Styles

• Acidity, freshness and citric or tropical fruitiness is the defining characteristic, but there can be some bitterness and astrigency from tannins to add balance.
• Traditionlly from Eastern England, Central Europe, but also made in USA, Australia & New Zealand.
• Can be made with specific traditional cider apple varieites, heirloom varieites or dessert/culinary apples.

Expected characteristics:

• Aroma: fresh citrus, green apple, apple strudel, floral, perfumed
• Flavour: crisp or sharp acidity, but with appropriate fruitiness and/or sweetness to balance
• Mouthfeel: light and vibrant on the palette but normally with a short aftertaste

Sweetness parameters:

• Dry – cider with a Specific Gravity reading of <1.005
• Medium – cider with a Specific Gravity reading of 1.005 to <1.015
• Sweet – cider with a Specific Gravity reading of >1.015

Notes:

• ABV between 3% – 8.5%
• Includes mainstream, contemporary and premium varieties.
• Can be still or sparkling.
• If the cider has been made through a bottle fermented or bottle conditioned (including full methode traditionelle) process it should be entered into Naturally sparkling cider.

Style

• Fermentation of apple juice including other fruits and flavours either as a co-fermentation or after fermentation.

Expected characteristics:

• Cider with Hops: This sub category includes Cider with the addition of hops added at any stage of the cider making process.
• Cider with Herbs & Spices: This sub category includes Cider with the addition of Herbs & Spices. This could include, but is not limited to: rosemary, chilli, ginger, cardamom etc.
• Cider with Fruits & Flowers: This sub category includes Cider with the addition of fruits other than apple and/or flowers and blossom from plants and trees. This could include, but is not limited to: strawberry, blackcurrant, watermelon, elderflower, mango, rhubarb, orange blossom, rose water etc.

Sweetness parameters:

• There are no sweetness parameters in this Class and these ciders may be still or sparkling.

Notes:

• ABV between 3% – 8.5%
• Submissions for this style should be clear whether the additional flavour is the dominate one or if it is supposed to enhance the base cider. For example “Raspberry Cider” versus “Cider with Raspberry”
• Judges are asked to look for, and reward ciders where the additional flavours work in harmony and balance with the base cider.
  

Style

• High level of sweetness and a typically higher then average ABV.
• Made by freeze concentration and controlled fermentation of apple juice. 

Notes

• The ABV can be between 5% - 15%
• Ciders are made without the addition of any other fruit or flavour.  
• Judges are asked to look for, and reward, levels of acidity, tannin and alcohol to balance wiht the sweetness. 

Style

• Styles will vary depending on apple varieites and methods of fermentation used.

Sweetness parameters:

There are no sweetness parameters for this class.

Notes:

• ABV between 0% - 3%
• Ciders in this class may be still or sparkling.
• Credit will be given to ciders which demonstrate good body, complexity and balance.

Bottle Fermented

Style

• Ciders that have undergone secondary fermentation within the bottle to create a natural sparkle.
• Can be closed with either cork & wire closure or crown cap.
• Can either have less left in or disgorgement carried out.

Sweetness parameters:

• There are no sweetness parameters, but these styles tend to err towards the dry end of the spectrum.

Bottle Conditioned (including French Style)

Style

• Primary fermentation takes place in the bottle without the addition of sugar.
• Lees are left in the bottle Traditionally made in Normandy and Brittany.
• Keeving or Cuvage methods may be used to achieve higher sweetness.
• These ciders are characterised by bold, rich volatile phenolics and big, soft, rich tannins.

Sweetness parameters:

• There are no sweetness parameters, but these styles tend to err towards the sweeter end of the spectrum, owing to the nature of the process,

Notes:

• Tannin dominant and Acid dominant ciders may be entered into this category and will be judged entirely on merit of the skill and craftsmanship of the bottle fermenting process.
  

Pear Cider

Style

• Can be made from dessert and culinary pears.
• Does not display the tannin character of perry.

Sweetness parameters:

• Dry – perry with a Specific Gravity reading of <1.005
• Medium – perry with a Specific Gravity reading of 1.005 to <1.015
• Sweet – perry with a Specific Gravity reading of >1.015

Notes:

• ABV between 3% - 8.5% abv
• These drinks can be still or sparkling, including naturally sparkling

Perry

Styles:

• Usually made from specific perry pears.
• Characterised by the presence of tannin impacking taste structure and mouthfeel.

Sweetness parameters:

• Dry – perry with a Specific Gravity reading of <1.005
• Medium – perry with a Specific Gravity reading of 1.005 to <1.015
• Sweet – perry with a Specific Gravity reading of >1.015

Notes:

• ABV between 3% - 8.5% abv
• These drinks can be still or sparkling, including naturally sparkling.

Styles:

• Light floral fruity cider
• Pinkness can be through addition of other fruit/vegetable such as cranberry, raspberry, beetroot etc. However must not add further flavour.
• Pink colour can come from red-fleshed apples.

Expected characteristics:

• Fruity, floral and perfumed
• On the palette, there will be a range of sweetness levels, but there must be appropriate acidity to tannin to help balance
• There should be no overt presence of an additional ‘flavour’, otherwise the cider should sit in the flavoured style T
• hese ciders may be still or sparkling.

Sweetness parameters:

• There are no sweetness parameters defined in this Class.

Styles:

• From Northern Spain
• Medium to high levels of acidity and lower levels of tannin.
• Should be made from specific, traditional Spanish cider apples.

Expected characteristics:

• Aroma: fresh citrus, green apple, volatile acidity and volatile phenolics (both balanced and in proportion)
• Flavour: crisp and/or sour acidity, light bitterness and astringency, fresh and fruity
• Mouthfeel: light and vibrant on the palette, often with a long finish

Sweetness parameters:

• These ciders are typically dry, with a Specific Gravity reading of <1.005.
• Consideration will be given to ciders greater than this Specific Gravity if the quality of the cider is exceptional.

Notes:

• ABV between 3% – 8.5%
• Includes mainstream, contemporary and premium varieties.
• If the cider has been made through a bottle fermented or a bottle conditioned process (including full methode traditionelle) it should be entered into Naturally sparkling cider.

Styles:

• These are ciders that do not adequalty fit into another category.
• Examples are apple wines, fortified ciders, co-fermented ciders (eg apple juice & beer wort)

Sweetness parameters:

• There are no sweetness parameters for this class.

Notes:

• ABV between 3% - 20% abv
• Ciders in this class may be still or sparkling.
  

Styles:

• Identified by presence of tannins and polyphenols which have an impact on taste, structure and mouthfeel.
• Acidity may be present but tannin is defining character.
• Flavour is achieved through the use of bittersweet and bittersharp apples.
• Can be made all over the world.

Expected characteristics:

• Aroma: ranging between fruity, spicy, medicinal, woody or earthy (contributing to overall complexity and not being overtly dominant)
• Flavour: a balance of acidity, bitterness, astringency, sweetness and fruitiness
• Mouthfeel: broad, layered and complex with a long aftertaste

Sweetness parameters:

• Dry – cider with a Specific Gravity reading of <1.005
• Medium – cider with a Specific Gravity reading of 1.005 to <1.015
• Sweet – cider with a Specific Gravity reading of >1.015

Notes:

• ABV between 3% – 8.5%
• Includes mainstream, contemporary and premium varieties and can be still or sparkling.
• If the cider has been made through a bottle fermented or bottle conditioned process (including full methode traditionelle) it should be entered into Naturally sparkling cider.

Styles

• These ciders have been in wood during fermentation/maturation.
• They contain no other fruits or flavours.
• Flavour profile will be noticeably altered by the wooden vessel it has been fermented/finished in eg Fresh Oak, Ex-Spirit, Ex-Wine.

Sweetness parameters:

• There are no sweetness parameters for this class.

Notes:

• 
  ABV between 3% - 8.5%
• Ciders in this class may be still or sparkling.
• Cider that has been placed into old oak vessels to aid the maturation process through the action of microflora, but where no discernible wood character has been imparted, should be entered into their relevant category.
• Any type of apple may be used for these ciders and could they could display either tannin dominant or acid dominant characteristics.
• They will be judged on their balance, execution, cider making skill and hedonic enjoyment.