Bittersweet and Twisted?

Is the writing on the wall for high-tannin apples in the UK?

I set up a Google Alert for the word “cider” many years ago, to enable me to keep abreast of the global happenings involved in my industry. And it does a pretty good job, as long as my primary interest is reading for 973rd time this month “is apple cider vinegar good for you?” or the police report into some petty criminal who tried to shoplift cider whilst completely off their head on…well, cider normally.

I even (possibly vainly and in the early days of The Ciderologist) set up an alert for Gabe Cook. And 95% of hits come from some bloody greco-roman wrestler in Ohio. Or Idaho. Or (when feeling bitchy) it’s not about me so who cares. I had a reprieve for a while, but then he then reemerged on the scene as a wrestling coach and now gets mentioned as a legend by the Terre Haute Tribune Star (it’s Indiana!).

Anyhow, in my Google alert this week popped up several articles (like this one) announcing the launch of Thatcher’s Juicy Apple. How. Very. Interesting. Firstly, this is a very clear and unashamed riposte to the success of Heineken (in the UK) with their Inch’s Cider - easy drinking and with a sustainability angle. You know what they say, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery…(did you know there was a second part to that Oscar Wilde quote? I didn’t. Here it is)……that mediocrity can pay to greatness.

What is most striking is that the cider is made with a blend of Katy and Jonagold apples, sits at 4% abv and is likely to have enough sugar to make me reach for my toothbrush. This is easy drinking cider at its max and is a world away from where Thatcher’s began as a traditional, family cider maker from Somerset where tannin has always been the boss. But such has been the shift in the UK over the last decade towards ciders with less structure and more softness and sweetness, that is doesn’t really come as a surprise and is an astute move.

But it does come with big warning klaxon for bittersweet and bittersharp apples and the growers of those apples in the UK. There is already an oversupply of these apples in the UK (hey, USA, do you want some?) on the back of increased orchard planting post-Magner’s effect and the long term increase in demand for apples to provide a nice, gentle, acid drive base for the UK-produced fruit flavoured ciders. There is a very real possibility that over the next 10-20 years, thousands of acres of Dabinett, Harry Master’s Jersey and Somerset Redstreak etc will be replaced with Jonagold, Worcester Pearmain and Scrumptious.

Beyond my personal enjoyment of high tannin ciders made from high tannin apples, my lament for their potential decline is also born of them being redolent of the culture and the landscape which instilled my passion for cider in the first place, and continues to do so. But (sorry for another platitude) they do say that the only constant in life is change. And we are in a time of unprecedented change, not just with consumer habits, but with our climate, too.

Regardless of your personal thought on the level of anthropogenic contribution towards climate change, the climate is most definitely is changing. 2022 was the hottest year on record in the UK, also recording its highest ever peaks in temperature, whilst this last winter has been the wettest since records began here in 1836. But we barely had a frost. And we’re now nearly into May and it’s way cooler than normal. We British folk love talking about the weather normally. Even we are getting a little tired.

My lament for the demise of Dabinett and co at the hands of the bland, sugary palates of Millenials might be irrelevant if it proves impossible to grow these varieties here in 20 years time. We only need to see the Champagne Houses flashing the cash in Kent and Sussex to see the northward migration of ideal growing temperatures for specific fruits used in specific fermentations. A lack of chill hours and the ugly spectre of rampant fireblight are already causing murmurings of concerns in Herefordshire, but the cider makers of Northern Scotland are likely to be chipper.

One option for Western Counties makers could be to look to traditional cider regions in warmer climes - yes, that’s you Asturias and Basque Country! What apple varieties do you use? Can we grow them here? But will the drinkers like they cider they produce? Will they care if there’s a diabetes-inducing level of sugar added?

The other approach, of course, is to start from scratch. New eating apples varietals are developed ALL the time. What about for cider? Not so much. A group known as ‘the girls’ was developed in the UK in the 1990s/2000s primarily for to provide the requisite modest tannin needed for bigger makers, whilst being a good cropper, not so biennial and crucially, early harvesting. But what about a root and branch (sorry) review of what makes a great cider from a consumer, maker and grower perspective? Could the perfect apple be developed for cider?

Well, in Aotearoa New Zealand, there’s a couple of chaps feverishly working away to find that out. And if they get it right, Alan and John’s research project could net them a few quid and also provide the world a range of exciting new varieties which could be mainstay of cider going forward.

Who knows what will happen. May be Indiana will become the perfect place to grow Dabinett? If it does you’ll find me in Terre Haute hanging out with Gabe Cook. Although probably not wrestling. Probably.