How Do You Like Them Apples

I’m not a violent man, but I was tempted to give somebody a wedgie and/or severe Chinese burn recently when they said – forgive me for repeating the heresy – that “all cider tastes the same.”

Like its beery counterpart, the Irish cider industry has been undergoing a quiet revolution these past few years; the result being a range of world-class artisan tipples that all have their own unique character.
The ‘world-class’ part is underlined by the Silver Medal picked up recently by Mac Ivors Traditional Dry Cider (macivors.com) at the International Brewing Awards, aka “the brewing Oscars”.
“To win silver at such a prestigious awards when we’d only been available commercially for four months was just amazing,” enthuses Greg MacNeice whose family have been fruit farming since the late 1800s. “We’ve 150 acres here in Armagh, so we’re self-sufficient in terms of the apples we use. My mother comes from northern France, so I sampled their wonderful cidres growing up and wanted to know how they got all that taste. I also went to the West of England to see how they’ve perfected their craft. Time’s the big thing – the cider has to mature for seven months before we even think of blending and bottling it.”
The gong is an endorsement for not only Mac Ivors, but also Irish cider in general.
“As with artisan beer and cheese, the ‘green island’ image really works in our favour abroad,” Greg ventures. “They try it because it’s Irish, and then realise it’s a really top quality product.”
Having selflessly engaged in an extensive taste test – the results were doubly, at times even triply checked – here are five more Irish ciders that Team Hot Press reckon you absolutely have to try:

Llewellynn’s
Made with 100% apple juice – at no stage is water added – the LL Bone Dry and Medium Dry 6% ABV ciders are both bottle-conditioned, giving them a lively natural sparkle.
The full-flavour comes from the fruit being harvested in the autumn and allowed to further mellow and mature before pressing.
Also keep your eyes (apple!) peeled for limited-editions like the 2011 Katy Dry Reserve, a muscular 7.6% ABV cider, which David Llewellyn, a familiar face on TV, recommends serving chilled in champagne glasses. llewellynsorchard.ie

Tempted? Irish Craft Cider
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again; we’ve no idea why Tempted? have a question mark at the end of their name when their Medium Dry, Medium Sweet and Special Reserve ciders are so outstanding.
The key is locally sourced Armagh apples, a super-high juice content and the loving care put into their ciders by the Uprichard family who’ve been rewarded with an Irish Food Award nod.
Tempted? are also deserving of a special prize for their Strawberry Cider, a unique blend of sweet cider, apple juice and strawberry wine which is a real summer thirst-quencher.
Sample their wares at the Irish Craft Beer Village, IFSC, George’s Dock, Dublin from March 13 – 17 with additional tastings in Redmond’s of Ranelagh (14 @ 5.30pm); Baggot Street Wines (15 @ 6.30pm) and Deveney’s of Dundrum (16 @ 7pm)
temptedcider.co.uk

Longueville House Cider & Irish Apple Brandy
Originally the brainchild of the late Michael O’Callaghan who planted 20 acres of Dabinett and Michelin cider apples on the north-west side of his property, Longueville’s 5% ABV medium dry artisan cider – a recent Examiner ‘Star Buy’ – and vintage 40% ABV apple brandy are now handcrafted by Dan Duggan who arrived on the picturesque Mallow estate 35-years ago.
Helped by wife Mary and son John, he’s justifiably proud that both are 100% colouring, additive and preservative free.
Look out for them in restaurants, off-licences, gastropubs and hotels nationwide.
longuevillehouse.ie/artisan-produce

Craigies Cider
New kids on the Irish craft cider block – the first bottles hit the shelves in November 2012 – Angus Craigie and Simon Tyrell named their 5.8% ABV Ballyhook Flyer after a contraption they once entered into the Grange Con Soapbox Derby! Made in Wicklow from only the finest homegrown apples, it has a flavour that’s almost wine-like in its complexity and goes perfectly with all types of food.
Craigies will be on the menu on March 22 when Ely Bar & Brasserie in the IFSC, Dublin 1 stage their latest Big Tasting. Book tickets at elywinebar.ie/bigtasting.
facebook.com/CraigiesCider

Toby’s Handcrafted Cider
Armagh remarkably has over 5,000 acres of orchard, with the pick of the freshly pressed crop making it into Toby’s, a bottle-conditioned 6% ABV artisan cider that packs a big dry fruity flavour.
The delicate fizz and elegant 500ml bottles make it a great mealtime alternative to cava, prosecco, champagne and other sparking wines.
Founded in July 2008 by a husband and wife team Craig & Karen – they’d previously made cider as a hobby – a percentage of sales goes to the Toby Fund, which benefits youngsters at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children.
tobyscider.co.uk.
See ciderireland.com for more.

DUNGARVAN BREWING COMPANY
Just when you think you can’t love the Dungarvan Brewing Company any more, up they pop with Mahon Falls Rye Pale Ale, their third bottled seasonal beer, which makes it into independent off-licences and craft beer specialists at the end of March.
When road-tested last year at the Brewers on the Bay and Irish Craft Beer festivals in Galway and Dublin respectively, it sold-out in minutes.
“We were overwhelmed with the response,” enthuses Head Brewer Cormac O’Dwyer. “We felt it had the right amount of warmth and fruitiness to invoke the spirit of springtime. I just love the tropical fruit flavours imparted by the hops which suggest to me the brightness and lightness of this time of year, while the nutines of the rye in the background adds a bite to it.”
It joins an all-year round range of Dungarvan Brewing Company beers that include Helvick Gold Blonde Ale, Copper Coast Ted Ale and Black Rock Stout.
dungarvanbrewingcompany.com