To be honest, I have never heard the term ‘pear cider’ before so I had to google for more information. This is what I found. Pear cider refers to an alcoholic beverage, which is made from perry pears, dessert pears and/or apple juice. What is the difference between ‘perry’ and ‘pear cider’ then? The term perry can bet used only for alcoholic beverages produced from proper perry pears (so no addition of edible pears or apples) and made in one of the three counties of Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, and Worcestershire (regional protection granted by the EU).
This explanation makes sense as the maker of the Pear Cider I am tasting today, Gibbet Oak is located outside the three counties in Kent.
Company: Gibbet Oak
Place of Origin: Tenterden, Kent, UK
Pears: pears grown on the farm
Sweetness as per label: medium dry
ABV: 5.7%
Package type: 500ml amber glass bottle with crown cap
Recommended type of glass: white wine glass, pint glass or snifter
Appearance: pours a slightly hazy pale straw with no head. Body is low. Carbonation level is pétillant as it is not really sparkling but also not still.
Aroma/Nose: The aroma is very rich and beautiful. I can smell floral notes, apples, honey and still fermenting fruits with a lovely hint of barnyard funk.
Taste: This pears cider is surprisingly on the drier side of medium dry. The acidity level is low with slightly watery flavour. The mid-palate has a hint of smoke, but only in the beginning, barnyard funk and gentle bitter notes. The aftertaste is dry and rather short-lived with gentle bitter notes, slightly watery and watermelon flavours.
Overall: Perry or pear cider tend to taste rather sweet. But the Gibbet Oak’s Pear Cider has a perfect level of sweetness, which is very appealing to my personal preferences. Moreover, I am a big fan of barnyard notes, hence I enjoyed it even more. But, the Pear Cider is too watery. Moreover, it’s very drinkable when cooled, but once it warms up it starts draining you. Weird off notes appear, which are not necessarily pleasant. It reminds me slightly of the Wobble Juice Cider from the Clives’ Fruit Farm. Similarly watery structure and watermelon notes. Although I enjoyed their Pear Cider at the start I don’t think I would purchase more. 3/6
Availability: seems to be available locally in Kent from Gibbet Oak Farm Shop and online from eebria.
Price: When you purchase it from Gibbet Oak Farm Shop it is at 2.5GBP. My bottle of pear cider arrived with my cider subscription from Orchard Box.
Cider Explorer 
Pear cider?! Don’t get me started … too late! As you say Perry is made from perry pears and cider is made of apples. There’s no such thing as pear cider!! It was probably first dreamt up by some marketing guy with no real thought, just pound signs in his eyes. It just sounds better than “alcoholic pear drink” which is what it is (probably the same chap who coined “apple cider”).
That said I have nothing against alcoholic pear drinks, thanks to your excellently descriptive review I would try a glass if I happened upon it, but probably just the one!
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Hi Bruce! I am totally with you! In my opinion ‘pear cider’ is just another bureaucratic invention, nothing else. I think you should try a glass, if you have a chance. Who knows, perhaps you’ll love it 🙂 Cheers!
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