My local co-op occasionally stocks an interesting cider. And this looked to be one. Despite the slightly wanky name. I am not sure when or why the word premium has crept into being an acceptable thing to say on a cider bottle. Whilst craft just seems to be something that you can prep …

When I was first learning Java there was a big trend towards using design patterns. The extreme edge of that trend was critiqued wonderfully by Mark Jason Dominus in Why Design Patterns Aren …

I grabbed the ebook of astounding stories on a bit of a whim. But I have enjoyed it. Its proper boys own stuff, and reminded me of the sort of books that one used to find in my grandparents house. Hugely entertaining but …

I have been meaning to try Ty Gwyn for a while now, it seems to be one of those emerging Welsh cidermakers like Gwynt y Ddraig who are making exciting and interesting ciders. If you think about it it is sort of surprising that Wales isn’t more f …

I picked up a bottle of this from my local Iceland on a whim. The plastic bottle ought really to have sounded alarm bells, I suppose, but one must suffer for one’s art. Besides there were claims about the cider’s origin in the Hereford part of the Malver …

It turns out that yesterday was apple day here in the UK. So it was rather appropriate that I posted a review of the sweet and lovely Gwynt Y Ddraig Celtic Warrior cider. Today I returned on a whim to the F …

It was something of a surprise to me to wander in to the pub for a cheeky pint after browsing round Blackwells to be greated by a bar serving 24 — count ’em, 24 — different ciders. Such was t …

Nor and I rented a little cottage up in the Malverns for a few days for my birthday a couple of weeks back. Yes that does sound thoroughly bourgeois!. One of the reasons for heading out West was to get nearer to traditional Scrumpy country. And to climb s …

Let me begin with an apology. This week I couldn't be arsed with a picture. Quel unprofessionalisme! as they would no doubt exclaim in France. And why the slackness? Christmas cards, that's why. Thistly Cross, the Scottish cidersmiths, echo my Ch …

With today's cider I’m heading back west to the traditional heartlands of ciderism in Herefordshire. For it is in those heartlands that Gwatkin cider is made. On Moorhampton Park Farm in fact. Of Yarlington Mill apples Yarlington Mill is a c …