Cider is the focus of month-long celebrations for the Campaign for Real Ale which has designated this week as National Cider Week and encouraged local pubs to join the festival spirit.
The North East branch of CAMRA is switching attention away from beer to praise the merits of cider as it highlights pub festivals where customers can sample some of the best. Real cider actually has been seen as a key part of Newcastle’s beer festival for decades and CAMRA defines ' real cider' or perry as that which is fermented from the whole juice of fresh pressed apples or pears without the use of juices which are concentrated or chaptalised - which means adding sucrose before fermentation.
And it points out there are several Tyneside pubs which promote the good stuff, with The Bodega in Newcastle, for instance, currently holding its first cider festival. This features 20 ciders and perries from fruit based upon single varieties and rarities.
