What Makes Scrumpy Different From Regular Apple Cider

You may have enjoyed scrumptious cider, but have you tried scrumpy? Scrumpy is a traditional hard apple cider that is also known as "West Country" or even "cloudy" cider, per the Independent. To understand what makes traditional scrumpy different from regular apple cider, it helps to understand the history of hard cider.

Apples originated from around Kazakhstan, according to National Geographic. Varieties of the fruit spread throughout Europe, Asia, and even parts of North Africa. According to the Smithsonian, apples were on the banks of the Nile in Ancient Egypt in 1300 BCE.

People have enjoyed fermented beverages dating back to ancient times, though as far as we know, cider is newer compared to wine and beer. Celtic Britons pressed sour crab apples into hard cider back in the time of Julius Caesar around 55 BCE, according to Washington State University. The Smithsonian noted that the Romans brought cider back and it spread throughout Roman-influenced Europe.

Different varieties of apples evolved resulting in different kinds of cider (per Utne). Even though the ancient Celts originated crab apple cider, the Germanic tribes and Normans further refined it and introduced cloning their favorite apple trees to the process (per Utne). It was they who brought their own apple orchards and the name "cider" after they conquered ancient England (per Smithsonian).

Scrumpy is a traditional form of cider from Great Britain. It has its own unique history that explains the difference between it and the cider we see more often in pubs and grocery stores.

Scrumpy is a traditional, unfiltered cider made only from apples, according to Atlas Obscura. Most other types of cider include additional ingredients like sweeteners, other juices, and cultured yeast. Apples ferment because their skin contains naturally occurring yeast, according to Rick Steves Europe (via Youtube). Old-school homemade scrumpy wasn't pasteurized either.

Legend has it that scrumpy makers scavenged for apples and may have even stolen apples from other people's trees. The Oxford English Dictionary defines the word "scrump" as, "to steal fruit from an orchard or garden." This may be the root of the name "scrumpy." Modern makers may grow their own apple orchards but remain faithful to the rustic nature of the beverage.

If you try a pint of scrumpy for the first time, you might notice it looks more "cloudy" than the clear filtered cider you are used to seeing. If you try it, be careful since scrumpy usually has higher alcohol content than modern cider, per Britannica. Also, the flavor may not seem as sweet since it is higher in tannins.

During the Colonial era, hard cider was also popular in the United States, but it fell from grace as taste preferences shifted and also with prohibition, per Smithsonian. Most likely, American "pilgrims" made hard cider that may have been similar to scrumpy since they came from England and the process only requires apples, unlike more complex wine and beer, per ABC-affiliate WGNO TV. In fact, even the legend of Johnny Appleseed has its roots in early American cider.