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Orpens does not use any juice concentrate in their cider. They want to craft cider that proudly sings of its Irish origins. To do that they work only with fresh apple juice that's as unprocessed as possible. The Orpens cider maker, Bruce Jack, is a perfectionist. He has numerous, passionately held theories as to why cider should only be crafted from fresh juice. One thing is for sure using fresh juice, rather than reconstituted juice concentrate, gives Orpens cider its zip, its smile and its sense of place. But the process starts even earlier than the apple juice stage. Just as great wine starts in the vineyard, so great cider starts in the orchard. Orpens select specific apple varieties for their cider. Different apple types have different characteristics they can look different and we all know they taste different. By choosing just the right combination of apple varieties, they are able to craft a cider that is not only balanced and crisp, but authentically delicious. True to their winemaking roots, they also don't use added flavours or colourants. And perhaps most importantly, they don't pasteurise the finished cider which means they don't heat it up to sterilise it, as they believe this cooks the fresh flavours. The result is a complex, layered cider with an extra clean, crisp apple character, and a fresh citrusy finish.
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