10 Fun Facts About Popular Cider Brands of the 80s

Which dry cider launched in the UK in 1960 takes its name from Norman knight Richard de Clare's nickname?

De Clare's nickname supposedly came from his heavy reliance on archers in Ireland, and the brand's original Norman archer logo was drawn by Barney Bubbles.

Which sweet, lower-alcohol cider, first made in Herefordshire in 1894, was a 1980s gateway drink?

Its cans carry a European green woodpecker on a bright red background, and Percy Bulmer first made it in 1894.

Which cider maker, founded in Hereford in 1887, is now a subsidiary of Heineken?

Its Hereford operations have been scaled back considerably, and the company now survives mainly as a brand name.

Which flagship Taunton Cider Company cider was formerly sold with 'Dry' before its name?

Matthew Clark bought Taunton Cider and all its brands for £256 million in 1996, and it is now made by the Gaymer Cider Company.

Gaymer's, maker of Olde English cider, unusually came from which eastern county rather than the West Country?

Its Attleborough factory, opened in 1896 with its own railway siding, finally closed in 1995.

Red Rock Cider's 1990 'Fraud Squad!' TV adverts, a parody of Police Squad!, starred which comedy actor?

A fleeting close-up of his badge revealed it actually read 'FRIED SQUID'.

Merrydown 'apple wine' cider, founded in 1946, was originally brewed at Horam Manor in which county?

The first batch was pressed on a 300-year-old oak press borrowed from a farmer and outgrew Jack Ward's garage within a year.

Frosty Jack and 3 Hammers belong to which cheap, high-strength category of apple drink?

Duty was charged on actual strength while labelling law let the ABV be overstated by up to 1%, so brands could advertise more punch than they paid tax on.

Which part of the world has the highest per-capita cider consumption and the biggest cider producers?

Within the UK the drink is most associated with the West Country, where Somerset alone has more than 25 producers.

Scrumpy Jack, a Herefordshire cider brand, traces its origin to Symonds of Stoke Lacy in which year?

Symonds later sponsored the England rugby union team in the mid-1990s and the 1999 Cricket World Cup.