Dundrum’s Andrew hits the spot in cider awards

Dundrum’s Andrew hits the spot in cider awards

8 June 2016

A DUNDRUM cider maker has clinched the runner-up spot in this week’s British Cider Championships.

Andrew Boyd’s Kilmegan Cider was praised by the judges for its “classic bittersweet character”, and was just pipped to the post by Somerset based Blackmore Vale cider.

The ciders were chosen by the judges from an initial entry of almost 600, in what is the biggest cider competition in Europe.

The latest accolade for Andrew comes shortly after he scooped one of eight trophies at the International Cider Challenge for his traditional hand-crafted product.

Always a keen amateur cider maker, Andrew was only registered as a cider producer in 2013, when he made just 1,500 litres for sale. Produced behind his family home on the Kilmegan Road, his initial batch was well received, spurring him to expand year on year.

The quality of Kilmegan Cider was first recognised in 2015 when McKenna’s Guides included his cider to be the Best in Ireland 2015 award.

Andrew described the accolade of a Gold Award in the bottled dry cider class at the British Cider Championship, followed up by Reserve Supreme Champion, as “beyond my wildest dreams”.

“I’m a very traditional cider-maker using very traditional processes,” he said. “I make the sort of cider that I like to drink.  

“We buy our apples from County Down, Armagh and Tipperary, and they’re a mixture of well-known cider varieties like Dabinett and Michelin, and more modern varieties.

“The recognition that will come with this award is absolutely massive. To get this sort of recognition from the premier cider competition in Britain is a huge boost, not just for my business but for cider-making in Northern Ireland.”

Senior judge for the final eliminator, Nick Bradstock, said it had been hard to pick the winner.

“The Blackmore Vale medium is a beautifully balanced, fresh but very traditional cider,” he said. “Despite coming from so far away, the Kilmegan dry also has a classic bittersweet character, and it was very hard to choose between them.  

“Both are superb examples of their type and thoroughly deserved to come out on top in a competition where the overall standard was as high as ever.”