes to your own personal preferences and there is a dazzling array of flavour waiting for you to discover it.
Right now, cider is at an incredibly exciting point. Knowledge is being shared more widely than ever, styles and varieties and regions and flavours are being enthusiastically discussed and a whole new world is being built. The most exciting thing of all? No matter how recently you’ve begun your journey, it’s a world you can play an active part in building too. Because really, we’re all still learning about cider. And we’d love you to help us.
