Cider is a long-established traditional drink which is produced naturally from apple juice. and is neither carbonated nor pasteurised. Real cider consists simply of freshly pressed apple juice, which has been allowed to ferment.

Commercial mass produced ciders are normally served very cold and are often fizzy and bland because of the extra carbon dioxide and other ingredients put into them during and after manufacture. They are usually made using stored concentrated apple juice or chaptalized* apple juice which has had extra sugar added to produce a super strong alcoholic product which is diluted prior to sale.

There are a tremendous number of flavours and aromas in real cider depending on the types of apples used, the proportions of each variety of apple the producers choose to blend and where the fruit is grown in Britain. If you have not tried real cider before you will be pleasantly surprised.

Real perry is made in exactly the same way as cider, from the fermented juice of freshly pressed pears but perry is usually only from pears grown specifically for perry production. Most real ciders and perries are blends of different varieties of apple or pear juices, but a number of single variety (SV) ciders and perries are made using just one type of apple or pear, like Kingston Black (apple) or Blakeney Red (pear).

Real cider and perry can be sold by gravity from a 'bag in box' or other air tight container, often from a fridge or cool room behind the bar, however some pubs sell it by hand pump straight from the cellar. Unlike real ale, which has to be sold from the cask in a matter of days, real cider can be sold over a period of several weeks, if not longer, provided it is stored in cool surroundings.

The popularity of real cider and perry is rising as more people discover how deliciously mellow and aromatic the flavours of naturally produced real cider can be, and CAMRA campaigns to raise the profile of real cider and perry as well as real ale.

CAMRA has recently reviewed it's definition of Real Cider and Perry.
CAMRA defines Real Cider or Perry as being fermented from the whole juice of fresh pressed apples or pears, without the use of concentrated or chaptalized* juices.

CAMRA has for a long time not approved the use of concentrated apple juice in the production of real cider. This is how large commercial producers are able to make 'cider' all year round. The new definition also introduces the process of chaptalization, which, in essence, means using concentrated fermented juice produced by adding masses of sugar to the apple juice. This is another process carried out by larger producers to enable them to store large quantities of high gravity alcohol prior to diluting it with water for sale to customers.

The new definition now means that many large scale producers like, for example, Lilleys, Broadoak, Gwynt Y Ddraig, Thatchers, Thistly Cross and Westons, who use apple concentrate or chaptalized apple juice, are not considered by CAMRA to produce real cider, even though they may produce a non-carbonated still cider.

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*Chaptalization is a process used in wine-making, which involves correcting or improving (fermenting wine) by adding calcium carbonate to neutralize acid, or sugar to increase alcoholic strength. The process is named after the French chemist, physician, and politician Jean-Antoine Chaptal.