4:26pm Friday 5th September 2008
By Steve Mather
CIDER and fruit juice makers at Pershore College are toasting the sweet smell of success after picking up two top awards.
The awards were handed to staff at the college at the first Worcestershire Cheese and Wine Fayre and are particularly treasured by the college because the drinks judged were ones on normal sale to the public and not specially made for the competition.
The winning bottles were the Cox Bramley apple juice, one of the most popular out of the 11 brands produced at the college, and Pershore College Organic Cider. The apples used came from Holme Lacy College which used to be part of Pershore Group of Colleges until a merger in August 2007.
Richard Toft, lecturer in the fruit and drink unit said: “The judges came round and tasted everything that was on offer to the public, it’s what we produce for selling, which I find quite satisfying.”
After winning the competition the college was presented with certificates, a fruit plate and an engraved tankard. It is the second recent triumph for Pershore cider, which also won the 2007 Herefordshire International cider competition.
The festival was organised by Royal Worcester Porcelain and Worcester Farmers Market Group to coincide with the recent Three Choirs Festival, an international classical music festival held each year in rotation by Gloucester, Hereford and Worcester.
Pershore College makes 15,000 bottles of its own branded Pershore College apple juice and 7,000 bottles of its own cider a year. It has been making its own apple juice since 1993 but the current unit has been there since 2004.
For details of horticulture or food and drink-related courses call the college on 01386 552443.
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