Oh, cider! Often associated with not being a “proper” drink, and mistakenly disliked for not tasting enough like apple juice, this zesty, fresh drink is wildly underrated.
And very unfairly so, because it’s a great-tasting beverage for any occasion. Lucky for you, we are here to teach you all about cider, and the best ways (and places) to introduce yourself to its scene if you happen to be in London.
Not so long ago, proper cider bars were quickly disappearing all throughout the country, being overtaken by normal pubs where you could barely get your hands on this wonderful apple creation. However, thanks to current trends like craft beer, organic wine, and mixology, people seem to be more and more interested in cider each day.
Originally, cider houses were meeting points for those living in the areas of the rural west bountiful with plantations. Farmers and farriers would gather in the only room to enjoy a glass of local scrumpy. While some of these authentic places still exist and can be found in the countryside, nowadays this tradition (luckily for us) has shifted to the cities and towns. There are plenty of cider bars in London, making it easy to enjoy and celebrate cider in the heart of this city!
Cider bars 101
Cider is essentially fermented apple juice, but it is far from sweet and fruity in most scenarios. The taste of cider may seem a little odd when you first try it: the expectation of an apple flavor is strong for most people, and the surprise factor is overpowering. However, beware that the love-hate line is a fine one, and it’s very possible that you are going to fall in love with it!
Some of the varieties you might see are scrumpy cider, farmhouse cider and rough cider. The first takes its name from the traditional way of preparing cider with windfall apples (also known as “scrumps”). This term is usually used for cider that’s considered to be too cloudy, too guileless, and not mature enough by most people. However, some cider aficionados deem that scrumpy is the finest cider out there, made from specially selected apples, fermented slowly, and matured for even longer.
You might have heard that there exists a cider made out of pears, too. What many people don’t know is that a real scrumpy lover would never refer to it in any way other than “perry.” Perry is elaborated similarly to cider with a special variety of pears. It’s an excellent choice of drink if you want to mix things up!
The best way to order in a cider bar is to ask for “a pint of cider,” because the word “scrumpy” has many meanings behind it, and some people perceive it as a negative way of describing a poorly made cider.
While in most pubs you won’t get much of a choice (because there is often only one or two types of cider accessible), we’ll guide you through the spots in London that specialize in this wonderful drink. Try several types and decide for yourself which one is your favorite!
The Best Cider Bars in London
Hawkes
Based in the Bermondsey beer mile, Hawkes started in 2012 with “a lot of hope and some green bottles.” Who would’ve known that their idea would be such a great success?
Now it’s home to many excellent types of cider, including their own trademark creations, such as Hawkes’s medium dry cider (made with champagne yeast, by the way!), Urban Orchard, Soul Trader and Graff.
In this urban cidery, you’ll find an authentic taproom, friendly staff always willing to tell you all about cider and answer all of your questions, and regular events such as new cider creations, appearances by the industry’s top connoisseurs and producers, and much more. A truly revolutionary space when it comes to scrumpy!
The Miller
A place where you can leave feeling satisfied by its entertainment as well as its drink selection, this hip pub has a lot to offer. The Miller boasts trendy, direct-from-producer ciders and perry’s that they regularly rotate to keep their happy punters up to speed with the best cider available. Trying to make sure everyone leaves happy, they usually have at least one perry, dry, sweet, and medium on the go.
Showing their pedigree, they also hold one of the most important cider festivals in the year. Ciderdog, usually held in July is a must for anyone who wants to learn about the golden nectar.
Howl at the Moon
A place synonymous with a good time, Howl at the Moon is famed for not taking itself too seriously. Fortunately for us, one thing they do take seriously is their cider. Come and get national varieties like Crazy Goat plus international offerings on tap and bag-in-box. Fun fact: If you are a fan of the Arctic Monkeys it may look familiar. Alex Turner and friends filmed the music video to “Why’d You Only Call Me When You’re High?” here.
Crown & Anchor
Last on our list is the sister bar of the famous Stoke Newington’s Jolly Butchers. Crown & Anchor in Covent Garden does not specialize exclusively in ciders, but it offers a good offering of scrumpies and perries. With 25 taps behind the bar, it’s hard to pass this place up.
The narrow, elongated space gets pretty full if it’s a busy night, but it’s a fun environment indeed, where it feels natural to become one with the crowd. Escape the busy streets surrounding Brixton station here to enjoy some rare cider varieties, such as East Lothian’s Thistly Cross, Herefordshire’s Celtic Marches, and Devon Scrumpy.
Discover the stories, characters, and drinks behind London’s most historic pubs on our fascinating Food Tour of London’s Historic Pubs! From traditional taverns to former haunts of legendary authors, you’ll discover that the history of this lively capital lies as much in its pubs as it does in its legendary landmarks.
This blog post was originally posted on February 12, 2020 and was updated on December 20, 2022.