Rules of the competition, to be judged blind by the competitors
- The Trials are open to any maker of cider or perry, with the exception of those directly involved in the organisation of the Trials on the day.
- Competitors must be at least 18 years old on the day of the competition – 4th May 2024
- Online entry forms must be completed, with payment, by 17:00 on Saturday 27th April at the very latest.
- Entrants’ demi-johns and bottles must be delivered to Dragon Orchard, Putley between 08.30 and 10:30 on the morning of Saturday 4th May, at which time entrants will be issued with their voting card(s). By prior arrangement, we can accept entries between 17:30 and 19:30 on the evening of 3rd May.
- Judging in the Bottled Conditioned/Fermented Perry Class (P) will commence at 12:00 and the Bottled Conditioned Fermented Cider Class (C) will start no earlier than 13:00, with judging in the draught classes commencing at 14:00. Anyone returning later than 14:30 will not be allowed to judge, except by prior agreement with the organisers. Judging will end at 16:30 followed by the presentations at approximately 17:00. We will be providing 50ml shot glasses for the draught judging and wine glasses for the bottled judging. No other drinking vessels permitted.
- Entries become the property of the Big Apple Association and will remain on display in the hall on the Sunday and Monday for tasting by the public.
- Draught entries must be in clean, clear, unmarked glass one gallon (5 litre) demi-johns with the supplied labels stating exhibitor’s name, class number and finished specific gravity. The organisers will randomly test the specific gravity of entries. Entrants may change the class of an entry on delivery to the hall, provided that they have no more than one entry per class. Once entries have been accepted, any entry with an SG found to be out of the range specified for the class will be disqualified.
- Bottled fermented/conditioned entries to be two heavyweight, punted 75cl glass bottles with correct closures (wired corks or crown caps are acceptable) with supplied labels showing class number and entrant’s name. Bottles must be free of all other identifying labels.
- The organisers reserve the right not to accept any entry that does not meet the required standard of presentation. The organisers’ decision is final.
- The classes will be as follows:
Class 1 Draught dry cider: gravity below 1005 Class 2 Draught medium cider: gravity 1005 – 1015 Class 3 Draught sweet cider: gravity above 1015 Class 4 Draught dry perry: gravity below 1005 Class 5 Draught medium perry: gravity 1005 – 1015 Class 6 Draught sweet perry: gravity above 1015 Class 7 Novice draught cider Class 8 Novice draught perry Class C Bottle fermented/bottle conditioned cider Class P Bottle fermented/bottle conditioned perry (Please note: classes 7 to P will only be held if there are at least 5 entries in the class)
- Entry fee is £4 per entry. One entry per class, up to a maximum of five entries (two for novices, maximum of one in each class).
- Trophies and certificates will be awarded on the day.
- Challenge trophies will be awarded to the Best Cidermaker and Best Perrymaker based on their performance in all relevant classes. An engraved glass tankard will become the property of each challenge trophy winner. If there is no clear winner, the trophy will not be awarded.
- There will be an award for Best Product which can be from any of the classes. If there is no clear winner, this will not be awarded.
- The Three Counties Cider and Perry Association Trophy will be awarded to the most successful Novice.
- Draught class winners may be asked to provide a further gallon of their winning product, to be paid for at wholesale prices.
- Voting figures will be available to be seen by competitors after the Trials. Lists of the winners will be posted on the Big Apple website after the Trials.
- The organisers reserve the right to request anyone to leave whom they consider to be causing a nuisance.
- The organisers’ decision on any matter is final.