About a dozen years later, and firmly in flared jeans with holes I pitched up in the cider capital, namely Bristol. As a student the first exposure to cider was as part of that combination known as snakebite. This was half industrialised lager and half industrialised cider. Was the cider supposed to disguise the lager or vide versa? I was never quite clear of its purpose other than to empty poor student bank accounts.

So, quite quickly employment was sought and I found myself behind the bar of a famous cider pub in the posh part of Bristol. This was a proper cider pub. There were barrels with brass taps behind the bar, us bar folks mixed ciders for people and gave them tasters. Some of the customers had their own pewter tankards behind the bar and we were expected to know whose was whose.

The cider was a revelation. It was flat, orangey brown in colour and came in three types - sweet, medium and dry. Most customers liked a mix of medium and dry and a few would ask to vary the proportions. On being handed their pint some would take a large mouthful and ask for it to be topped up with lemonade. There we go, sweetened and carbonated in front of your very eyes. Not much has changed. And then there was the blackcurrant cordial top as well for an extra 5p or thereabouts. So nothing new in flavoured ciders.

However the best one, was the Friday night special. This involved a pint of mixed cider, the removal of a large mouthful by the customer followed by, “pop a couple of gins in there for me would you”. Enough said! Probably not to be tried at home.