Please phone or email with any queries.
Contact: Tom Oliver on 01432 820569 or the mobile 07768 732026
or email:sales@oliversciderandperry.co.uk
The CIDERHOUSE and tasting Room have undergone some restoration and are located in the old hop kilns.
Oliver's Cider and Perry
The Old Hop Kilns,
Moorhouse Farm,
Ocle Pychard,
Herefordshire
HR1 3QZ
Open Saturdays 10.00am to 4.00pm
For all other times please phone ahead, we may well be busy elsewhere on the farm.
We are just off Burley Gate roundabout, where the A417 Leominster to Gloucester road intersects the A465 Hereford to Bromyard road. Take Gloucester exit off roundabout towards Newtown crossroads and Oliver's Cider and Perry is first on the right hand side.
"Oliver's Cider and Perry is for everyday enjoyment and to celebrate special occasions.
We need to profitably produce the finest Herefordshire and Three Counties ciders and perries and want to really relish doing so.
Crafted in small batches using fresh, ripe (mostly hand picked) unsprayed fruit with minimal intervention, distinctively presented, respecting the great heritage and traditions of the past but with an eye to innovating for the future.
Oliver's will strive to produce premium products and give a unique service, while valuing the health and well being of our consumers, our employees, the earth's natural resources and the environment".
Bringing It All Back Home:
In 2004 we won First Prize for our Bottled Dry Perry at The Royal Bath and West Show (for the second year running).
So when this led to the presentation to Oliver's of the THE ARTHUR DAVIES CUP for the Outstanding Cider or Perry, we were stunned and very honoured. The history of cidermaking associated with this show and their close affiliation with Long Ashton Research Station over the years, has made this one of the most prestigious cups we have ever been awarded, if we are indeed judged by the company we keep, then we are very honoured.
It is with immense pride that we have received the cup for the SECOND time in 2009 for Oliver's Bottle Conditioned Herefordshire Cider.
Recieving The Arthur Davies Cup from Lord Cameron of Dillington and Arthur Davies himself.
The end of 2009 saw us receive a Global Excellence award in the Flavours of Herefordshire awards and then in 2010 we were Cider and Perry Producer of the Year and in 2011 we were honoured to receive an "Outstanding Achievement" award.
Helping represent some of the great foods and drinks to come out of Herefordshire. Come to the Flavours Festival towards the end of October and to be held in the centre of the city in 2012.
Matthew Fort provided a very welcome introduction to Oliver's with this piece in the Guardian and using the Bottle Conditioned Perry for the "Market Kitchen" Great British Menu banquet. Around Britain with a Fork
Our cider and perry is now available in the US of A.
2012 has seen Bottle Conditioned Herefordshire Dry and Medium Cider, Traditional Cider and Classic Perry and Dry and Medium Bottle Conditioned Herefordshire Perry being shipped over. ALL THE WAY FROM HEREFORDSHIRE. Oliver's on NPR
We also featured on BBC Radio 4's "Open Country" program which they devoted to perry and especially the now very rare varietal "Coppy".
Open Country
Robert Plant heard singing the praises of Oliver's Real Traditional Cider
Click on the link below and watch our video produced with enormous effort and great skill by Jonathan Blease at Stories4Change.
Promoting PGI, Protected Geographical Indication for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Talking about The Three Counties Perry Presidium, a Slow Food initiative to support the long term survival of perry
SUSTAINABILTY:
Duty increases, glass increases, it never ends but we want to remind our regulars that Oliver's Real Draught cider and perry in any recycled containers is really good value.
This is just one of the many areas where we try and recycle, waste less and compost.
The buzz words are sustainability and the environment. At Oliver's we really hope that we do our best to produce cider and perry in a good, clean and fair way.
Old barrels are sold for planting tubs and water butts and decorative uses.
Minimum use of chemicals for cleaning, steam where possible.
Minimum use of sulphites in finished products (frequently none added).
Old paper hand towels are composted.
Cardboard and packaging recyled where possible
All glass is recycled
All vegetable matter is composted
Apple and pear pomace is fed to our cattle and sheep.
Our new washing/elevator/tipper unit, energetically designed and built by Bushmaster, has resulted in a huge decrease in volume of water used for the initial washing phase. 2 tanks now hold the dirty water which is recycled by submersible pumps, frequently meaning 1000 litres lasts a week. The smallclean water tank is still changed daily or twice daily depending on requirements.
The Redstreak cider apple raised from a pip by Lord Scudamore of Holme Lacy House in the 1600's, when Herefordshire was "one entire orchard and redstreak cider excelled".
Just why did Redstreak cider garner it's reputation?
Was it due to an early form of bottle conditioning?
Lord Scudamore had estates in Herefordshire and Gloucestershire. He would have had access to the stronger glass from coal fired furnaces in the Forest of Dean. James 1st had been convinced by Admiral Sir Robert Mansell that wood should be saved for shipbuilding. By 1630 Robert Mansell had retired and set about making glass. When attempting to make coloured glass he added iron and manganese, which succeeded in making stronger "verre anglais" bottle glass. Couple this with the fact that England, once again, was importing cork from Portugal and thus making better stoppers for the stronger bottles, to contain the effervescence from the bottle conditioned Redstreak cider that kept so much better in the presence of dissolved carbon dioxide. Did Redstreak cider indeed gain it's reputation from it's ability to keep so much better than any barrel or previously glass bottled product? As well as being safer due to bottles not exploding and wastage would have become a thing of the past. It enabled cider and perry to be transported in better condition hence it's reputation would have spread.
UPDATE: Since writing the above and after much discussion with Jim Chapman and James Crowden, I am tending to think that (with reference to the excellent segment on Scudamore by Hogg and Bull in The Herefordshire Pomona) that the Redstreak cider was kept in glass bottles in cellars, cooled by running waters at Holme Lacey House and that the cider was probably "still" but because it would have contained some yeast, however carefully racked, probably was at least prickly on the tongue to drink. The actual adding of sugar to create a conditioning within the bottle and true bottle fermentation is to come.
"Methode Champenoise?" Did France gain an early PR victory with the adoption of Champagne?
The first documented description of the addition of sugar to a finished wine with the intention of making it sparkle is from a paper by Christopher Merret to the newly formed Royal Society on December 17th 1662. This is 6 years before Dom Perignon arrived in Hautvillers.
James Crowden's book "Ciderland" throws further light on the subject and also features a fine chapter on Oliver's..... thanks very much James!
The Herefordshire Pomona, 600 copies printed in 7 parts and going at auction for around £10,000!
Dr Robert Hogg and Dr Henry Graves Bull compiled this wonderful book in the late 1800's. The 441 original watercolours by Misses Ellis and Bull are on display in the Hereford Cider Museum. Seeing these original paintings are a must for any visitors to Hereford.
The alternative is to order the CD of The Herefordshire Pomona from Marcher Apple Network.(see my links page). Click to see a page from the Hereford Pomona compiled by Hogg and Bull showing the now rare "Cowarne Red".
OLIVER'S a bit of a HISTORY OF TRADITION
Cider was made on the farm until my grandfather decided with
the arrival of mechanization that it was unsafe and the consequent move away from horse and man power left less need for refreshment while on the job. The old stone mill decayed and the rest of the equipment was sold, given away or fell into disrepair. I started from scratch again and have been planting bush and standard trees of many varieties for many years, in order to preserve as many as possible.
Cider Apple Trees:
Broxwood Foxwhelp, Improved Redstreak, Slack ma Girdle, Tremletts
Bitter, Bulmers Norman, Ashton Bittersweet, Sweet Alford, Kingston
Bitter, Yarlington Mill, Ashton Brown Jersey, Brown Snout, Golden
Harvey, Breakwell Seedling, Kingston Black, Cider Ladys Finger, Gennet
Moyle, Nehou, Dymock Red, Sercombes Natural, Sops in Red Wine, Sheeps
Nose, Somerset Redstreak, Fillbarrel, Harry Masters Jersey, Frederick, Ellis
Bitter, Chisel Jersey, Stoke Red, Hangy Down, Vilberie, White Jersey, Tom
Putt, White Norman, White Beech and Dabinett.
Perry Pear Trees:
Taynton Squash, Thorn, Moorcroft, Oldfield, Yellow Huffcap, Hendre
Huffcap, Blakeney Red, Gin, Winnals Longdon, Brandy, Hellens
Early, Butt, Barland, Red Pear, Barnet, Greggs Pit, Teddington Green, Harleys
Gum, Greenhorse, Judge Amphlett, Parsonage, Bartestree Squash, Coppy, Ducksbarn, Early Griffin, Holmer, Judge Amphlett, Knapper, Newbridge, New Meadow, Red Longdon, Rock110, Turner's Barn, White Bache and White Longdon.
Sources of fruit, are from my own trees and enthusiastic local owners of perry pear and cider apple trees in the Three Counties of Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire.
I am always keen to find new sources of vintage fruit locally and will pay handsomely for hand picked, delivered vintage fruit.
AVAILABLE as of Autumn 2012 from OLIVER'S PERRY & CIDER HOUSE:
PERRY:
75 cl bottle conditioned perries, a dry Oldfield (6.1%) and medium (under 5.5%)
75 cl still, medium, bottle blended perry "Three Counties Perry"(6.0%)
75 cl still, medium dry "LULHAM" perry (6.0%)
75 cl still, medium sweet, single varietal perry "Red Pear Cocktail"(6.0%)
50 cl carbonated, medium perry, "CLASSIC PERRY"(6.0%)
Real Herefordshire Draught Perries
CIDER:
50 cl TRADITIONAL...very dry, still, austere...very refreshing and great with white fish.
50 cl SHEZAM....the easy drinking,medium dry carbonated cider(6%)
50 cl MAKING HAY....a sweeter easy drinking, carbonated cider(6%)
75 cl bottle conditioned ciders, dry and sweet POSH SCRUMPY (under 5.5%)
75 cl carbonated, medium single varietal "Yarlington Mill"(6%) ....earthy, apple rich Yarlington cider
75 cl carbonated, medium dry "Gold Rush" (6.7%)...rich, bittersweet cider
75 cl still, dry "Vintage 2010"(6.7%) ....funky, balanced dry cider
Real Herefordshire Draught Ciders
As well as Single Varietals on draught when available:
Oldfield Perry, Blakeney Red Perry,Swans Egg Perry, Rock Perry and
Dabinett Cider, Yarlington Mill Cider, Kingston Black Cider.
Available now at the perry and cider house are cider vinegar, Rock perry vinegar, apple juices, chutneys and mustard.
Also books, T shirts, Fleeces, Beanie Hats, Baseball Hats and Postcards
OLIVER'S Ciders and Perries are made from vintage cider apples and perry pears, washed, milled, macerated, pressed and fermented, then matured and aged in old oak barrels. Available bottled or in season, from the barrel. The fruit is from traditional, environmentally friendly orchards from unsprayed trees.
Contact: Tom Oliver on 01432 820569 or the mobile 07768 732026
or email:sales@oliversciderandperry.co.uk
The Producer's Charter.
This was drawn up to do some very simple things but in a sound, solid and honest manner. The latest version is based on forming a Guild of Craft Cider and Perry Makers to administer The Producer's Charter. For those who might be interested please download the The Guild of Craft Cider and Perry Producers Charter.
Please click to see what we have won recently:
Awards
Rick Stein in his book on Food Heroes of Great Britain gave Oliver's Cider & Perry "Superhero" status, we are grateful for the awareness that it has bought about.
CAMRA are a passionate campaigning consumer organisation who represent the views of their membership which is based around real ale. However over the years their "Apple" off shoot has grown stronger and cider and perry has particularly benefitted by an ever increasing prescence at the many CAMRA festivals held all over the UK. Frequently selling out in ever increasing quantities. Here at Oliver's we are very pleased to supply any CAMRA event and very pleased to have won a number of CAMRA awards too.
APPLE at CAMRA and their useful Cider Guide
CAMRA's Good Cider Guide
Slow Food and The Three Counties Perry Presidium
For Oliver's possibly the best thing to have happened for perry but also for us!
The Slow Food Foundation for BioDiversity has made Three Counties Perry a Presidia and perry is in the Ark of Taste. Please click on this link to follow the exciting and incredibly diverse and wonderful things that have happened so far.
For anyone interested in the making of cider and perry who lives within The Three Counties of Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire, and beyond too, why not become a member of the Three Counties Cider and Perry Association. We meet about 4 times a year for a variety of informative and social occasions and the membership is on the increase as is our participation in all things cider and perry.
Our website is TCC&PA
and for membership please contact our secretary Helen Woodman, email:TCC&PA
The Three Horseshoes, Little Cowarne, Herefordshire (tel.01885 400276) stocks
the latest releases from Oliver's, both bottled and draught. There is also superb food available in the company of Norman and Janet.
We also have been very pleased to help the following over the last 12 months:
Ocle Pychard Pre School
Arthritis Research Council
National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society
Advance-Residential Home, Bromyard
Hereford and District Branch of Multiple Sclerosis Society
Headway
Finally if you have got to the bottom of this, you deserve a medal or at least a good drink.
The community of cider and perry is unique, from near and far, whether producer or consumer, orchardist or chemist, there is a comaraderie that binds us all. We have visitors from all over the world especially from the North Americas including Chris Horn, Drew, Derek, Joseph, Kelly, Kirsten, Sean and perry loving Gary Awdney, Diane and Dick Dunn, top shelf drinks enjoyed by top shelf folks. Traditionally it may be hard cider in the USA but you are pushing us, no room for complacency here then! If you got this far, you should be subscribing to the Cider Digest
and Cider Workshop
It only remains for me to thank everyone who has enjoyed our cider and perry. Keep buying it!
Hats off to Jim Chapman, Andrew Lea, Charles Martell, Peter Mitchell, Dr. Jordana Pomeroy and Shelton Brothers.
