Crafting a niche with cider

Having regarded cider as a second division drink for some time, Caroline Delaney is slowly changing her mind as she beings to appreciate the work and skill behind a glass of craft cider

Once, sipping ice-cold cider at a sun-warmed picnic table was one of those intrinsically summer moments — rewarding and lovely — but then you reverted to your regular tipple in the autumn.

A bit of an image problem dogged the beverage too: Whether it was the aluminium cans or the cheap-looking brown plastic, two-litre bottles, cider wasn’t exactly glamorous. But a combination of boredom and bland corporate food and drinks, saw farmers markets and microbreweries take off and, hot on the heels of the craft beer movement came craft cider.