Modern Perry is made from dessert/culinary pears.
Aroma/Flavor
There is a pear character, but not obviously fruity. It tends toward that of a young white wine. No bitterness.
Appearance
Slightly cloudy to clear. Generally quite pale.
Mouthfeel
Relatively full, low to moderate tannin apparent as astringency.
Overall Impression
Mild. Medium to medium-sweet. Still to lightly sparkling. Only very slight acetification is acceptable. Mousiness and ropy/oily characters are serious faults.
Comments
Some dessert/culinary pears may contain significant amounts of sorbitol, in which case a “dry” perry may give an impression of sweetness due to sorbitol in the pears. Perception of sorbitol as “sweet” is highly variable from one person to the next. Hence, entrants should specify sweetness according to actual residual sugar amount, and judges must be aware that they might perceive more sweetness than how the perry was entered.
Varieties
Bartlett, Kiefer, Comice, Conference, and so on.
Entry Instructions
The entrant may specify the pear variety (or varieties) in the Additional Information section. If specified, judges will expect varietal character.
If ABV is above typical range, the entrant should provide details on growing conditions, pear varieties and/or production methods.
Vital Statistics
ABV: 5 – 7%
Results
- Commercial Division (2005-2023)
- Noncommercial Division (2005-2023)