Old Town pub the Jolly Judge named Edinburgh cider pub of the year by CAMRA yet again

The Jolly Judge in the Old Town has been named Edinburgh’s cider pub of the year for the eighth year in a row.

Situated in the shadows of Edinburgh Castle in James Court, off the Lawnmarket, the small watering hole has been named Branch Cider Pub of the Year by members of the Edinburgh and South East Scotland Branch of CAMRA, the Campaign for Real Ale.

This is the eighth year in a row Jolly Judge has received the title from CAMRA for its cider offerings in Edinburgh, only not picking up the award in 2021 due to Covid cancelling the competition.

Jolly Judge landlord Adam Neil (right) was presented with a framed certificate last week. He is pictured with Karen Hetherington, CAMRA branch cider representative, and Chris Miller, branch chair. | CAMRA

The Old Town pub also walked away with the overall title for Scotland last year, having previously also won the national title in 2018.

Jolly Judge landlord Adam Neil, who has run the pub for 19 years, is delighted to retain the crown of Cider Pub of the Year yet again.

He said: “It’s a great honour and good to be recognised for what we do here. Cider is something we obviously specialise in, with eight ciders on tap.

“We are always trying to push different types of cider and give folk an education on what cider can be. People are used to buying one cider but we want people to understand the different methods and flavours.

“People come back for cider after trying something new here, they really do get the cider bug. People are inclined to try it and end up having a favourite cider as well as a beer that they like to drink.

“It’s good to have the option of something other than beer, and we have a quality selection of ciders people can try here at the Jolly Judge.

“I have been pushing cider for about 15 years, and we have won this award most years. I think maybe for the past 10 years. We have also won the overall Scottish award as well.

“We have got a selection of unusual ciders in bigger bottles designed for sharing and we do a cider festival every year, which is always well received, with 14 ciders on offer.

“So it’s fair to see we love our cider here at Jolly Judge and are delighted to pick up this award again.”

Karen and Adam raise a glass of cider, while Adam holds the cider board showing what is on offer at the Jolly Judge pub in Edinburgh's Old Town. | CAMRA

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Despite the name, CAMRA has also long campaigned for real cider and perry, as authentic traditional fruit products not made from concentrated juice.

Praising the Jolly Judge, which is now up for retaining its Scottish title this year, Edinburgh and SE Scotland CAMRA chairman Chris Miller said: “It is a veritable treasure trove of ciders. Adam always has at least four still ones, dispensed from boxed bags on the bar, and often on tap will be sparkling ciders as well. And he also stocks a range of unusual bottled ciders.

“Adam has been recipient of this award, plus one as being Cider Pub of the Year for Scotland, on several occasions – he knows his ciders and is genuinely interested in them and knowledgeable about them.

“For the beer drinker, the pub always offers two or three interesting real ales, served by handpump.”