Clive’s Fruit Farm, Worcestershire
Clive’s fruit farm is not a maker whose ciders I’ve encountered before. Their website tells how cider is a bit of a side project alongside more traditional non-alcoholic juices and pick your own fruit at their farm in Worcestershire.
Despite the name, it’s only 5.4%, so not quite as wobble inducing as many ciders. Still and quite cloudy, with a respectable amount of sediment in the bottom, the nose mainly a deep, earthy, apple aroma, with a slight floral quality.
The taste is not what I was expecting, it’s quite a fresh and fruity cider, with prominent sour and sharp notes that are just the right side of acetic to be tangy and refreshing rather than being a candidate for needing a Gaviscon chaser. There’s a dryness that develops into the finish, but I think I’d put this at medium dry rather than fully dry. Some tannin is present, particularly in the finish, but it’s quite subtle. There’s a bit of a woody vibe here too, so it may well have spent some time in oak or similar barrels, plus a touch of spirit.
I’d be interested to know more about this cider, the sourness makes me suspect that the apples used are predominantly culinary and desert varieties rather than the more traditional cider apples, although I do think there are at least some bittersweets in here.
The balance of flavours works; it’s quite well rounded and a lot less challenging than I expected. Despite that sharpness, it’s quite easy to drink.
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