The Big Apple

Seasonal Celebrations of English Apples and Cider
in the Herefordshire Parishes of the Marcle Ridge

Aylton, Little Marcle, Much Marcle, Munsley, Pixley, Putley and Woolhope

 

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Entry Details and Rules of The Big Apple Cider and Perry Trials

General information

Provisional only - details will be finalised and entry forms made available around January 2009

Our 2009 Cider and Perry Trials will take place on the afternoon of Saturday 2nd May 2009, starting at 2pm. The Trials are generally agreed to be both instructive and great fun. Certificates and trophies won at these trials are highly prized!

Competitors must bring their entries to Putley Village Hall on Saturday 2nd May between 10.00am and 12.00 noon, and return at 2.00pm ready to take part in a blind tasting.

There are classes for draught ciders and perries, and classes for bottle fermented and/or bottle conditioned ciders and perries. You can enter as many or as few classes as you like, one entry and one vote per class. There are also draught classes for novices, that is, anyone who is new to cider and perry making, having made it for 3 years or less and having not won a prize. Novices may make up to two entries. The Three Counties Cider and Perry Association are donating a handsome trophy for the winner of the novice class. This also carries one year’s free membership of the Association. Absolute novices are welcome!

To enter the Trials:

For each entry in a draught class, you will need to provide a clear glass 1 gallon (5 litre) demi-john of draught cider or perry. This MUST have the following:

1. A TIE-ON label showing

your name and address,
the class entered and
the product’s specific gravity.

2. A secure cork or rubber stopper.

There must be no other identifying marks of any kind.

Empty demi-johns will be available to replace the demi-johns that you have provided.

For bottled-fermented/bottle conditioned classes: bring two bottles of cider or perry for each class entered, both bottles with a tie-on label showing:

your name and address and
the class entered.

Bottles must be appropriate heavy weight punted bottles with correct closures and there must be no other identifying marks of any kind.

Entries that do not meet these requirements will not be accepted.

Please send your entry form together with a cheque for £4 for the first entry and £1 for each subsequent entry to: David Hewitt, Friars Acre, Little Marcle, Ledbury, Herefordshire, HR8 2JX  (telephone 01531 670389)

Please see below for the rules of the competition.

Entry forms should be returned as soon as possible and no later than 5pm on Wednesday, April 29th 2009. No entries will be accepted after this date or on the morning of the competition.


Rules of the competition, to be judged blind by the competitors

  1. The Trials are open to any maker of cider or perry.
  2. Entries should be delivered to Putley Village Hall between 10.00am and 12.00noon on the morning of Saturday 2nd May, at which time entrants will be issued with their voting card(s).
  3. Competitors should return to the hall at 2.00pm to take part in the judging.  Anyone returning later than 2.30pm will not be allowed to judge, except by prior agreement with the organisers.
  4. 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.
  5. Draught entries must be in clear glass demi-johns with tie-on labels stating exhibitor’s name, class number and finished specific gravity.
  6. Bottled fermented/conditioned entries to be in appropriate heavy weight punted bottles with correct closures, with tie-on labels showing class number and entrant’s name and address. Bottles must be free of all other identifying labels.
  7. The classes will be as follows:

    Class 1 Draught dry cider: gravity up to 1005
    Class 2 Draught medium cider: gravity 1005 - 1015
    Class 3 Draught sweet cider: gravity above 1015
    Class 4 Draught dry perry: gravity up to 1005
    Class 5 Draught medium/sweet perry: gravity 1005 plus
    Class 6  Novice draught cider
    Class 7  Novice draught perry
    Class 8 Bottle fermented/bottle conditioned cider
    Class 9  Bottle fermented/bottle conditioned perry

     (Please note: classes 6 to 9 will only be held if there are at least 5 entries in the class)

  8. Entry fee for the first entry is £4; subsequent entries are £1 each.  One entry per class, maximum of 5 entries (2 for novices)
  9. Trophies and certificates will be awarded on the day.
  10. Challenge trophies will be awarded to the Best Draught Cidermaker, Best Draught Perrymaker and Best Product.  An engraved glass tankard will become the property of each challenge trophy winner.
  11. The Three Counties Cider and Perry Association Trophy will be awarded to the most successful Novice. 
  12. Winners may be asked to provide a further gallon of their winning product, to be paid for at wholesale prices.
  13. The organisers’ decision is final.
  14. Voting figures will be available to be seen by competitors after the Trials.
  15. The organisers reserve the right to request anyone to leave whom they consider to be causing a nuisance.