Where’s Perry?
Posted by Matt SamyciaWood on Thursday, February 11th, 2010Tags for this Article: cider, Pear, Perry
I first heard of Perry while watching a great little show from the UK called ‘Oz and James Drink to Britain‘ where they try to find the one true drink that best represents Britain. Perry is very similar to cider, but rather than fermented apple juice, it’s made from fermented ‘perry’ pear juice.
I am so excited to try this drink. I have tried several local wine stores with no luck. Does anyone know where to buy this wonderful sounding (and hopefully tasting) drink from?
JUNE 19th, 2010 ADDITION:
When I visited London, England recently I had a mission to try Perry. I found a bar on Google before leaving that said that it sold Perry. The bar is called Chimes Wine Bar, at 26 Churton Street, SW1V 2LP. I have had other pear cider since visiting the UK but not Perry. The bar is quaint, open, well lit and laid back. Seem like a perfect place to relax and enjoy a nice glass of cider or wine.
“So how is the drink?” I hear you enquiring. Well it’s rather nice. I am not a cider fan but this is very enjoyable. I am not ‘Oh My God, this is my new drink’, and I would rather be outside sat by the river bank on a nice green park sipping this cider on a hot and sunny summer’s afternoon. That said it is light and not too heavy. I find apple ciders the opposite of this, heavy and dense – but maybe this has something to do with my early years where I would drink copious amount of Woodpecker cider at parties with the intention of getting wasted (and very successful at that I was!). I actually just overheard a man order a Cider at the bar, he requested one that tastes of ‘damp hay mixed with rat piss’, yum, no wonder I don’t drink apple cider. Perry still has a very cidery taste, there is no escaping it, but it leaves a delicate and soft after taste on your palate (no rat piss flavours luckily).
Come the summer months in vancouver I will buy a bottle and take my wife to the beach, throw down the blanket and enjoy another glass of this drink as we enjoy the sunset over the Vancouver mountains.
Posted on February 13th, 2010
Lex says:
I love Perry!
Sir Perry Pear Cider, is currently available at the LCBO in Ontario and at the liquor store in New Brunswick, so I expect it would be available in most Canadian liquor stores – http://www.lcbo.com/lcbo-ear/lcbo/product/details.do?language=EN&itemNumber=8144
Grower’s used to sell a pear-flavoured cider, but it’s no longer available at least not in Ontario. (http://www.growerscider.com)
Though in the case of Grower’s, I often wonder if using the term “Pear Cider” instead of “Perry” is to help people understand what the product is or if it’s because it’s a pear-flavoured apple cider.
Either way, both Sir Perry and Growers produce a light (~6%), sparkling, gently sweet product that I’m a huge fan of.
Posted on February 15th, 2010
Eagranie says:
Three Lions has a pear cider, but I’m not sure if it qualifies as an actual perry.
Also, there’s an excellent article about perry in the fall 2009 issue of Gastronomica.
Posted on March 29th, 2010
ToddB says:
Vancouver Island’s Sea Cider Cidery of Saanich makes a perry (www.seacider.ca/ciders/perry/).
For something over the top in decadence, try Raven Ridge’s Iced Anjou Perry (http://www.ravenridgecidery.com/products.html).
Check in with Brewery Creek in Vancouver to purchase these.
Happy hunting.
Posted on May 11th, 2010
mr_adam says:
Perry is very easy to make – pear juice (cheap from the Okanagan) and champagne (or cider) yeast. Delicious!
I think that officially Perry is also known as “Pear Cider”. Pear flavoured cider is just pear flavoured cider.
Apple Cider is also ludicrously easy to make at home.