Northern Ireland's Mac Ivors launches first craft cider on draught

Mac Ivors, Northern Ireland's award-winning cider-maker, has introduced its first draught product, the first craft cider to be made commercially available on tap in Ireland.

The family-owned and managed business has begun shipping its successful medium cider (ABV 4.8%) to outlets in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland and expects to add customers in Great Britain and particularly Germany soon.

The company already sells its bottled medium and dry ciders, launched in 2011, to Great Britain, the Republic, Germany, Sweden and Finland and expects the new draught product to help expand its business in these markets.

Cider maker Greg Mac Neice, commenting on the new product, says: "The new draught builds on the success of our existing bottled ciders and also uses apples from our orchards in Armagh, Northern Ireland's orchard county.

"We use a blend of heritage apples, such as Cox's Orange Pippins, that our family has been growing for over 150 years. These are blended with Armagh Bramleys, which have EU PGI status, to provide a crisp, refreshing taste with distinctive red apple notes.

"We taste tested the draught independently over the past few months and are immensely encouraged by the very enthusiastic feedback from all those participating. It is the first craft cider available in Ireland on tap," he adds.

Mac Ivors Cider has won a host of prestigious awards over the past two years for its bottled ciders including UK Great Taste Award and National Trust Fine Farm Produce Award both in successive years. It has also gained an International Brewing Award and recognition from Cider Ireland,

The company, based at Ardress, Armagh, has modelled its products on the fragrant and aromatic 'cidres' of northern France to create distinctively Irish ciders.

Mac Ivors successful bottled ciders are Traditional Dry (ABV 5.6%) and Medium (ABV 4.5%). Mr Mac Neicedeveloped the new ciders after four years of market research in the UK, France and the US. The family business manages more than 100 acres of orchards.