What is Scrumpy Cider?

Originally brewed in Britain, Scrumpy is a style of cider that is made from windfallen apples picked off the ground.

Updated Jul 22 2022 | Read Time: 1 minute

Those apples are stunningly named, Scrumping Apples. So it should come as no surprise as to how Scrumpy got its name.

Technically, to scrump is to, "steal fruit such as apples from trees", according to the Cambridge Dictionary. So perhaps there was some level of bootlegging that went into making Scrumpy in the days of yore.

Hard Cider vs Scrumpy

Due to its increased levels of alcohol, Scrumpy is like a hard hard cider, if that makes sense. What Scrumpy lacks in top end sweetness and flavor, it makes up for with a typically higher alcohol content.

Where to Buy Scrumpy

You can buy Scrumpy at cideries that produce it, as well as online and direct to consumer outlets.

Who Makes Scrumpy?

Scrumpy is made primarily in England, with cideries in the United States being the second most likely to brew it.

Check out this video on how to make Scrumpy at home. If you're going down this path, let your apples soften in a heap over half a week to a week, or, acquire some particularly choice ground-selected apples from the local orchard this fall and get to work.

Craft Cider Brands That Make Scrumpy

• Bantam Cider Company (United States)
• Greenwood Cider Company (United States)
• Harry's Cider Company (United Kingdom)
• JK's Farmhouse Ciders (United States)
• Merridale Cidery & Distillery (Canada)
• Scrumpy Ewe Cider (United States)
• Somerset Cider Brandy Company (United Kingdom)