Great Western Coffee Shop

But Strongbow is the only vaguely drinkable cider they produce under the Bulmers brand so what does this mean?

With so many other brands available from within the FGW area why chose the worst.

What about Stowford Press, Thatchers ....

Indeed, whilst Strongbow (and Bulmers) are both from Herefordshire, so are 'technically' local ciders, they won't win any prizes amongst cider drinkers.

Presumably it came down to cost in the end. Strongbow is widely available at under ^1 per can whereas Thatchers is rarely less than that (obviously excluding discounts FGW would get for large orders).

Strongbow doesn't call itself a cider because......it isn't.
More chemical than apple, methinks...

Never come across Bulmers Original?....Far, far nicer

Strongbow is a cider. It's referred to as a cider by Bulmers in their marketing. And to do that it has to meet legally required conditions to be referred to as cider. Typically the only 'chemicals' that are added are as preservatives. Far, far less than the apple juice content.

It is fermented apple juice (from a mix of bittersweet cider apples and culinary apples), water, glucose syrup, lactic acid (preservative), citric acid (acidity regulator) and potassium sulphate (preservative).

For a drink to be defined as cider it has to contain a minimum of 35% apple juice. Even mass produced ciders such as Strongbow typically contain more than this. That said, the mass produced ciders do derive a lot of their alcohol content from the fermentation of the added sugars (glucose syrup typically) rather than the fermented apple juice.

None though are 'more chemical than apple'. For that to be true the added preservatives and acidity regulator would have to total more than 35%.

Bulmers Original will have similar ingredients. What typically differentiates one mass produced cider from another is the apples (or blend of apples) used and the percentage of apple juice. They will all contain preservatives, additional sugars and water.

Hmmm - evidence?
Like Woodpecker, nowhere on the can does the word 'cider' appear.

FRom the Strongbow website.


http://www.strongbow.com/about.html

hmmm - wonder why they don't mention 'apples' or 'cider' on the can/bottle?

Maybe because it is obvious what it is?

I don't remember a bar of Galaxy having the word chocolate on the front of the packet for example. That doesn't mean it isn't a bar of chocolate though.

but it does have a pic of chocolate....?

They do: see http://www.drubc.com/assets/Uploads/strongbowside1large.jpg  ;)

Ye Gods and Little Fishes - it's got sweetener in it! A little Googling suggests that may be aspartame. Apparently Bulmers won't confirm this - who could blame them?

Given that, I'd say it was an exaggeration to call it cider - FWIW.

And other chemicals they won't admit to too.....Google is your chum if you so wish

You could be helpful and enlighten us with the links. Always handy when taking a contrary point of view. Prove your point that Strongbow is 'more chemical than apple'.

That *was* an exageration - but of course H2O is the main constituent....which of course is a chemical - as is the make up of everything on the planet?....

There was a time not so long ago when there was no mention of cider or apple on the can.

This site http://www.real-cider.co.uk/ciders-not-recognised-as-being-real/ (http://www.real-cider.co.uk/ciders-not-recognised-as-being-real/) is possibly a useful addition to the debate.

Makes me wonder if you could get away with calling a mixture of green ink, industrial ethanol and pentyl pentanoate 'cider'...

hmmm - seems to bear me out that it isnm't 'cider' as in the usual definition.

btw - Magners is the same stuff....under another label. Bulmers carp...

With many thanks to all of the contributors to this particular erudite discussion, I've now split the relevant posts off into a new topic of their own - rather than letting them distract from the original and ongoing discussion on the merits of the overall Pullman experience.  ;) :D ;D

Strongbow is cider, but not real cider. For those of you of a beer-drinking persuasion, it's the Watneys Red Barrel of the cider world.

Oversimplifying greatly, there's four types of cider:

• Industrial cider - Strongbow, Dry Blackthorn, Magners, Bulmers, Kopperberg etc.
• Fizzy cider from real cider apples - principally Westons Stowford Press, Thatchers Gold, Addlestones
• Real cider made by major manufacturers - Westons Old Rosie, Thatchers Traditional, Gwynt y Ddraig etc.
• Craft cider - a vast array of farm and artisan products
  

The first category is pretty much unpalatable. From then on, it gets better. Personally I'm a great fan of Old Rosie (and the new Rosie's Pig (http://www.harpers.co.uk/product-news/cider-news/13879-westons-launches-rosies-pig-cloudy-cider-into-uk-on-trade) sounds ideal).

If I want a drinkable cider on an FGW journey, I've learned to either bring some from home, or (if I'm starting at Paddington) buy an M&S own-brand cider at Paddington, which is re-badged Westons at a fair price. I would love it if FGW were to sell a decent cider on board. They sell decent beer - why not "the wine of the West"?

And of course for all real cider fans, the Cornish Cider Festival will be held once again in Lostwithiel this Autumn.

http://www.cornishciderfestival.co.uk/ (http://www.cornishciderfestival.co.uk/)

Will post the date once we have confirmed it.

On a slightly different note, I usually pick up some wine at Paddington M&S, as I find the FGW Chilean red far too rich for drinking with just nibbles. I'm not saying its a bad wine, just that it would go well with roast beef.

Any chance of a little more choice, with a softer, unpacked option? At the end of the day, I would like to spend some money on the train, as FGW are clearly making an effort and should be supported, but perhaps someone may take note of this...

Otherwise delighted to see the reinstated Pullmans, and looking forward to when my work takes me east of Exeter again...