Worship the cider
I'll level with you: real cider's a tough sell. My latest attempt to bring the delights of flat, cloudy apple juice to the attention of my customers can be seen below. The candles seemed like a good idea at the time, but on reflection there's a hint of Nuremburg about the whole set-up.
9 comments:
I always worry about the off-putting nature of the picture on the Old Rosie pumpclip - A steamroller is nature's warning. That and the 7.3% alcohol.
A Hint of Nuremberg is my favourite fragrance.
Do you have your cider on the bar top? We have the bag in boxes in the cellar and dispense through a handpull. Westerns should be able to supply the fitting to go on the bag in box. That way the cider is at cellar temperature. You would need an extra handpull of course.
It would probably be an easier sell if you didn't have all that tasty ale on tap!
Dave, I have the adaptors from Weston's to connect my BIB to handpump, but as I only have four lines - and those are usually devoted to ale - I don't use them often. What I tend to do is keep the BIBs in the cellar and then bring them up to the bar for private parties or busy evenings. At other times it's a cellar run for the staff, for which they hate me (and who wouldn't?).
To be honest, it's probably the high percentage that's putting people off most. I run a pub in Bristol, next to the two best cider making districts in the world * and while cider sells well, the 4.5 % stuff tends to sell a lot quicker than the 6 % - 7 % stuff.
I can imagine there's an image problem with farmhouse cider in Central London also.
* Shut up.
Have you tried the Westons Country Perry? At 4.5% (I think) it's a less daunting prospect than some and tastes really nice!
I've enjoyed the real ciders and perrys I've tried. That being said, after a few days of nice session ales, real cider (scrumpy especially!) kicks like a mule... Tasty stuff though when kept well.
I love Old Rosie, but it's a bit like truth serum...dangerous! I should get myself down to your pub and have some. Just don't ask me any probing questions.
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