June 3rd, marks World Cider Day! In celebration we want to share some of the wonderful local cider producers we have here in County Waterford - Don't forget to sample some of the delicious local food and drink products the next time you visit Waterford and please remember to drink responsibly.
Legacy Irish Cider
Legacy Irish Cider is based in Dungarvan, a lovely harbour town about a half an hour drive from Waterford City with plenty of things to do in the area. Liam McDonnell founded the business and chose the name Legacy as he has proudly followed in the footsteps of his father and grandfather before him by making a living working with apples! His grandfather Wilsie previously grew and sold apples in the late 1950s and his father Pat also had a passion for apples, he became a doctor in the study of apple production and developed his own miniature apple tree which sold extensively throughout Europe under the brand ‘Coronet, The Miniature Apple tree’, and is still selling Nationally and Internationally to this day.
As for Liam, he found his own way to incorporate their families love of apples into his life by taking the apples and bottling the 3 generations of apple expertise into a bottle of Legacy Craft Cider! They do say that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree and Liam’s dad Pat is always on hand to share his 50 years of experience in the apple industry. They are a small but passionate team, that love doing what they do - producing an authentic natural product using local handpicked apples. Legacy uses only three apple varieties in their blend; a cider apple, a cooking apple and an eating apple and they ferment each of these apple varieties separately. The craft cider making process is as green as it gets. The production of Legacy craft ciders is similar to that of wine, they ferment the apple juice to produce the alcohol and do not distill, mash, cook or boil so there is little production and no energy use required and because apples are naturally sweet, their sugars ferment without the need to heat.
The Legacy Cider range includes:
- The Original Legacy Dry Cider
- The Legacy Medium Cider
- Legacy Mulled Cider (A winter offering)
For more details on Legacy Cider, visit www.LegacyVikingCider.ie
Viking Irish Drinks
David Dennison is the founder of Viking Irish Drinks. Dennison’s Farm is situated in the Barony of Gaultier in East Waterford, close to the village of Dunmore East and on the doorstep to Viking settlements and the Suir Estuary which inspired Viking Irish Drinks name. A Sommelier by profession, David has over 35 years’ experience in the food and drinks industry. He has represented Ireland at World and European Sommelier competitions, and he is a holder of a Wine & Spirit Education Trust Diploma (WSET).
The planting of his apple orchards started in 2014, with cider production commencing in 2019. Today there are 3.5 hectares of orchards, with 14 different cider apples growing. Additionally, there is 1 hectare of outdoor vines for wine making and ⅓ hectare of Blackcurrants for Viking Irish Blackcurrant Liqueur and Harvest Blush Craft Cider. Sustainability is at the fore of Viking Irish Drinks and all production is organically based. Wastewater is fed to a reed bed system that creates a wildlife and pollinator hub, whilst native beehives on Dennison’s Farm create a continuous pollination for the Orchard. An entirely in-house company, bottling and labelling takes place in their cidery and all packaging is environmentally friendly and fully recyclable.
The Viking Irish Cider range is made up of three unique craft cider styles, based on old farm recipes, including:
- Orchard Cuvée
- Harvest Blush
- Hop-IT
For more details on Viking Irish Drinks, visit their website at wwwvikingirishdrinks.com
The Perfect Glass For The Perfect Craft Brew...
At Waterford, we have the finest selection of glassware and barware that has been expertly designed and crafted for your timeless enjoyment. Whatever the choice, be it a craft cider, craft beer, lager or juice, you're sure to find the perfect glass to indulge in your favorite drink with our beautiful range of crystal cut glassware and barware.