Kilmegan

Cidery in Dundrum, Down, Northern Ireland

Established in 2013

Contact
40 Kilmegan Road, Dundrum, BT33 0NP, Northern Ireland
Description
In 2009 my wife Karen and I set about trying to make a batch of cider. Using a strong bucket and a 4 inch wooden fence post, we laboured for hours to mash up enough apples to put into my fathers wine press and produce a gallon or two of juice. We then simply put the juice into a demijohn, added some champagne yeast, stuck on an airlock and let nature take its course. After a few months the juice had cleared, fermentation had stopped and hey presto our first cider was made. It didn’t taste anything like the mass produced cider I had vowed to NEVER AGAIN drink as a 16 year old on a cursed camping trip with school mates.

This beautiful amber liquid was a revelation to me. Tasting fresh and crisp and as natural a product as you could wish for. Using no added acids, sugar, water or concentrates this was, to me, REAL CIDER and so it began. “Less is more” they say and we agree.

Although our methods of producing our juice have thankfully changed (we are now using a proper apple mill and rack and cloth press). Our principles have not changed – get the proper blend of apples, extract the juice, ferment and leave to mature for six to eight months and as it are made with 100% fresh pressed juice – you will taste the difference!

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6
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6

Clear 500ml bottle from KWM Wines: BBE February 2025. Shared with my son Ben at my place on 15th February 2024. Clean orange/amber body, floral nose and flavours within the apple base, a bit 'sweet' rather than 'medium' in my eyes.

Tried from Bottle on 16 Feb 2024 at 09:06


6
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6

Clear 500ml bottle from KWM Wines: BBE February 2025, drank at home, lunchtime 5th February 2024, taken with a veggie Chili and Rice! Nice golden body, wisp and collar head of white. Dry apples, plenty of them.

Tried from Bottle on 05 Feb 2024 at 13:00


7
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7

500ml bottle from Vineyard Belfast. Deep orange gold colour, thin white foam head and aroma of apple, floral, elderflower. Taste is sweet, apple, fruity, melon, floral, with some funk, elderflower notes, citric acidity and soft light tannin. Medium bodied, light carbonation, medium-sweet finish. Quite drinkable.

Tried from Bottle on 25 Nov 2023 at 18:27


6.9
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 4 | Overall - 6.5

30/9/2022. Bottle shared by SHIG, cheers. Pours spritzy clear pale golden with a frothy white head. Aroma is funky, apple, woody, leafy, citrus, floral. Moderate sweetness and bitterness, light tartness. Medium body, oily, fizzy. Good.

Tried from Bottle on 05 Oct 2022 at 16:59


7.4
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7.5

500ml bottle. Golden colour, foamy white head that quickly dissipates away and aroma of apple, fruity, orchardy, oak, funky. Taste is sweetish, tangy apple, fruity, juicy hints, with orchardy funk, leather, woody, oak and drying tannins. Medium bodied, light carbonation, dry tannic finish. Nicely drinkable.

Tried from Bottle on 01 Jul 2022 at 18:00


6.6
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7.5

Sample courtesy of SHIG, cheers Shawn! Golden colour, short-lied white foam head and aroma of peaty earth, apple, hay, grass. Taste is sweet, elderflower, juicy, apple, with some earthy hints, funk and drying tannins. Medium bodied, low carbonation, drying tannic finish. Quite drinkable.

Tried on 26 Jun 2022 at 19:14


7
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7

Panda 🐼 at home thanks to SHIG. A clear golden yellow coloured pour with a small halo of white head. Aroma is earthy grains, tangy apple, midget gems, cider notes, light phenols, grass, spices. Palate is semi sweet, juicy. Flavour is composed of semi sweet, juicy, jiuicy , white grape, elderflower note. Palate is semi sweet, juicy , moderate carbonation.

Tried on 24 Jun 2022 at 20:10


7.1
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7.5

Bottle: Poured a golden orange with a white ring head. Aroma is a bouquet of elderflower, apples, floral. Taste is fruity, apples, elderflower, floral, tannins, dry floral petal finish.

Tried from Bottle on 19 Jun 2022 at 22:28


7.8
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8

Sample courtesy of minutemat, cheers Mat! Deep golden colour, white foam head that quickly dissipates to a thin rim and aroma of apple, fruity. Taste is apple, orchardy, leathery, some farmyard funk, tangy, with drying tannins. Medium bodied, light carbonation, dry tannic finish Nicely drinkable.

Tried on 20 Mar 2022 at 17:40