Pear Cider: Perry

Pear Cider, commonly called Perry or Perry Cider can be defined as the “cousin of apple cider”.

It is a very ancient drink, characterized by freshness and floral notes typical of an aromatized white wine.

A truly interesting drink to be rediscovered.

Perry: The Story of Pear Cider

The story of pear cider (Perry) is very ancient. As early as the 4th century, the Latin author Palladio talked about a beverage made from fermented pears.

This delicious lightly flavored beverage, however, in some of its original production areas such as the UK and France, is not made from table pears but a type of particularly astringent pear.

In the 17th century, it was understood that from these inedible pears, a great beverage could be made, Perry. It is said that some of these types of pears, particularly bitter and astringent, were so strong that they were not even eaten by pigs (especially the Barland pears).

Types of Pears for Making Perry

Perry pears can grow to be as large and robust as oak trees, reaching up to 15 meters in height and a trunk circumference of 3.5 meters, with some living 200, 300, even 400 years.

If you visit Herefordshire, you can admire one of the oldest orchards of Perry pears at Hellens Manor, with pear trees planted in 1702 to celebrate Queen Anne’s coronation. There are over 100 varieties of Perry pears in the UK alone, each with its typical shape depending on the family it belongs to. They can have pyriform, ovoid, flattened, or spherical shapes.

Perry Pears Today

Perry is a less consumed beverage compared to apple cider but can offer flavors that rival any sparkling white wine. However, producing Perry is more complex than making cider, partly due to the varying ripening times of pears and the higher susceptibility to alterations. In the absence of robust tannins, Perry can produce ethyl acetate, giving the beverage a rancid taste.

In the 1950s, Perry became a commercial product thanks to Showerings, which created Babycham, a Perry cider advertised on TV as “Champagne Perry.” Bulmers later launched its Perry, called Golden Godwin.

Matese Pear Cider, the Italian Perry

In Italy, there is a recently rediscovered tradition, the pear cider of Matese.

This variety is produced in the municipality of Prata Sannita (CE) from a pear common in the Matese area. This autochthonous variety yields an excellent pear cider with an alcohol content of 7%, straw-yellow color, and green reflections. Unfortunately, today the ancient Matese pear for cider is only found in the Prata Sannita area but is currently being recovered.

Buying Pear Cider

Finding pear cider for sale in Italy is not always easy. If it’s already difficult to find apple cider in supermarkets and online, pear cider is even more challenging due to its lower production and consumption. However, you can buy a pear and strawberry cider concentrate on Amazon, which allows you to produce 23 liters of the beverage. For those who want to enjoy a good pear cider directly, you can find it for sale on Amazon.