CAMRA crowns cider and perry of the year

Stanford Orchards Cider has been crowned best cider in Britain by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA).

Winner of the Perry Gold medal was Hartlands Farmhouse Perry, which the judges described as "a beautiful perry, well-balanced in aroma and taste, with a great combination of spice and sweetness".

The awards were presented at the Reading Beer and Cider Festival over the weekend.

"I'm staggered, as we've been making cider by artisan methods for many years, and we always endeavour to use old fashioned methods," said Barnaby Butterfield of Sandford Orchards Cider.

"It's having this recognition that makes all the hard work worth it."

Dereck Hartland of Hartlands, said: "It's wonderful news, and to say I'm delighted is an understatement. I can retire a happy man and it's the highlight of my year."

Andrea Briers, CAMRA National Cider and Perry committee chairman, praised the quality of this year's entrants.

"The competition brought out a wide range of tastes and aromas, and was a real showcase for the craft cider and perry industry.

"CAMRA just hopes that any future Government puts in place measures that will protect this historic industry, and ensure these award winning producers are able to continue producing such quality."

In addition to the awards, CAMRA launched "Local Cider" and "Local Perry" pump clip crowners to make it easier for consumers to tell which products are local.