Drinkers prefer their cider without ice when they are drinking at home, according to a nationwide survey. Three times as many consumers said they preferred to drink cider chilled but not with ice to those who drank cider over ice while at home, in research commissioned by Merrydown. "I was surprised by the findings but think it is clearly a take-home trend," said Merrydown MD Chris Carr. "I suspect if we had asked people how they drank their cider in pubs and bars the majority would have said the opposite. I'd put this down to the fact that people store their cider in the fridge at home, so already feel it is cold enough and often there is simply less ice to hand. "I think this is a positive result. While I appreciate how the serving proposition has driven the category to new heights, I believe discerning consumers will always want their cider undiluted." The research also indicated regional differences in how people consume the drink. The over-ice proposition was far more popular in the southern regions of the UK and less popular in the Midlands. Age was also a factor. Older drinkers were more into chilled cider than the 18 to 30 year-old group, which preferred ice. The over-ice proposition, pioneered by Magners, has been so successful that several other alcohol categories are tapping into the idea. Fuller's has launched an ale-over-ice campaign and several rosé wines have been launched that are designed to be drunk this way.

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