World of Fruit - Perry Pears
Perry is an alcoholic drink made from pears. It is the pear equivalent of Cider. Like Cider certain varieties are used to make Perry. They are unsuitable for eating or cooking often being too small, and high in tannin.
Though Perry in recent years has been enjoying a renaissance the trees are mainly grown and the beverage produced in the three counties of Gloucestershire, Worcestershire & Herefordshire. Why this is so is not entirely certain, but the region has become reknowned for its fruit growing, including Cider over many centuries, so the development of Perry Pears was probably a consequence. The seedling pears grew well in the region and differences between these seedlings gradually became established into distinct varieties by grafting.
Many of these varieties became common within a very small area, such as a parish, being given names of the area ie Arlingham squash, Blakeney Red or relating to its quality ie Merrylegs, Brandy. Some 100 varieties became know in Gloucestershire and a number of others in the other two counties.
Perry Pears are long lived trees growing for hundreds of years if allowed. Far longer lived than cider apple trees and with fewer diseases affecting them. Usually worked onto a seedling pear rootstock so trees become large which worked into farms in the past where cattle and sheep grazed the floor and trees were planted at wide distances apart. When grafted onto modern dwarfing quince rootstocks many incompatibility problems have arose. Between planting and first decent cropping there is usually quite a length of time, often 10 years or more. So planting Perry Pear trees is a case of 'Pears for your heirs'!
Being long lived they become ecological rich, hosting many insects which feed other creatures up the food chain such as bats. The decaying hearts of old trees become homes for nesting birds, the dying back of old branches feeds beetles and other insects which in turn feed woodpeckers.
The picking time varies on the variety from September into November. The normal practice is with the pears ripening and falling on the floor to shake the tree with a long handled hook to release the ripe pears still hanging on the tree. At this stage they have had as long as possible to ripen turning starch to sugar. They are soft, have turned brown in the inside, as in the photo, but are oozing with moisture and are ready for milling and pressing.
Milling and producing perry like this means making a drink from a single variety, which is a practice carried on today by 'artisan' producers such as James Marsden of Gregg's Pit. On a larger scale producers are taking a mixture of perry pears from different varieties shaken from trees ripe and unripe. They will then add what is required - yeasts, sugars, etc to ensure successful fermentation.
In the past each locality would have had a small quantity of Perry varieties so would be producing its own distinctive Perry. The mixing and blending of Perry is more recent phenomenen with improved transport to central producers. However care is needed here as unlike cider two different perries often do not blend well. Two clear parries when blended may result a cloudy mixture.
We hope this has given you a little insight into Perry growing and its background. At Walcot we have just started to grow three varieties
- Blakeney Red, which makes very large long lived trees with large almost pyriform shaped pears which though are often red flushed are not always so.
- Moorcroft is an early Perry pear turbinate in shape, quite large in size and yellow skinned. Well known for making a high quality perry.
- Judge Amphlett which is a little later pear with 'pear' shaped pears (pyriform) and like Morrcroft with a yellow skin when ripe. Heavy cropping when into producing.
More varieties will be available winter 2012/13.
