Cider Made Simple by Jeff Alworth, Illustrations by Lydia Nichols

Title: Cider Made Simple, All about your new favourite drink
Author: Jeff Alworth, illustrations by Lydia Nichols
Year: 2015
Format: Hardback
Page Count: 175
Price new: £5.92 (Amazon)*
*accurate at the time of posting

Description: (TLDR)
This is an American book written with the American reader new to cider in mind. The cover picture is of a frothy pint of beer, lets be charitable and assume this was done deliberately to entice beer drinkers to learn more about cider. No pictures but a fair few illustrations and a few charts, appears to do what it says on the can, a comprehensive introduction to cider in bite sized chunks.

On the back of the book it says:
This book is a gateway to a complex and always refreshing beverage.
New Styles  of cider are popping up on restaurant menus and at neighborhood bars everywhere. Here you'll find everything you need to know about ciders and perries (made from pears) so you can choose the style that is perfect for you. Each sip can be full of flavors that you might never associate with a simple apple: pepper, lemon, ciderflower, cedar and soil making cider as compelling a beverage as wine. Cider Made Simple is your key to this newly popular drink, from how it's made by key cider-makers in the United Kingdom, France, Spain and the United States to the amazing range of flavor profiles that cider has to offer.

Thatchers Then & Now by James Russell & Neil Phillips

Title: Thatchers Then & Now: The Story Of A Cidermaking Family
Author: James Russell & Neil Phillips
Year: 2014
Format: Hardback
Page Count: 139
Price new: £17.21 (Amazon)*
*accurate at the time of posting

Description: (TLDR)
3 sections 'Thatchers Story' 'Twenty-first century cider company' and 'Apples & Orchards' 
Lots of really nice photographs, many of them full page.

On the back of the book it says:
There have been Thatchers in northern Somerset since at least 1806  and we know that by 1878 Benjamin Thatcher of Upper Langford was advertising his Prime new cider at 30 shillings per hogshead.
James Russell traces the history of Thatchers cidermaking from those beginnings to the present day.  The modern generation of Thatchers have established themselves as leading family cidermakers with a reputation for producing a wide range of ciders to the highest quality and for breaking new ground in the development of orchards while caring for the land that produces the finest cider apples in the world
Photographer Neil Phillips has been capturing the images of Thatchers cidermaking for many years and this book is a showcase of his fantastic pictures as he documents the orchard and cidermaking year, the traditions and innovations, and goes behind the scenes at Myrtle Farm, Sandford to produce this unique body of work.

Bulmer's Pomona

Title: Bulmer's Pomona
Author: see below
Year: 1987
Format: Hardback
Page Count: 72
Price new: £60.00 from the Hereford Cider Museum 
(an unrealistically expensive price quoted on Amazon) 

Description: (TLDR)
Watercolours by Caroline Todhunter
Descriptions of the apples by Ray Williams
Line Drawings by Rodney Shackell
Commissioned by Bulmer's to mark their centenary
35 exquisitely painted plates each of one apple variety with a line drawing and description on the facing page.
My copy is staying in it's packing box so I don't get any greasy/dirty fingerprints on it or spill any cider or anything else on it

On the back of the book it says:
Nothing

The History and Virtues of Cyder by R.K. French

Title: The History and Virtues of Cyder
Author: R.K. French
Year: 1982
Format: Paperback 2010 /Hardback 1982
Page Count: 191
Price new: £3.57 (Amazon)*
Price used: £7.27 (Amazon)*
*accurate at the time of posting

Description: (TLDR)
I've just started reading this book, written over 30 years ago it's often quoted in more recent books. It goes in detail into the history and production of cyder (what we would label real cider today) and calls for resurgence of cyder production which we now have.

On the back of the book it says:
'This book encapsulates all that has been lost in the cider world over the last 200 years, but having said that, over the last twenty five years, there has been a strong and diverse renaissance in cidermaking across the country, from Land's End to Norfolk from Start Point to the Black Isle. I am sure that Roger French would be heartened by the way in which his book has triggered not only in the making of Real Cyder once again but a new and healthy respect for it's place in our national psyche.'
James Crowden
'This book describes the rise and fall of cyder and sets out in practical detail the traditional techniques for making it. 
We are all familiar pastuerized, bland and carbon-dioxide-injected cider, but cyder is a living wine of some subtlety, matured in cask and bottled in the manner of champagne. Cyder disappeared from England in the nineteenth century, yet at it's height in the seventeenth century cyder was often preferred to good French white wine and there was much discussion on how cyder should best be made.
Today cyder is having a renaissance. The reader is taken through all the necessary stages from planting the tree, gathering the fruit, pressing and fermentation to laying down the vintage. The book also includes food and drink recipes for when you have made your cyder.'

Early Days of Cider Making by E.F. Bulmer

Title: Early Days of Cider Making
Author: E.F. Bulmer
Year: 1937
Format: Booklet
Page Count: 30
Price new: available new from the Hereford Cider Museum
Price used: £5.77 (Amazon)
*accurate at the time of posting

Description: (TLDR)
The Story of the early days Bulmers Cider by one of the brothers who started it.

On the inside of the front cover it says:
"This booklet is a facsimile reproduction by the Museum of Cider of the original privately published in 1937 to mark the Golden Jubilee of H.P. Bulmer & Co.
The author Edward Fredrick Bulmer was the elder of the two brother who founded and built up the original partnership of H.P. Bulmer & Co"

Further information on E.F. Bulmer is included on that page.

The American Cider Book by Vrest Orton

Title: The American Cider Book

Author: Vrest Orton

Year: 1973

Format: Paperback

Page Count: 136

Price used: £0.01 (Amazon)*

*accurate at the time of posting

Description: (TLDR)

The history of American cider, different cider making methods and recipes for cooking with cider and cider based drinks.

On the back of the book it says:

This book does more than tell you how to make cider it gives a fascinating capsule history of the world's second-oldest beverage. Replete with diverting facts, it follows cider through American history, legend and folklore. It relates the established methods of cider making, old and modern, amateur and commercial, and gives simple directions for making small batches of cider at home.

The last section provides 34 historic recipes for beverages to be made with cider: punches, nogs and nightcaps. Mr. Orton also describes the long-forgotten uses for cider in cooking and baking, and offers the reader scores of recipes, some of them old family favourites , for such dishes as dried apple pie with cider, wild game basted with cider, and apple bread.

Vrest Orton has written seventeen books and contributed to many national magazines, as well as being founder of Vermont Life Magazine. Today with his wife, Ellen, and his son Lyman, he operates The Vermont Country Stores, modeled after his father's and grandfather's original emporium. Mr. Orton also runs a national mail order enterprise and is actively involved in both state and federal government.

100 Ways with Cider

Title: 100 Ways with Cider

Author: Letts Guides

Year: 1978

Format: Paperback

Page Count: 63

Price used: £0.01 (Amazon)*

*accurate at the time of posting

Description: (TLDR)

A compilation of recipes from the Taunton cider kitchen. Approx. 30 of those ways are mulled cider or cider punches.

On the back of the book it says:

"The recipes in this book show how the simplest and most inexpensive foods available everywhere can be prepared in interesting, delicious and nutritious ways. Advice is given on the art of cooking with cider and the general preparation of the foods, and the recipes include suggestions for a variety of starters, snacks, main meals and drinks.

Cooking with cider is not a common practice in Britain, although as a drink it has been known and appreciated for centuries. In this book delicious recipes, many from the West Country, show how cider can enhance flavours and add unusual piquancy to both savoury and sweet dishes."

A Drink For it's Time by Michael B. Quinion

Title: A Drink For it's Time
Author: Michael B. Quinion
Year: 1979
Format: Booklet
Page Count: 24
Price used: £0.01 (Amazon)*
*accurate at the time of posting

Description: (TLDR)
Farm cidermaking until the 1930's 

On the back of the book it says:
"This book grew out of part of the work done during 1978 to establish the Museum of Cider at Hereford. Five young people were employed under the Job Creation Programme to investigate the farm cider tradition, as it has been practised in the 20th Century, mainly through a series of about 750 personal interviews with present and former cider makers. The project also included two sessions of practical testing of the methods on traditional apparatus at which several hundred gallons of cider and perry were made. The area covered is the Herefordshire Region, including not only that county but all of the neighbouring ones particularly Worcester, Gloucestershire and the Welsh Border Counties. The author is Curator of the Museum." 

A Taste Of Cider by Shirley Harrison

Title: A Taste Of Cider

Author: Shirley Harrison

Year: 1982

Format: Hardback

Page Count: 95

Price used: £0.01 (Amazon)*

*accurate at the time of posting

Description: (TLDR)

Recipes mixed with information on cider history

On the back of the book it says:

"The taste of cider is a liquid evocation of the English countryside of hedgerow walks, pub benches in the sun and the smell of stubble on an autumn day. The story of cider has been woven into the life and folklore of rural England for at least a thousand years: for centuries farmers have made it, housewives have cooked with it and doctors extolled its medical magic.

Yet it is really only since the last war that cider has become a high flyer in the kitchen. Today, cider is poured into the best British scones, Christmas puddings and eel pie, and may be found among the cooking wines on the shelves of our more exclusive restaurants and hotels.

In this blend of anecdote and recipe, Shirley Harrison combines old and new idea for cooking with cider with fascinating and often curious facts about this most traditional of English  Drinks. Over 100 recipes from such diverse sources as the Benedictine monks of Worth Abbey and the Queens cousin, Lady Elizabeth Anson, reflect the rich history of the drink which now ranks with Devonshire cream and Northumberland kippers as a culinary treat.

The Author Shirley Harrison is a freelance writer and journalist who lives in Sussex within a stones throw of the local cider producers. In helping them to set up an exhibition devoted to all aspects of the drink, she became aware of the tremendous versatility of cider, especially in the kitchen. As a mother of four Shirley finds that for family meals as well as on special occasions cider is nearly (nearly ???. tb) always a good as wine and certainly cheaper and believes that a recipe book should be seen as an entertaining invitation to explore new culinary possibilities.

Good Cider by David Mabey

Title: Good Cider
Author: David Mabey
Year: 1984
Format: Hardback
Page Count: 143
Price used: £0.01 (Amazon)*
*accurate at the time of posting

Description: (TLDR)
Chapters covering all aspects of British cider including a selection of 1980's stockists and makers.

On the back of the book it says:
"Since the Normans invaded England, cider has been a popular British drink -one that rose to equal win a the best tables in the seventeenth century, when there were around 350 varieties of cider apple tree. In the eighteenth century, farmers made their own to use in part payment in kind to farm labourers, who, at hay-making, drank up to two gallons a day.
A few years ago  cider seemed condemned to a similar fate as keg beers before the Real Ale Movement, but luckily a revival of interest in traditional ciders has saved many local products and the range of draught cider available from small producers and from large companies is now excellent. GOOD CIDER explains the difference between traditional ciders and fizzy bottled and keg ciders and provides a guide to the character of each variety, giving stars for exceptional flavour.
Distinguished food writer David Mabey has assembled a wealth of information; he traces the history of the drink and the special apples from which it is made - lamenting the loss of such intriguingly named trees as Foxwhelp (some not so lost these days tb) Joeby Crab and the famous Redstreak. He describes the methods of making cider. He describes the methods of making cider, now far removed from the days of pounding apples in troughs made from hollowed out tree trunks, and gives  instructions on how to make your own potent brew (you DON'T brew cider !!!. ffs who wrote this ??. tb) from windfalls. Also included are recipes using cider and listing pubs and wine bars recommended for their cider.

Cidermaking in Somerset by Philippa Legg

Title: Cidermaking in Somerset
Author: Philippa Legg
Year: 1984
Format: Booklet
Page Count: 32
Price used: £4.49 (Amazon)*
*accurate at the time of posting

Description: (TLDR)
A brief history of cidermaking and cidermakers in Somerset.

On the back of the book it says:
Cidermaking is the most evocative of country crafts, from the sight of orchards in bloom, through the rich smells and characteristic sounds of the fruit being milled and pressed, to the deep satisfaction that comes from the enjoyment of a well made pint.
As with most such crafts, cidermaking has undergone vast changes this century. No longer do Somerset farm workers harvest, mill and press tons of fruit in order to produce hundreds or thousands of gallons of cider that will be their staple drink throughout the thirsty times of haymaking and harvest. These days, cider is enjoyed by a wider public than those farm labourers could have imagined, produced by large makers using techniques derived from nearly a century of research.
This book describes the techniques of the farm cidermaker, how cider fitted into the rural scene and how that tradition has changed in recent times.

Cider Making in Wales by John Williams-Davies

Title: Cider Making in Wales

Author: John Williams-Davies

Year: 1984

Format: Booklet

Page Count: 53

Price used: £3.26 (Amazon)*

*accurate at the time of posting

Description: (TLDR)

The history of cider making in Wales, published by The Welsh Folk Museum.

On the back of the book it says:

Nothing

So Merry Let Us Be by Philippa Legg

Title: So merry let us be...  ,the living tradition of Somerset cider

Author: Philippa Legg

Year: 1986

Format: Booklet

Page Count: 59

Price used: £10.00 (Amazon)*

*accurate at the time of posting

Description:

An expanded version of Cidermaking in Somerset Link to my Somerset Cider The Complete Story blog entry here

On the back of the book it says:

Nothing said but there's a nice colour picture of a cidermaker and a press with a straw cheese in it.

H. P. Bulmer Centenary

Title: H. P. Bulmer Centenary 1887 - 1987

Author:

Year: 1987

Format: Booklet

Page Count: 26

Price new: From Hereford Cider Museum

Description: (TLDR)

An A3 'brochure' more pictures than print.

On the back of the book it says:

Nothing....

Bulmers Of Hereford, A Century Of Cider-making

Title: Bulmers Of Hereford

Author: L.P. Wilkinson

Year: 1987

Format: Hardback

Page Count: 215

Price used: £0.51 (Amazon)*

*accurate at the time of posting

Description: (TLDR)

A detailed history of Bulmers released for their centenary.

On the flysheet of the book it says:

"This is the story of an enterprise that, beginning with the sale of a few bottles of cider from apples grown on a Herefordshire parson's glebe, has become the biggest cider-making business in the world.

Cider used to be a national drink, but in the nineteenth century production fell sharply. The revival began when Henry Percival Bulmer, son of the Reverend C H Bulmer of Credenhill, began making cider in 1887 from the fruit of his father's glebe in an old fashioned stone mill of a neighbouring farm. In the same year he moved to Hereford, where works have since been on different sites as the business expanded. His brother Fred Bulmer then at kings College, Cambridge, declined an invitation to tutor the sons of the King of Siam in order to help, and their partnership in labours that today sound incredible laid the foundation of future success. 

The business became a private company in 1910 and in 1970 the public were given the opportunity to share it's fortunes. But it has remained essentially a family firm. One consequence is that labour relations have at all times been excellent. With growth it is now operating I many countries and there has been some diversification, such as agencies for wine, spirits and mineral waters, but cider remains its mainstay, with nearly half of the British sales.

The author, Patrick Wilkinson, a famous classical  scholar, was a fellow of King's College, Cambridge, where so many of the Bulmers and their colleagues have been educated. Adam's Hill, the house built by Fred Bulmer, became to him a second home, and he undertook the writing of this centenary volume in gratitude. He had completed it just before he died."

Merrydown Forty Vintage Years by Graeme Wright

Title: Merrydown Forty Vintage Years

Author: Graeme Wright

Year: 1988

Format: Paperback

Page Count: 127

Price used: £6.21(Amazon)*

*accurate at the time of posting

Description: (TLDR)

Easy to read and sometimes amusing story of the first 40 years of Merrydown cider

On the back of the book it says:

There's just a pretty picture on the back of the book

Whiteways Cyder by E,V,M. Whiteway

Title: Whiteways Cyder A Company History

Author: E,V,M. Whiteway

Year: 1990

Format: Hardback

Page Count: 176

Price new: £10.00   *(Amazon)

Price used:  £7.17 *(Amazon)

*accurate at the time of posting

Description: (TLDR)

The history of Whiteways of Whimple as told be an ex-chairman of the company from the beginning until 1986

On the back of the book it says:

"Life on a Devon cyder farm

A family business spanning three generations

An evocative look at the cyder-making process

The successes and the failures

A wealth of illustrations

Written by a former chairman of Whiteway's"

The Good Cider Guide by David Kitton

Title: The Good Cider Guide
Author: David Kitton
Year: 1990
Format: Paperback
Page Count: 244
Price used: £0.01 (Amazon)*
*accurate at the time of posting

Description: (TLDR)
David Kitton's pretty comprehensive 1990 Guide to real cider producers and outles with 31 pages of additional articles spread throughout the guide including one on Spanish cider.

On the back of the book it says:
"Good cider is a time-honoured traditional drink. At it's best it is made by crushing apples, fermenting the juice and maturing it. As with good beer, traditional cider has a fascinating profusion of rich tastes. 
But much of the drink called cider sold in pubs is far from traditional - a cold fizzy and pastuerised apology for the real thing. So follow in David Kitton's footsteps and savour the superb real ciders provided by craftsmen and women who are dedicated to nurturing and fostering one of the great drinks of Britain."

Traditional Cider Drinks by Francis Beswick

Title: Traditional Cider Drinks

Author: Francis Beswick

Year: 1994

Format: Booklet

Page Count: 29

Price used: Unrealistically expensive- hard to find (Amazon)*
*accurate at the time of posting

Description:

The first two thirds of the booklet contains a brief history of cider and details of how to make it. The last third contains details of how to make various cider based drinks such as Bishops, Cider Royal and Cyser amongst others.

Apple Games and Customs by Beatrice Mayfield

Title: Apple Games and Customs

Author: Beatrice Mayfield

Year: 1994

Format: Paperback

Page Count: 121

Price new: £0.01 (Amazon)*

Price used: £5.95 (Amazon)*

*accurate at the time of posting

Description: (TLDR)

Apples games customs superstitions and more from Common Ground in this approx. A6 sized book. (If we judged the value of books by their size and weight this one would be an instant fail). Www.commonground.org.uk/

On the back of the book it says:

"Apple pie beds, crabbing the parson, longest peel, gifting, fork apple, worsling, dookin' for apples, bite apple, griggling, a'scraggling, dubbing apples, souling, pothering and ponking, a cattin', going a gooding, pigface Sunday, whistle wassail night, clemmening, apple tree man, worsting, howling and youling, taking round the calennig.........

This book will help you sip from a huge wassail bowl of games, customs, sayings and stories, which remind us of the importance and meaning which the apple has in our culture. We hope it will inspire you to carry on the traditions of your own locality and help to build Apple Day on Oct. 21st into a new calendar custom."

Guide To Real Cider by Ted Bruning

Title: Guide To Real Cider

Author: Ted Bruning

Year: 1996

Format: Paperback

Page Count: 255

Price used: £2.86 (Amazon)*

*accurate at the time of posting

Description: (TLDR)

CAMRA's 1996 guide to cidermakers and outlets, 14 pages of associated articles and information including a couple of pages from Kevin Minchew.

On the back of the book it says:

"Cider is making a major comeback in popularity but Real Cider is still difficult to find. The aim of this guide is to help you find one of Britain's oldest, tastiest and most fascinating drinks. Cider has been made in Britain since before Roman times. But most cider you find in pubs today has been pasteurised with carbon dioxide added. The resulting drink bears little resemblance to the full flavoured taste of traditional Real Cider.

This book lists more than 2000 pubs selling the real stuff plus many farmhouse producers from all over the country, many of whom will sell you cider - and it's equally drinkable cousin perry - if you bring a container. Some will even sell you a container.

Ted Bruning is the editor of the Cider Press, a quarterly supplement to What's Brewing, CAMRA's national newspaper. He has collated information from all over the country to give you a taste of this fine traditional drink. So why not join him and savour a wealth of different flavours.

Somerset Cider The Complete Story

Title: Somerset Cider The Complete Story

Author: Philippa Legg & Hilary Binding

Year: 1998

Format: Paperback

Page Count: 79

Price used: £3.60 (Amazon)*

*accurate at the time of posting

Description: (TLDR)

A more complete version of 'So merry let us be' including a list of Somerset cider apple varieties.

On the back of the book it says:

"Somerset and cider are inextricably linked and have been for centuries, although the origins of cidermaking in the county  - as in the rest of Britain - are lost in the mists of time. From upper-class beverage to labourers perk to fashionable drink once again, the story of cider is a long and fascinating one. This book covers in depth and with humour the history and techniques of making cider. It also considers the present day passion for collecting and preserving varieties of apples, and the widely shared enthusiasm for a precious and vulnerable aspect of Somerset's traditional landscape and way of life."

Cider Hard & Sweet by Ben Watson

Title: Cider Hard & Sweet
Author: Ben Watson
Year: 1999 updated 2009, 2013
Format: Paperback
Page Count: 208
Price new: £6.02 (Amazon)*
*accurate at the time of posting

Description: (TLDR)
The back of the book says it quite nicely, informative, easy to read.

On the back of the book it says:
Drinking fresh or "sweet" cider is an annual fall tradition, it's taste reminiscent of crisp sunny days, bright foliage and ripe fruits. Currently, alcoholic or "hard" cider  is enjoying a popularity hasn't seen in 150 years. Today hard cider is readily available as a lighter alternative to grape wines or a refreshing alternative to beer. Many cider lovers don't realize, though, that this elegantly simple beverage is incredibly easy to make, and that producing excellent home made cider, both hard and sweet, is well within reach of any enthusiast.
In this richly informative and entertaining book, Ben Watson explores the cultural and historical roots of cider. He introduces us to it's different styles--including draft, farmhouse, French, New England, and sparkling--as well as apple wine and related products like apple juice and cider vinegar, and gives complete instructions for how to make them yourself at home with minimal time and equipment. This updated full-colour edition also provides:
detailed information on advanced techniques like barrel fermentation;
a chapter devoted to perry, or pear cider;
recipes for cooking with cider;
a celebration and description of Calvados (apple brandy), pommeau, ice cider, and Spanish sidra; and
advice on the best varieties of apples for cider.
Cider, Hard and Sweet teaches the reader how to recognize good cider and encourages us to make the leap from buying it to making the genuine article at home. A fascinating cultural document as well as a how-to-book, it will appeal to anyone who appreciates good food and drink.

BEN WATSON is a writer, editor, food and farm activist, and the author of several books, including Acts of God: The Old Farmers Almanac Unpredictable Guide to Weather and Natural Disasters and Taylor's Guide to Heirloom Vegetables. He is also coauthor of Passport to Gardening and The Slow Food Guide to New York City. Watson lives in New Hampshire.

Farmhouse Cider & Scrumpy

Title: Farmhouse Cider & Scrumpy

Author: Bob Bunker

Title: Farmhouse Cider & Scrumpy

Author: Bob Bunker

Year: 1999

Format: Booklet

Page Count: 32

Price used: £0.01 (Amazon)*

*accurate at the time of posting

Description: (TLDR)

Briefly covering history, production and a couple of drink recipes.

On the back of the book it says:

"Small scale cider making on local farms has been  part of life in the south west for centuries. This bewitching art has been passed down from one generation to the next, each aspiring to create their own special liqor - distinctive blend of specially selected apples and their juices which thrills and delights the drinkers palate.

The love of making and savouring traditional cider is as strong as ever. Using only natural ingredients and simple fermentation techniques, and adding a few secrets of their own, local cider makers are keeping alive the true spirit of the West Country. This book shows how they achieve their well deserved success."

Cider - The Forgotten Miracle

Title: Cider - The Forgotten Miracle

Author: James Crowden

Year: 1999

Format: Paperback

Page Count: 120

Price used: £0.08 (Amazon)"

*accurate at the time of posting

Description:

History, anecdotes and poems on cider and a description of working at Burrow Hill Cider.

On the back of the book it says:

"Cider: the forgotten miracle is a witty, energetic unforgettable investigation into the history of farm house cider. A fresh assessment of ancient traditions that have not only influenced the landscape for the better, but produced excellent cider into the bargain. Cider that in the past rivalled French wines and can still  do so today. Not surprisingly these myths, superstitions and anecdotes, revolves around farms and farmers, their families and their orchards. This fascinating story, set against the backdrop of 17th and 18th Century England, is told by the poet James Crowden with humour and clarity. It involves not only vivid description of working at burrow Hill Cider Farm during the autumn, but also charts the early days of the Somerset Cider Brandy Company."

Cider's Story Rough and Smooth by Mark Foot

Title: Cider's Story Rough and Smooth
Author: Mark Foot
Year: 1999
Format: Paperback
Page Count: 144
Price used: £8.75 (Amazon)*
*accurate at the time of posting

Description: (TLDR)
Ciders history told through the stories of various producers and characters as told by a real enthusiast. A Good read.

On the back of the book it says:
"The wide ranging and affectionate account of Ciders history - through generations of good cheer, and from necessity at times, defiant progress. The book reflects on some of the age-old drink's most influential figures, while introducing the reader to a host of great rural characters. It takes us down country lanes as into the computerised factories. Above all, it is a human story - about village people and the drink they have made for centuries."

The Sheppy's an everyday tale of ciderfolk

Title: The Sheppy's an everyday tale of ciderfolk

Author: David J. Hinton

Year: 2000

Format: Paperback

Page Count: 134

Price new:  £7.99 (Amazon)*

Price used:  £0.01 (Amazon)*

*accurate at the time of posting

Description: (TLDR)

A history of the Sheppy family and their cidermaking going back over 200 years with plenty of photographs.

On the back of the book it says:

"Sheppy. The name is synonymous with good quality cider throughout Somerset and beyond. This revealing book brings to life the Sheppy family over the past 200 years. It traces the ups and downs of the family fortunes from their beginnings at Iwood, Conglesbury to Three Bridges Farm near Taunton.

Lavishly illustrated with photographs, 'The Sheppys' tells the story of a disastrous fire, how a record-breaking trout came to be 'fried' in as Gun Shop, the world-famous Model Maid and how gold Medal winning cider was imbibed by two Prime Ministers.

A fascinating book which should be enjoyed together with a glass of Sheppy's cider."

CAMRA's Good Cider Guide 2000

Title: CAMRA's Good Cider Guide
Author: David Matthews
Year: 2000
Format: Paperback
Page Count: 396
Price used: £0.01(Amazon)*
*accurate at the time of posting

Description: (TLDR)
CAMRA's guide to producers and outlets in 2000 with over 100 pages of additional articles, 'a snip at the used price' Dave Matthews (then a teacher) took a year off work to prepare this book, He later went on to become a cidermaker and a founder of The Welsh Perry and Cidermakers Association.

On the back of the book it says:
"One of the great drinking experiences of the world is natural cider, made from traditional apple varieties. It is deliciously mellow, aromatic and intoxicating. Equally exquisite is the fragrance and flavour of perry, a wonderful drink made from pears.
CAMRA's Good Cider Guide, edited by Dave Matthews, brings you the information you need to find and enjoy these fine drinks, and is fully illustrated with photographs and cider labels throughout.
Guide to Producers and Outlets
The guide is organised into counties with each county section containing a map, listings of all cider producers, a selection of cider outlets, and information about other places of cider interest.
Features Articles about Cider and Perry
Meet the cider and perry makers of Devon, Gloucestershire and Somerset, the Pays d'Auge in France and Asturias in Spain and the Pacific North west in America. Travel around Britain's four remaining classic Cider Houses, try some recipes from Susie Dunkerton, Chef at the Cider House Restaurant, and take a look at cider on the internet.
Learn about the history of cider (both in Britain and the US) and how apple and pear varieties influence the taste of cider and perry. Try making your own with our pocket guide to fruit, harvesting juicing and fermentation."

Blame It On The Cider by Roger Evans

Title: Blame It On The Cider

Author: Roger Evans

Year: 2002

Format: Paperback

Page Count: 126

Price new: £7.95 (Amazon)*

Price used: £0.01 (Amazon)*

*accurate at the time of posting

Description: (TLDR)

A book of funny cider related stories from Somerset.

On the back of the book it says:

"Somerset was once a county filled with cider orchards. They could be found everywhere, even in the years just after the war.

Local writer Roger Evans was born, brought up and still lives in Somerset. He remembers the happy-go-lucky times when children were free to roam and the orchards played host to jenny wrens, robins, blue tits and grazing pigs, cattle and sheep. With his friends, he would go scrumping and once in a while, cider tasting - mostly from the stores kept in forbidden territory - neighbours' garages and barns.

In  this funny, nostalgic book, brimming with anecdotes and amusing incidents, all attributed to the effects of drinking cider, Roger takes the reader on a journey round the county and finds a hilarious or chaotic story to tell wherever he goes.

One evening in Bridgewater a local man, much the worse for wear after several pints of strong cider, was forcibly ejected from the Blue Boar in the Penel Orlieu area. Unhappily for him, this coincided with the passing of a police officer on a bicycle. They collided noisily and fell together in a heap onto the road. The law was not amused and action was demanded. The man was dragged some 50 yards to the Duke of Monmouth pub in the High Street. There the officer proceeded with an arrest, advising the drunk that the reason was for knocking him off his bike outside the Duke of Monmouth. 'That's not true !" Shouted the drunk. 'It's a bloody lie, it was outside the Blue Boar.' 'Can you spell Orlieu ?' Asked the officer. 'Course I bloody can't' retorted the drunk. 'Well I can spell High Street.' Replied the officer and continued with his arrest."