On the third day of St. Patrick, my true love gave to me 3 Magners Ciders, 2 shots of Paddy, and a pint of Kilkenny. . .
While Ireland is clearly known for its ebony pints of frothy stout and smooth blended whiskeys, it would be unfair to not celebrate one of its most ancient drinks – cider. Although the origins of cider in Ireland are not well documented, there can be no mistake that cider ranks as one of the oldest beverage in the history of mankind. The ancient Greeks and Romans drank vast quantities of cider and the name is actually derived from the Latin “cicera” which means “hatchling” or “chick”. All jokes aside about it being a “chick” beverage, it is interesting that the word has nothing to do with murder as all other words involving “cide” do! Beyond the Romans, there is no doubt that cider was a staple of Celtic culture as the epicenters of European cider production are almost all based in areas with a Celtic footprint (such as Ireland and Brittany).
Apples grow very well in Ireland and Magners is the largest apple producer on the Emerald Isle. They need to be in order to produce the 17 different varieties of premium apples that go into each refreshing bottle of this Irish beauty. If you’re curious, the apple varieties are as follow:
Michellin, Dabinett, Yarlington Mill, Bulmer's Norman, Tremlett's Bitter, Breakwell Seedling, Taylor's, Harry Master's Jersey, Medaille d'Or, Reine des Pommes, Ashton Bitter, Brambley's, Grenadier, Brown Thorn, Brown Snout, Vilberies and improved Dove.
