Cider Rethought
A refreshed cider and perry offer from Manchester Beer and Cider Festival
Fans of traditional fruit drinks are in for a treat this month as the North’s biggest beer and cider festival opens in Manchester.
Organisers of the Manchester Beer and Cider Festival have a reputation for showcasing the best from traditional cider and perry producing regions alongside the developing northern scene. A staggering 73 ciders and perrys picked from 40 different producers will be on offer during the three days of the event (click here to see the list). But that only tells part of the story.
Regular visitors will be able to spot firm festival favourites, but handpumps, a cooling system and bottled ciders and perries will debut on a revised layout. And an innovation – believed to be a national first for Manchester – will see six keg-conditioned ciders dispensed. The equivalent to real ales maturing in cask, live yeasts continue to react with sugars, further conditioning and stabilising the cider.
Cider and perry bar manager Dick Withecombe said: “The festival has a reputation for innovation in beer. But this year, we aim to match that modernisation with the impetus that the ReThink Cider initiative has given us. ReThink Cider is about improving the way cider is perceived. And in line with CAMRA’s priorities, we want to educate drinkers about the diverse styles of cider and perry. Many producers have the skills normally associated with winemakers. ReThink Cider aims to showcase that while harnessing the broad appeal of real ales.
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