Title: CAMRA's Good Cider Guide
Author: Emma Lloyd (Editor)
Year: 2005
Format: Paperback
Page Count: 256
Price used: £0.01 (Amazon)*
*accurate at the time of posting
Description: (TLDR)
A less than complete listing of cider producers and outlets in 2005 with over 30 pages of additional articles from Dave Matthews, Tom Oliver and others. Well worth the low used price for the articles alone.
On the back of the book it says:
"The all new CAMRA's GOOD CIDER GUIDE, now in it's 5th edition, features more than 700 traditional cider producers and outlets in the UK and is an indispensable volume for all cider enthusiasts, whether new to the scene or long-standing fans.
Good cider is a long-established traditional drink, but much of the cold fizzy products we are used to seeing are far from the real thing. The popularity of real cider is permanently rising, as more and more people discover how deliciously mellow, aromatic and intoxicating the flavours of naturally produced cider can be. CAMRA's GOOD CIDER GUIDE offers a county-by-county directory of UK cider producers and outlets and provides unique, in-depth knowledge for the cider consumer.
In addition, various writers, cider enthusiasts, drinkers and experts alike come together to provide feature articles on production techniques, orchards, the history of cider, cooking with cider recipes and regional specialisations, from Normandy in France to the celebrated orchards of the Asturias in Northern Spain."
Title: Somerset Cider Folklore & Customs
Author: Jon Dathen
Year: 2006
Format: Paperback
Page Count: 122
Price new: £8.95 (Amazon)*
*accurate at the time of posting
Description: (TLDR)
Lots of amusing and sometimes hard to believe stories relating to orchards, apples and cider in Somerset
On the back of the book it says:
"In the western counties of England, and in Somerset in particular, cider was, and for many still is, an integral part of the rural way of life. Over the centuries, folklore and customs have become entwined with the growing of apple, trees, the harvesting of fruit, and the production and consumption of cider. Some of these beliefs and practises are practical, a method of fermentation or a saying recording the best time to plant a tree. Others belong to the realm of magic and pagan belief, these include the propitiation of orchard spirits, ceremonies to ensure a robust harvest, and the many little 'somethings', done 'just for luck'. A richly absorbing apple anthology, superbly researched and altogether different form what the reader might expect. Here is preserved the history and all the fun and seriousness of the folklore and customs connected to cider - from wassailing to apple games and Toad Swimming, its makers and drinkers, throughout the county of Somerset, in the past and the eternal present"
Title: Ciderland
Author: James Crowden
Year: 2008
Format: Paperback
Page Count: 256
Price new: £18.29 (Amazon)*
Price used: £5.56 (Amazon)*
*accurate at the time of posting
Description: (TLDR)
Lots of nice pictures with plenty of information on cider and it's history. The biggest part of the book is taken up with in depth profiles of 20 cidermakers from the Three Counties and the South West.
On the back of the book it says:
The South-west of England is justly famous for it's wide variety of delicious ciders. Although the drink has been produced there for centuries, over the last thirty years there has been a quiet revolution in the industry characterised by a steady growth in the number of new cider producers. These cidermakers vary from small, local companies to well established outfits pumping out millions of gallons a year.
In Ciderland, James Crowden explores the history and culture of cidermaking (and cider drinking) from the seventeenth century to the present day, and takes us on a tour around the West Country and beyond, visiting a large number of cidermakers who communicate a rare infectious passion for their age-old art. He also takes a look at the rise of perry-making and profiles the people dedicated to getting the best out of their local pears. One very important section covers the history of sparkling cider and the evolution of methode champenois in England from 1632 onwards. In addition Ciderland also includes comprehensive summaries and descriptions of most cider and perry producers from the Channel Islands to Herefordshire. The result is magnificent companion to a drink that is enjoying a widespread and well deserved renaissance.
JAMES CROWDEN was born in Plymouth and brought up on the edge of Dartmoor. After Bristol Oxford and the Army, he lived for various periods in Afghanistan, the Outer Hebrides and the West Country, and has worked as a shepherd, sheep-shearer, cidermaker and forester. He has written numerous books including several volumes of poetry and local history, and also appears regularly on TV and Radio 4.
Title: Somerset Cider Handbook
Author: Alan Stone
Year: 2009
Format: Paperback
Page Count: 152
Price new: £7.74 (Amazon)*
Price used: £8.50 (Amazon)*
*accurate at the time of posting
Description: (TLDR)
Mostly the back story of over 30 Somerset cider producers.
On the back of the book it says:
The first ever comprehensive book on Somerset Cider-makers
Who makes cider
Why they make it
What they make
Where can you get it
What is there to see
Nearly 40 Somerset cider producers interviewed plus articles on cider heritage. A complete picture of the Somerset cider industry today
Over 150 pages with numerous photographs
