Skyborry’s Rural Method is a thirst quenching and deeply satisfying off-dry
apple cider. Made from fruit sourced from an organic orchard situated between Hay on Wye and Bredwardine in
Wales, this
2019 bottling is the result of years of trial and patient experiment on behalf of brothers Dani and Adam Davies who have been trying to produce a balanced and crisp not-quite-dry cider that had still retained some of it’s natural sweetness after fermentation.
The idea was to deviate from the commercial keeving process (look up keeving, it’s fascinating!) and the additions required by that process, and to discover and manage a method where by they could still come to the same result - and, after 4 years, they got there.
Welcome Rural Method
2019. Made from Foxwhelp, Dabinett, Chisel Jersey and Michelin
apples, which are a selection of bittersharp and bittersweet cider
apple varieties, the ferment kicks of with wild yeasts and then throughout the winter months the lees are regularly removed from the cider which removes factors essential to the fermentation, which in turn allowed the ferment to slow down and eventually finish before all the sugars were fermented out.
The cider then spent one year in bottle, which Dani says helped to soften the acidity, and after disgorgement they were left with an additive free, clear and delicately nuanced
apple cider - with just the right amount of sweetness to offset the now well integrated acidity and subtle skinsy tannin from the
apples used to make it.
