Barry M
@barmas.bsky.social
Maker of Kertelreiter cider & perry. Planter of orchards. Pear freak, wannabe pomologist, cider historian, homebrewer, former beer blogger. Editor at Cider Review. ACA Certified Pommelier. Irish in Germany. Owned by a border collie.
That time of year where I’m getting a lot of emails asking for scions from particular pear trees. I don’t advertise this, & I don’t offer any for sale, but people find out what I’ve got and start asking. I usually don’t mind, but if somebody asks for a 50 scion from one variety, it’s a bit much.
February 13, 2026 at 3:41 PM
That time of year where I’m getting a lot of emails asking for scions from particular pear trees. I don’t advertise this, & I don’t offer any for sale, but people find out what I’ve got and start asking. I usually don’t mind, but if somebody asks for a 50 scion from one variety, it’s a bit much.
Well that’s nice. In its latest newsletter, Hochstamm Deutschland highlighted the German translation of my Cider Review article on part time cider makers.
If you read German, here’s what they had to say about it, with a link to the blogpost on our site & other articles on what we do.
If you read German, here’s what they had to say about it, with a link to the blogpost on our site & other articles on what we do.
Stille Revolution der Ciderhersteller? - Hochstamm Deutschland e.V.
Ein Loblied auf die Ciderherstellerinnen und -hersteller im Nebenberuf.
www.hochstamm-deutschland.de
February 13, 2026 at 12:25 PM
Well that’s nice. In its latest newsletter, Hochstamm Deutschland highlighted the German translation of my Cider Review article on part time cider makers.
If you read German, here’s what they had to say about it, with a link to the blogpost on our site & other articles on what we do.
If you read German, here’s what they had to say about it, with a link to the blogpost on our site & other articles on what we do.
Had a bit of a cider tasting tonight with two friends, needed material for an article. Always fun to get others give their input. Won’t give spoilers now, but might have developed diabetes
February 10, 2026 at 9:39 PM
Had a bit of a cider tasting tonight with two friends, needed material for an article. Always fun to get others give their input. Won’t give spoilers now, but might have developed diabetes
I caved after work today… hoping I ordered the right size for my wrist, would like a bigger display but I’m not a big man 😉
Trying to resist a bout of retail therapy… I don’t really need a new watch, but I’d kinda like to know what my heart is doing and track my new found fondness for excercise (and sleep).
Reopening old browser tabs was a mistake 😜
Reopening old browser tabs was a mistake 😜
February 10, 2026 at 5:07 PM
I caved after work today… hoping I ordered the right size for my wrist, would like a bigger display but I’m not a big man 😉
Nice new woodpile action from my neighbour. The one on the left is from another neighbour, and I’m expecting to see it crash down any day now. 😄
February 10, 2026 at 4:06 PM
Nice new woodpile action from my neighbour. The one on the left is from another neighbour, and I’m expecting to see it crash down any day now. 😄
Having read the last newsletter from B&B, I've put a link to the @ciderreview.bsky.social RSS feed on the front page social links. I haven't used RSS feeds in a long time, and they're right, it's a good way to curate what you see and avoid doomscrolling.
February 10, 2026 at 11:58 AM
Having read the last newsletter from B&B, I've put a link to the @ciderreview.bsky.social RSS feed on the front page social links. I haven't used RSS feeds in a long time, and they're right, it's a good way to curate what you see and avoid doomscrolling.
Good morning.
Getting noticeably brighter around this time each day. Loads of birds singing, mostly tits it seems, so feels like spring is well on the way.
Getting noticeably brighter around this time each day. Loads of birds singing, mostly tits it seems, so feels like spring is well on the way.
February 10, 2026 at 6:55 AM
Good morning.
Getting noticeably brighter around this time each day. Loads of birds singing, mostly tits it seems, so feels like spring is well on the way.
Getting noticeably brighter around this time each day. Loads of birds singing, mostly tits it seems, so feels like spring is well on the way.
Reposted by Barry M
tl cleanse, because god only knows, our timelines need cleansing
February 9, 2026 at 9:03 PM
tl cleanse, because god only knows, our timelines need cleansing
That’s nice. Somebody had a healthy snack while apparently viewing the pear trees at our Orchard. Shame they felt they had to drop their rubbish on the meadow. 🤷♂️
February 9, 2026 at 4:12 PM
That’s nice. Somebody had a healthy snack while apparently viewing the pear trees at our Orchard. Shame they felt they had to drop their rubbish on the meadow. 🤷♂️
Well that was a busy couple of days! Had Patrick and Wendy from 1785 Cider (south Black Forest), and Manni and Anne from Böhm Ciderwerkstatt (Hohehlohe) visiting. Did the usual walking tour with the pilgrimage sites like our perry pear orchard and the huge 200-yr-old Wasserbirne tree. 🙂
February 8, 2026 at 1:19 PM
Well that was a busy couple of days! Had Patrick and Wendy from 1785 Cider (south Black Forest), and Manni and Anne from Böhm Ciderwerkstatt (Hohehlohe) visiting. Did the usual walking tour with the pilgrimage sites like our perry pear orchard and the huge 200-yr-old Wasserbirne tree. 🙂
Reposted by Barry M
So, let’s take a look back to November 2023, & a topic that keeps raising its head: the myth that Napoleon said that Perry was the Champagne of the English. Apocryphally, he said similar things about Berliner Weiße, but that might have been a later version of Napoleon, and more likely his soldiers.
Perry, Napoleon and a trio from Little Pomona
Just come runner up at Waterloo and after something to drown your sorrows? We’ve got you covered.
cider-review.com
February 7, 2026 at 10:38 AM
So, let’s take a look back to November 2023, & a topic that keeps raising its head: the myth that Napoleon said that Perry was the Champagne of the English. Apocryphally, he said similar things about Berliner Weiße, but that might have been a later version of Napoleon, and more likely his soldiers.
Puh! A restless night with the waking phases filled with spinning thoughts and the sleeping phases filled with vivid, stressful dreams (lost in an airport and security stealing my ticket 😆). This mist isn’t exactly helping clear my brain!
Anyway, visitors will keep me alert from lunchtime. 🥂
Anyway, visitors will keep me alert from lunchtime. 🥂
February 7, 2026 at 8:06 AM
Puh! A restless night with the waking phases filled with spinning thoughts and the sleeping phases filled with vivid, stressful dreams (lost in an airport and security stealing my ticket 😆). This mist isn’t exactly helping clear my brain!
Anyway, visitors will keep me alert from lunchtime. 🥂
Anyway, visitors will keep me alert from lunchtime. 🥂
Trying to resist a bout of retail therapy… I don’t really need a new watch, but I’d kinda like to know what my heart is doing and track my new found fondness for excercise (and sleep).
Reopening old browser tabs was a mistake 😜
Reopening old browser tabs was a mistake 😜
February 6, 2026 at 6:45 PM
Trying to resist a bout of retail therapy… I don’t really need a new watch, but I’d kinda like to know what my heart is doing and track my new found fondness for excercise (and sleep).
Reopening old browser tabs was a mistake 😜
Reopening old browser tabs was a mistake 😜
Another sad day yesterday as a neighbour, father of a good friend, was buried. Only three years older than me, he died very suddenly. Rough.
Gotta make the most of it and try to leave the world a better place. Some assholes are making that bloody hard these days, but we have to try.
Gotta make the most of it and try to leave the world a better place. Some assholes are making that bloody hard these days, but we have to try.
February 6, 2026 at 4:56 PM
Another sad day yesterday as a neighbour, father of a good friend, was buried. Only three years older than me, he died very suddenly. Rough.
Gotta make the most of it and try to leave the world a better place. Some assholes are making that bloody hard these days, but we have to try.
Gotta make the most of it and try to leave the world a better place. Some assholes are making that bloody hard these days, but we have to try.
Reposted by Barry M
Secure your own squid first before helping others.
(I'm disproportionately proud of this drawing.)
(I'm disproportionately proud of this drawing.)
February 2, 2026 at 3:58 PM
Secure your own squid first before helping others.
(I'm disproportionately proud of this drawing.)
(I'm disproportionately proud of this drawing.)
Got a strange message from a neighbour yesterday. Sent a map with a dot on this plot of land and asked who it belongs to.
Me, I said. Why?
Some farmer got a document saying it belongs to him, so I hope the land registry hasn’t made some mistake. Showed him the purchase contract from 2015. 🤔
Me, I said. Why?
Some farmer got a document saying it belongs to him, so I hope the land registry hasn’t made some mistake. Showed him the purchase contract from 2015. 🤔
February 4, 2026 at 3:56 PM
Got a strange message from a neighbour yesterday. Sent a map with a dot on this plot of land and asked who it belongs to.
Me, I said. Why?
Some farmer got a document saying it belongs to him, so I hope the land registry hasn’t made some mistake. Showed him the purchase contract from 2015. 🤔
Me, I said. Why?
Some farmer got a document saying it belongs to him, so I hope the land registry hasn’t made some mistake. Showed him the purchase contract from 2015. 🤔
The things you find stashed at the back of a shelf while resorting them. 😋
February 3, 2026 at 4:18 PM
The things you find stashed at the back of a shelf while resorting them. 😋
Reposted by Barry M
You are being misled about renewable energy technology.
YouTube video by Technology Connections
www.youtube.com
January 30, 2026 at 5:27 PM
Had an early start to be up and ready for a 6am webinar (was delivered in Australia) so out a tick earlier with Anu too. Icy winds waking me up for sure! 🥶
February 3, 2026 at 6:06 AM
Had an early start to be up and ready for a 6am webinar (was delivered in Australia) so out a tick earlier with Anu too. Icy winds waking me up for sure! 🥶
For those (both of you) watching my NAS replacement adventure, I was planning to set this up tonight, but an unexpected and rather heavy snowfall this morning has screwed up delivery of my drives. Tomorrow so!
February 2, 2026 at 3:33 PM
For those (both of you) watching my NAS replacement adventure, I was planning to set this up tonight, but an unexpected and rather heavy snowfall this morning has screwed up delivery of my drives. Tomorrow so!
Reposted by Barry M
ridiculous orange boi: MÖTHERRRRRR
me: the cat flap is two feet away you idiot
me: the cat flap is two feet away you idiot
February 2, 2026 at 1:44 PM
ridiculous orange boi: MÖTHERRRRRR
me: the cat flap is two feet away you idiot
me: the cat flap is two feet away you idiot
Was in the cellar cleaning up in advance of a visit from 2 cider-maker friends coming next week. Couldn’t resist some quality control of some 2025 small batches. The apple-whole wild plum coferment is really good. Like blackcurrants & marzipan. The 2nd is apple/whole cherry plum. Strawberry/almond!
February 1, 2026 at 4:22 PM
Was in the cellar cleaning up in advance of a visit from 2 cider-maker friends coming next week. Couldn’t resist some quality control of some 2025 small batches. The apple-whole wild plum coferment is really good. Like blackcurrants & marzipan. The 2nd is apple/whole cherry plum. Strawberry/almond!
Nice to see perches at our perry pear orchard being used. I set them mainly to stop birds like this hulking red kite, or bussards or kestrals, landing on the young trees & snapping the leader off. But also gives them a nice place to sit and watch for voles and mice! Can never get close to photo.
February 1, 2026 at 9:03 AM
Nice to see perches at our perry pear orchard being used. I set them mainly to stop birds like this hulking red kite, or bussards or kestrals, landing on the young trees & snapping the leader off. But also gives them a nice place to sit and watch for voles and mice! Can never get close to photo.
So, out with the family to celebrate my mother-in-law’s 85th. A local restaurant to her that I haven’t been to in ages, but they do fantastic wild boar and venison roasts. 🤤
January 31, 2026 at 5:25 PM
So, out with the family to celebrate my mother-in-law’s 85th. A local restaurant to her that I haven’t been to in ages, but they do fantastic wild boar and venison roasts. 🤤
Reposted by Barry M
Winter is here. Ross Cider to the rescue!
Jack chats with Albert of the Ross-on-Wye Cider Company about their set of winter releases before delving into a tasting session.
@rosscider.bsky.social
Jack chats with Albert of the Ross-on-Wye Cider Company about their set of winter releases before delving into a tasting session.
@rosscider.bsky.social
Winter is here. Ross Cider to the rescue!
Jack chats with Albert of the Ross-on-Wye Cider Company about their winter releases before delving into a tasting session.
cider-review.com
January 31, 2026 at 8:29 AM
Winter is here. Ross Cider to the rescue!
Jack chats with Albert of the Ross-on-Wye Cider Company about their set of winter releases before delving into a tasting session.
@rosscider.bsky.social
Jack chats with Albert of the Ross-on-Wye Cider Company about their set of winter releases before delving into a tasting session.
@rosscider.bsky.social