A Quart of Ale± #102
Tipperary’s Longways Cider produce excellent results through working with nature
A 25-acre apple farm is home to James O’Donoghue and his family who have been producing some of Ireland’s best cider apples for many years. Surrounded by nature, the orchards are also home to sixteen Irish honeybee colonies that pollinate the entire orchard.
Founder of Longways Cider, James O’Donoghue is an expert beekeeper and was awarded the Silver Medal at Britain’s prestigious National Honey Show in London – 1996.
They say: Every drop of Longways Cider captures the essence of the .. rolling countryside of the Suir Valley in South Tipperary that provides the perfect conditions to produce truly outstanding apple juice and cider. Our cider is brewed from carefully selected Irish apples, grown exclusively at Longways Orchard.
For a good illustration of how Longways cider is produced, check out this section of their website here.
“We set out to craft a cider which embodies quality, character and consistency, a philosophy we have adopted in apple growing over the years. We have created a vibrant, fruity modern cider with buckets of apple flavour and a smooth finish which pairs well with food or can be equally enjoyed on its own, with friends.”
Longways Medium Sweet Elderflower Cider 4.5%, 500ml bottle
Strong pink colour with a myriad of bubbles rising. Elderflowers surprisingly head up the aromas with a background of ripe juicy apples. And that is the mix on the palate as well, with the apples coming on stronger here. It is classed on the label as medium sweet and that is probably accurate enough though maybe (and happily) not as sweet as I anticipated, especially at the finish. Flowers from the spring and apples from the autumn orchard make a lovely refreshing summertime drink. Enjoy!
By the way, if you are having a reception this summer why not try using this eye-catching pink drink instead of imported sparkling wine. At just over four per cent abv, your guests will thank you, if not that evening, in the morning after!
Longways Tipperary Medium Dry Cider 4.5%, 500ml bottle
This Medium Dry Longways is “blossom to bottle”, made with Irish apples from the Suir Valley, has a light golden colour and no shortage of bubbles. It boasts the ripe aromas of orchard fruit. And that soft fruit continues pleasingly on the palate balanced with a tingly acidity, the initial (slightly) sweet notes turning into a (slightly) piquant finish. Also notice the lip-drying tannins. Another pleasant and refreshing number from Longways.
Longways Sweet Katy Cider 4.5%, 500ml bottle
This medium sweet cider, made from sweet Katy apples, has a lovely gold colour, with lots of bubbles sparkling. Aromas of the red skinned apples invite you in. And medium sweet probably sums this up, though nowhere near as sweet as I thought it would be. The flavours are supple, apple and strawberry, and this well balanced juicy Longways finishes with a slightly tangy note. Getting to like these Longways. Must make sure and get a few in for the brighter warmer days ahead.
