Author Topic: How to tell if something is a Perry Pear (Read 2210 times)

Sherbatious border · « **on:** August 30, 2016, 03:12:44 pm »

Hi fruit people, I think I may have asked this question in the wrong section since I am not certain my pear tree is a perry pear. I'd like to make Perry (hence asking in the section for brewing) but I'm not certain the ancient pear tree I inherited when we recently bought a paddock IS a perry pear. It's a very old tree, (thick trunk) produces pears on both old and new growth, has a profusion of tiny pears. Original farmhouse nearby has been there for aprox 200 years. Is there a way of telling if we have a Perry Pear?

pgkevet · « **Reply #1 on:** August 30, 2016, 07:46:48 pm »

I'm guessing the only way would be to see if someone like east malling research would type the tree for you...unlikely for a non-commercial unless something special about it???
Does it matter? The only thing that really matters is is that you can juice the pears, ferment them and decide if it tastes nice or if you can find something to blend with them to improve it. It's like cider.. you can use any apples.. cider apples just allow a blend of juices to get it bitter or sharp etc. In the end it's down to whether you like the taste of your end product.
At least with pear juice drnking a lot doesn't give the runs like apple juice can

My old dad was into home wine making ...currants, blackberries, rosehips etc. If he didnt like the taste of a batch he'd spend all evening carefully measuring and noting percentage mixes - until he was too pissed to care..

devonlady · « **Reply #2 on:** August 31, 2016, 10:02:14 am »

A bit like my old Dad, pgevet, he reckoned he could pick the flowers off the wallpaper and make wine out of them!

Marches Farmer · « **Reply #3 on:** September 04, 2016, 08:41:40 pm »

Herefordshire is perry pear country and we have several very old ones. Their main feature is that the pears are as hard as cobbles when they fall. If you keep them until February they taste quite good.

Sherbatious border · « **Reply #4 on:** September 20, 2016, 03:05:31 pm »

I've looked up some photos of perry pear varieties. What we've got is definitely not a wild pear tree and I reckon it is something like a 'Huffcap' variety of perry pear. The pears are small, roundish, yellow when ripe, hard, but sweet and falling off the tree in their hundreds! I have just bought a fruit crusher, I already have a small press and some demi johns. Going to give it a go!