I'm a lager man myself, but enjoy a cider on a really hot day or after playing football (yes I still do at 47). I prefer Kronenbourg or Staropraven but if I need to remain sober I'll drink Carling as I can have as much of that as I want. If drinking cider I'll have bulmers or magners but I don't mind thatchers or stowford. Drank proper scrumpy when seeing a farmers daughter in Norton Marliward. Did strange things to my mind!!
there is an area of northern Italy skirting the Austrian and Swiss borders must be 50 miles or more long at least and god knows how wide which is almost 90%apple growing the rest pears and a few grapes edible type 3 basic apples, red green and yellow the trees are not massive but the fruit on them is, that is volumne of...they press loads and loads for juice..basically those that fall off I suppose as you see mini tractors vacuuming up between rows with masses still on the trees...cider or apple juice?
Possibly like the Americans they make apple cider with it, which is basically just the pressed juice of the fruit which isn't allowed to ferment
years ago on the farm the sugar beet used to go away for squeezing and the pulp returned to the farm and fed to the cows the apples were squeezed locally, some on the farm and the pulp fed to the pigs, don't think it was fed to the cows. home made cider was drinkable although I never really liked the smell didn't drink beer till I was about 18 usually bottled cider or lager, although have never really found a lager that had a strong appreciative taste, taste you need a good real ale and at the moment there are dozens in the UK
Used to drink copious amounts of Guinness but gave that up 4 years ago as I found - purely by accident - that it was causing me extended periods of gout. I suffered that for 10 years and wouldn't even wish it on a gashead! As I live in Winscombe about 5 minutes drive from Thatchers, I took up cider drinking and haven't looked back! I like Gold but prefer Ashton Press as far as the 'sparkling' ciders are concerned (I think Thatchers actually produce AP as well as numerous other ciders for other breweries) but am now into cloudy, still ones. My fave at the moment is Wilcox's (NOT Wilkins!) medium, which is very apple-y but smooth and somewhere between 6 and 9% depending upon what day you buy it! It's brewed in Shipham and sold in their shop at the base of Cheddar Gorge for about £8 a gallon. Just to let you know, Thatchers are having an open day this Saturday between 11 and 3 so if your relatively local you could pop down for a couple of hours before the game. bcfcredandwhite - how many years ago was that and what is the family name? I'm related by marriage to one farming family in Norton and know most of the others! Small world innit?
RR - it was about 1985 and she was a special friend of mine. Sadly nothing physical happened but we used to go riding horses a lot around Chew Valley Lake and stop off at the Druids or the Pony for a beer and tie the horses up outside. The family name was Sweet. All her family were great and she and her mum and dad came to my wedding. Haven't seen any of them for about 20 years.
By the way RR , I'm surprised Guinness aggravated the gout but cider is ok - I suffer with that too and it's provoked by acid - cider is far more acidic than Guinness. It's a myth that booze CAUSES gout - it's a kidney condition. Booze can trigger it, but you already need to have the condition to suffer. Worse than booze are foods like asparagus - or any seafood. That'll bring it on for sure! Suicide meal: dressed crab with asparagus, washed down with a bottle of Chardonnay - enjoy - then wait about 3 hours for it to take effect!
A lot of my friends seem to suffer gout and they all pretty universally say that cider is ok to drink? something about purine? (low or high in it??)
Well, blow me down with a feather! If you got on with the family you'll probably know my sister-in-law Caroline, in fact, you may well have met my wife Helen! I've been around since 1995 and have never seen much of the girls, just high-days and some holidays. Mum and Dad still around although Richard's eyesight is failing. Really is a small world! As far as the gout is concerned, I thought the same as you but cider has never affected me in that way. Apparently it can also be something to do with the richness of something you eat or drink - gamey red meat can have the same effect if you're prone to the condition.
Please mention me to them when you see them - I was extremely fond of all of them all. Lisa was my 'special' friend and we worked together in the Dundry Inn which is how we became friends. Even if I say so myself we were a top team and ran that pub very well. I also knew her younger sister Debbie and one of the brothers Gary. When we were friends we used to meet up with a lot of their YF mates and go round the local pubs. some VERY happy days. Like I said, nothing physical happened, but the present mrs Redandwhite wasn't very keen on our friendship continuing and it kind of 'fizzled out'. I know Lisa got married back in the early 90s but I haven't seen any of them since about 1993. I don't recognise the names Caroline or Helen associated with Norton, but may well have gone to school with them if they went to Chew school or grew up in that area in the 1980s. I don't want to post my name on here, but if you ask Richard or the mum (who's name escapes me) or Gary they should remember me - hopefully fondly. NOT to be mistaken for a guy named Tom who dated Lisa and fell out with them big time!!!
Just remembered the mums name: Janet! The best cakes in the world were always on that kitchen table. Magic memories.
