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Cider Digest #1309
Subject: Cider Digest #1309, 22 March 2006
From: cider-request@talisman.com
Cider Digest #1309 22 March 2006
Forum for Discussion of Cider Issues
Dick Dunn, Digest Janitor
Contents:
Re: cider competitions (Benjamin Watson)
Cider competition results ("Colin Mills")
Planting trees for lower maintenance ("Varilyn Schock")
FW: bladder presses & competitions ("Mike Beck")
Re: Classes for new cider makers? ("Gary Awdey")
Re: Cider Digest #1308, 18 March 2006 ("Gary Awdey")
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Subject: Re: cider competitions
From: Benjamin Watson <bwatson@worldpath.net>
Date: Sat, 18 Mar 2006 15:04:12 -0500
Dick Dunn wrote:
> But that is more-or-less what happened! The BJCP went out looking for help
> to update their cider category descriptions. They knew they needed major
> re-work, so they got cider folks involved and went ahead. There were a
> couple bumps in the road early on, to be sure.
>
> The current BJCP cider categories, descriptions, etc., were almost entirely
> the work of three people: myself, Gary Awdey, and Drew Zimmerman. All of
> those names should be familiar here on the Cider Digest. I did most of the
> wordsmithing, and will gladly accept flames about the content of the BJCP
> styles, since Gary and Drew tried to keep me on the One True Path but
> didn't always succeed.
>
> I believe Drew used a set of style descriptions for the last NWCS
> competition that was very close to the penultimate draft of the BJCP.
Just to add my two cents, I think that the BJCP and our three cider
magi did yeoman work in defining/delineating the cider style categories
and guidelines -- I read through the BJCP descriptions carefully before
submitting to GLOWS, and feel that they reflect pretty well the breadth
and width of the elusive substance we regard as cider. They allowed for
specialty ciders, melomels and even beer brewed with apples, which I
personally think is a bit of a stretch. But no matter . . . it was a
big enough tent to include everyone.
My only problem was with the "enforcement" of the submissions by
category, and here Bulmer was the prime example of what went wrong. I
believe that both Strongbow and Woodpecker were entered in the English
cider category -- though, as I stated before (and stealing from Mark
Twain) they are no more like real English cider than I am like a
meridian of longitude.
There may be little or no practical pre-tasting control over
non-commercial submissions. But I do think in future that at least the
commercial folks need to pass a preliminary "smell test" for
submissions and be placed on a level field (through a bit more
documentation, perhaps?). Tasting an industrial cider against a craft
cider simply isn't appropriate. And English cider should be a
recognizable style, not a commentary on where the stuff was
accidentally produced. To do otherwise only creates more cynicism about
these competitions, which I would like to see flourishing as a means to
promote good cider as a whole (and its greater appreciation). Otherwise
I fear such events will be dismissed by many as simply a way for
certain producers to bag some medals or awards that they can use in
their own internal marketing and promotion.
I guess this is a plea to look beyond our own prejudices (and we all
have 'em) and our narrow interests and join together to help re-create
an American and international cider culture. It seems to me that's the
common denominator for all of us, whether amateur or professional.
Ben Watson
Francestown, NH
------------------------------
Subject: Cider competition results
From: "Colin Mills" <cdjmills@hotmail.com>
Date: Sun, 19 Mar 2006 09:47:03 +0000
I am recommending the ciders and perries for the Boxmoor Beer Festival
(Hemel Hempstead, Herts, England) held on Friday 14th & Saturday 15th July
2006 (maybe on Sunday 16th July as well if there is any beer or cider left).
We shall be stocking 3 ciders and 2 perries.
I have found it useful in previous years to know which ciders and perries
have done well at cider festivals or beer & cider festivals. Anyone who has
access to lists of ciders & perries which won awards at festivals: I should
be most grateful if you could post them to this list.
Regards, Colin Mills
Cider & Perry Officer, Mid-Chilterns CAMRA
------------------------------
Subject: Planting trees for lower maintenance
From: "Varilyn Schock" <vschock@qwest.net>
Date: Sun, 19 Mar 2006 09:21:39 -0700
Greetings Everyone,
Thank you for your previous observations. I have a new area cleared for
more trees and wonder if anyone's experimented with what grows under
their tree limbs? Has anyone planted a particular kind of grass or
other plant, or has another approach for around their new trees to keep
the weeds down, requires less maintenance than mowing weeds, and is good
for/reserves most of the moisture for the trees? I know that I'm
hopeful, but it's worth asking!
Varilyn Schock
------------------------------
Subject: FW: bladder presses & competitions
From: "Mike Beck" <mjbeck@ujcidermill.com>
Date: Sun, 19 Mar 2006 15:51:01 -0500
#1308 Nick Gunn asks about bladder presses
Nick, I know of several fresh cider makers big and small that use them.
Tanner Orchards in Speer, IL uses one for his fresh market operation and
they say they love it. One of the largest producers here in MI uses many
bladder presses lined up in row. I think they are the Bucher you refer to.
I have seen the retrofit press at a trade show and a video. Looks like a
perfectly acceptable way of squeezing pomace. I have seen many squeeze boxes
too. They work nicely also. The biggest reason I do not like a squeeze box
is that you are still in that rut of cleaning racks and cloths. We switched
to a medium sized belt press after 20 years of a standard rack and cloth. The
entire unit sits on space less that a sheet plywood. It will crank out up
to 450+/- gal. hour and it requires zero personal to operate. Needs only a
feed man to bring fruit into the plant and remove pomace from the plant. We
also put a person on a culling line. We cut our labor in half while gaining
a few hundred gallon an hour in production. It is a continuous operation
unlike the bladder press and squeeze box which are a batch process and can
slow you down with the task of unloading pomace. The best part about a belt
press is no cleaning racks and cloths. Another great thing about a belt
press is that there is no need for rice hulls or press aids. Rice Hulls in
particular are a gruesome addition to pomace and the flavor follows into the
juice. The state of New York passed some backward legislation not to long
ago. They require that all juice sold in the state be pasteurized.
Regardless if it is being sold on farm only. No doubt a few operations will
be shuttered and sold. Pay attention to the trade magazines for auctions.
Regarding competitions in the last three digests.
Amateur competitions and commercial competitions obviously serve two
purposes. On the commercial side I am elated that anyone is willing to put
ciders in a competition, Beer or Wine. We have very few competitions that
focus on ciders or perry. I have nothing against BJCP and I appreciate
their efforts. Commercial cider producers are required to get federal wine
licensing. When we associate with beer it causes marketplace confusion. I
wish that there was a sister organization called the CJCP or something. I
know that some commercial producers oppose competitions. That is fine. I
will still enter them and use them for marketing purposes if I do well.
Just as successful wineries, breweries & distilleries continue to do.
Please visit Charles McGonegals web page and let your thoughts be known
about competitions.
mike beck
st. john's, mi
------------------------------
Subject: Re: Classes for new cider makers?
From: "Gary Awdey" <gawdey@att.net>
Date: Sun, 19 Mar 2006 23:24:53 -0500
In CD#1308 Patrick J. Farrell wrote:
> I had heard that the Universities of Cornell and Washington State were going
> to hold classes for us new hard cider makers? Any news on that? Also do we
> have a list of competitions for hard cider?
Small world, Pat. I have relatives who make fruit wines on a hobby scale on
the other side of the river from you in nearby Smithville. You didn't
mention if you're selling hard cider yet (and your website only mentions
sweet cider). If you're not selling it yet then you may be interested in a
list of some upcoming homebrew competitions (most of which include cider) at
http://www.bjcp.org/apps/comp_schedule/competition_schedule.php. If you're
a commercial producer then two competitions of note are the one done by the
North West Cider Society (held in 2003 and 2004 but skipped in 2005) and the
Great Lakes Olde World Syder Competition (which debuted in 2005, with a
repeat already being planned for 2006). These competitions and some of the
homebrew competitons are generally also announced in advance in the Cider
Digest.
Peter Mitchell's cider courses have been presented twice now by Cornell
University's Department of Food Science and Technology at the NY State
Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva. It has also been presented at
least twice in the Skagit Valley (near Seattle) at the Mount Vernon Station
and I seem to recall something about an effort to get Peter Mitchell out to
Michigan State University as well. You'll find that the courses are also
announced on the Cider Digest as they are organized so keep your eyes
peeled. If there are other courses or workshops in the works hopefully they
will be announced as well.
Gary Awdey
Eden, New York
------------------------------
Subject: Re: Cider Digest #1308, 18 March 2006
From: "Gary Awdey" <gawdey@att.net>
Date: Mon, 20 Mar 2006 01:25:32 -0500
In CD#1308 Dick Dunn wrote:
> The current BJCP cider categories, descriptions, etc., were almost entirely
> the work of three people: myself, Gary Awdey, and Drew Zimmerman. All of
> those names should be familiar here on the Cider Digest. I did most of the
> wordsmithing, and will gladly accept flames about the content of the BJCP
> styles, since Gary and Drew tried to keep me on the One True Path but
> didn't always succeed.
I'll also accept my share of the blame for shortcomings in the current
revision while expressing my admiration of Dick's work. In particular, Dick
did an extraordinarily good job of reconciling the previous version (which
was based in large part on practical experience and some good work by
others) with some changes that would bring them more in line with some of
the distinct regional traditions of the world while leaving room for
evolution of new styles. Interestingly, most of the criticism I've heard of
the guidelines themselves so far has come from experienced competition
organizers who find it troubling that there are now style subcategories for
which it is difficult to get commercial examples. While I'll agree that
this is a problem, a review of some of the competition award winners in
North America in the past year shows that there have been a significant and
growing number of entries in the newly recognized styles. Expansion of the
number of cider styles in the guidelines over time follows the example of
the expansion of the number of beer styles. If further interest among
cidermakers is sparked by these evolving guidelines then they will have
served at least one of their intended purposes well. However, there seem to
be practical limits on how quickly these guidelines may be expanded due to
limits on how quickly they may be widely assimilated and understood.
Another criticism that I've heard comes as more of a surprise. Some
competitions are slow to recognize more than two levels of carbonation.
Only specification of either "still" or "carbonated" was required under
the previous version of the cider style guidelines. Classification of
degree of carbonation was left as an option. Several competition entry
forms in the past year or so have failed to recognize the intermediate
classification of "petillant" even while recognizing all other aspects of
the current cider style guideline revision. While this generally seems to
be an oversight, apparently some few feel that the recognition of
"petillant" is an unnecessary annoyance. Cidermakers who have had
petillant cider marked down in competition for not being still or not being
highly carbonated probably do not share this opinion. However even under
the new guidelines there remains room for confusion. I wonder how much of
the confusion originates from the rarity in North America of what the
English call draught cider (not to be confused with keg cider, which differs
in being dispensed under pressure provided by an external source of carbon
dioxide). A range of carbonation that some in England might call "still,
lightly carbonated and gassy" might be considered by others in North America
to be "flat, still and carbonated." "Still" does not seem to denote the
same thing to all people.
Gary Awdey
Eden, NY
------------------------------
End of Cider Digest #1309
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