Scrumpy

Scrumpy is cider originally made in the West Country of England,^[1] particularly Devon, Somerset, Gloucestershire and Herefordshire. Today the term is used to distinguish locally made ciders produced in smaller quantities and using traditional methods, from mass-produced branded ciders.^[2]

Origins

Various origins of the name have been proposed. The Oxford English Dictionary derives the name from the noun scrump, meaning something withered or dried up, specifically apples. Other claimed derivations include a noun scrimp with the same meaning, derived from a verb scrump, meaning to steal fruit.^[3][4] Neither of these meanings are attested in the Oxford English Dictionary. It can be applied to basic home made ciders as well as to commercially produced and marketed varieties.^[2]

Production

Scrumpy can be dry or sweet, and is usually still rather than carbonated, but may have some degree of carbonation.^[5][6] However, it tends to be stronger in alcohol and more tannic than most commercial ciders. Due to its traditional methods of production, it is usually very pulpy, and resultantly often cloudy in appearance.^[2]

It is produced by pulping and pressing a quantity of apples, and then adding the juice to a vessel with a special lid to ensure the pressure does not rise too much.^[7] It may be necessary to add a campden tablet to prevent undesirable bacterial action, and the vessel must be sanitized.^[8][7] The vessels are sealed and left to ferment for a few months.^[8]

In popular culture

Scrumpy was often featured in the songs of The Wurzels, a folk/comedy/country group from South West England, especially in the song "I Am A Cider Drinker", and the song "Drink up ye Zider". Scrumpy is also referred to in several folk punk songs, such as The Dreadnoughts' "West Country Man", The Skimmity Hitchers "Get Scrumpy", Surfin Turnips "One More Drink", and Barren Waves "Laila's Addicted to Scrumpy".

In the final episode of the first series of "I'm Alan Partridge", Michael drinks from a large bottle of Scrumpy at a party in Alan's room.

In the computer game Team Fortress 2 the Demoman carries a bottle of scrumpy as a melee weapon (which he also drinks from).

In the Witches books of the discworld series, Nanny Ogg makes Scumble, a potent liquor basted on scrumpy

Other uses

As well as scrumpy made with apples, there also exists pear scrumpy, similar to perry. Scrumpy and Western describes a kind of music from the West Country, where scrumpy is traditionally produced, typified by The Wurzels.

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  A bottle of 6.0% Abv, organic scrumpy from the USA.

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  A bottle of commercially produced scrumpy from Cornwall.

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  A gallon of Parson's Choice Somerset scrumpy.

References