cider

[sophie_1003]

traditionally, did they put a black rat in the cider of the same name during the fermenting process...also, do they put meat in any ciders nowadays?

[Zen]

From the Dictionary
scrumpy n :
rough cider, farmhouse cider/cyder, clear or cloudy, still or slightly lively, native to Devon and Cornwall. [Legends abound about the fermentation process (�toss in a rusty old iron bedstead to precipitate the tannins, then a dead cow to draw out the maggots�) but while it is true that an accumulation of carbon dioxide could cause a rat or Mouse scurrying across the surface of the vat to expire and fall in, brewers of old did actually hang in a piece of meat during a long cold spell to keep the yeast viable.]

Black Rat is the name of a Cider brand from Moles Brewery.
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/scrumpy/cider/his tory1.htm

Doubtful if this practise still exist given the powers of the modern day health and safety gestapo.

[heathfield]

I've heard of worms in tequila, but never rats in cider. Maybe it just tastes that way.

[sophie_1003]

lol at heathfield! thanku zen, my dad was convinced that they still put meat in cider, "to enhance the flavour"!