THE SECOND BARREL ROOM SERIES:

This time around we have picked some of the tastiest and potentially tastiest barrels, from all 4 of the barrel rooms. Displaying different characteristics but all are or will be, scrumptious, still and food friendly.

The second barrel room series is an opportunity to find out about how time affects barrel fermented and matured cider and perry. I am going to suggest that you drink some of these now and let others develop in bottle by storing the bottles horizontally in the cool and dark for another 6 months or 18 months. No sulphites have been added at any stage and the cider and perry has been bottled “live” and so is capable of “ageing” in bottle.

1.MOUTHFUL OF PERRY (Blend #1) Barrels 18/20 + 51/20 were selected and blended.
This harvest blend of perry pears from Simon Dent contains Blakeney Red, early Gin, early Butt, Red and Winnals Longdon and some late Moorcroft. The Whitehouse Orchard lies in Preston Wynne, just up the road from Oliver’s in Ocle Pychard, Herefordshire.

Simon is one of our closest partner orchards and a very real supporter of all that we are trying to do at Oliver’s.
Alcohol: 6.6% vol.

Specific Gravity: 1007 Quite a lot sweetness due to the unfermentable sugars (usually sorbitol) in pears.

(This is the only bottle containing a very small amount of sulphites but not enough to impact any ageing potential.)

Tasting Notes: The dark molasses coloured perry gives the game away and there is no doubting which barrels these perries have been fermented and matured in. The rum is strong on the nose but there is no shortage of pear in the taste. The juicy pear taste and texture is there in the flavour and mouthfeel. The 3 perries in this series are so called because all I wanted to do was fill my mouth full of these perries and slug them down.
Could age for 6 months or more.

2.MOUTHFUL OF PERRY #2 (Barrel 54/20) was selected.
This second Whitehouse Orchard blend from 2020 has more Blakeney Red & Gin Perry Pears in as we have got further into the season and the crop.
Once again fermented and aged in rum barrels that have made their way to these shores from the Caribbean.

Alcohol: 6.8% vol.

Specific Gravity: 1004.

Tasting notes: So a much more normal perry wheat tinged liquid. The evidence of the rum barrel is minimal in this blend. Just big juicy mouthfuls of an (almost) dry perry, citrus and pineapple chunks top the fore.

The adventurous could always try blending Mouthful #1 and #2, if both bottles were open.

Ready to drink now.

3.ROSALIE CIDER (Barrel 45/20) was selected.
A blend from my Home Orchard in Ocle Pychard of mid season cider apples. Varieties in the home orchards are Breakwell Seedling, Foxwhelp, Kingston Black, Brown Snout, Yarlington Mill, Bloody Turk, Major, Ball’s Bittersweet and Frederick.

Picked in October 2020 and then fermented and aged in an older whisky barrel from Scotland.

Alcohol: 6.8% vol.

Specific Gravity 999. So fully fermented. No sugars left to ferment.

Tasting Notes: Pours a light gold. Apple puree with a touch of oak on the nose before the chewy, spicey fruit fills the mouth.

Drink now.

4.HOME ORCHARD CIDER BLEND 2020 (Barrel 16/20) was selected.
This is a later season blend of cider apples, picked in November 2020 in my Home Orchard in Ocle Pychard and again fermented & aged in an older whisky barrel.

Varieties in the home orchards are Breakwell Seedling, Foxwhelp, Kingston Black, Brown Snout, Yarlington Mill, Bloody Turk, Major, Ball’s Bittersweet and Frederick, :

Alcohol: 6.1% vol – Strength down slightly.

SG 1001. Not quite so strong because the cider is not quite fully fermented. Can you tell by taste?

Tasting Notes: Pours a bright gold. Full fruit and oak aroma. Fresh fruit in the mouth with some tangy acidity and a touch of cheese.

Could age well.

5.A CLASSIC COMBO (Barrel 14/20) was selected.
As Ross on Wye Cider have elevated the Bulmers bush orchard duo to new levels in their “Raison d’Etre”, so we pay homage to the 2 most widely planted cider apples in the UK over the last 50 years. There is a reason why these 2 varietals in terms of orcharding character, fruiting potential, disease susceptibility, harvesting time etc. have such a pedigree.

I like Dabinett because of its spicey, Seville orangey flavours and overall structure give a great backbone and character to our wild fermented ciders and increasing depth over time. Michelin gives wonderful appley, lighter fruity and spicey notes and does not alter to much over time so makes a great “drinking” cider base for us.

This blend of Dabinett and Michelin from Brian’s Orchard in Burley Gate from Season 2020 and racked into barrel to age in 2021. There is about 10% Foxwhelp, 65% Dabinett and 25% Michelin. Fermented in steel and then aged in an old whisky barrel.
Alcohol: 6.2% vol.

Specific Gravity: 1001-so a touch of residual sweetness which we find Michelin quite often gives under a wild yeast ferment.

Tasting Notes: Opens with a little pop as the residual sugars are still working. Light gold in colour. A touch of farm and funk on the nose from the conditioning yeast. Nice pushy acidity from the Foxwhelp keeps the Dabinett/Michelin fruit fresh to the finish.

Drinks great right now but could age.

6.SOUR GRAPES (Barrel 13/20) was selected.
The final bottle is another Home Orchard Cider Apple Blend and worth comparing with Rosalie because it is a very similar apple blend that went into the barrels and amazing the difference between them. Varieties in the home orchards are Breakwell Seedling, Foxwhelp, Kingston Black, Brown Snout, Yarlington Mill, Bloody Turk, Major, Ball’s Bittersweet and Frederick.

This vinous cider is surely one of my favourites of the 2020 season barrels. Apple wine, no way, cider, as it should be and always was.
Picked in October 2020 and fermented and aged in an old whisky barrel.
Alcohol: 6.3% vol. Decent.

Specific Gravity: 1001

Tasting Notes: Pours gold. All juicy, apple fruit on the nose. Vinous. Touch of sour, touch of sharp, loads of ripe fruit, all cradled in oak.

Could age well.