Bristol drinkers are up in arms after Gaymers reduced the strength of keg Blackthorn cider from 5% ABV to 4.7% and also made it much sweeter in taste. Now, I can count the number of pints of keg cider I’ve drunk in my life on the fingers of one hand, and I doubt whether either the before or after versions had much to commend them. But it seems Blackthorn had a strong following in the West Country, and this is another example of major drinks companies ignoring real consumer preferences to make their products weaker and blander in a questionable attempt to gain a wider market. Yet the only categories in the on-trade “long drinks” market to show positive growth are cask beer and traditional cider – precisely where strong, distinctive and even “difficult” flavours come to the fore.
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This doesn't surprise me - I used to deal with a teetotal Gaymers/Matthew Clarks' marketing manager, who was obviously focused on what people actually enjoyed drinking. Fortunately the internet has enabled plenty of alternative ciders available in the Bristol area to be identified and recommended - I suggest people go to the Orchard, Hanover Place,where there are a dozen on cask/polypin.
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