THOSE not in the know might think cider is a fairly straightforward drink. Pulp a few apples, leave it to ferment and hey presto, it is ready.

But as one Powerstock man is setting out to show, it is much more of a discerning drink than some would give it credit for, and he is researching the cider apple trees of Dorset which could lead to undiscovered apples being made into new' ciders.

The man behind the project is Nick Poole, who started the Powerstock cider festival six years ago following the launch of the West Milton Cider Club.

Following a recent grant from Chalk and Cheese of just over £3,600 the project is now in full swing.

"We can't really move forward with it until the apples come in the autumn," said Mr Poole, "but we're asking people to look out for any cider apple trees that they don't recognise.

"In 1795 a record was made that there were 10,000 acres of orchard in Dorset, with mainly cider apples. So there's a good chance that there are a few varieties about."

Such is Nick's passion for cider, cider making and preserving old apple varieties that he won the cider industry's Innovation award at the Bath and West Show last year.

Mr Poole and nationally-recognised cider apple expert Liz Copas launched the project at the festival in April.

He said: "The basic concept of it is that Dorset has never had much recorded history of its cider making and the orchards or the apples used in the cider making.

"We know there are ancient orchards all throughout the apple growing areas of Dorset, with a lot of trees that are still standing that are very old and a lot of varieties that might be recognised if they could be identified.

"There is quite a strong possibility that they won't be able to be identified because records weren't kept at the right period. Long Ashton Research Centre never did any research in Dorset other than a very brief period in the 1920s.

"The bottom line is that a lot of them will be imported Devon, Somerset or Hereford apples but there is a good chance that orchards might still be turning out seedlings, new varieties self-seeded or varieties that they just can't recognise because they were never recorded.

"So what we are hoping to do is provide a benchmark for the 21st century and say these are the apples that are still here.

"If they are unknown we will be able to claim them as Dorset apples, rename them and it will be a new Dorset variety.

"If they are very old varieties that are recognised but are not in current catalogues we have got the Somerset Cider Apple Tree Company which will graft and re-propagate these old varieties.

"The aim is to make an individual cider out of each apple we come across, particularly if they are unknown, and if it is a worthwhile cider then this company will be very keen to take them on and get them going again as a commercial variety.

"It could be quite a landmark thing because nobody has ever done any work on Dorset apples.

"In combination with the research on the actual apples Liz Copas is going to do juice analysis using Thatcher's laboratories.

"Although we already know there is not much written on Dorset apples we have a local historian, Tim Connor from Powerstock ,who is keen to try and find any information he can on cider production in the last 300 or 400 years."

At the end of the project it is hoped to produce a document of evidence which will be an important research document for future use and if it is interesting enough, produce it to be sold in local food or tourist shops for those interested.

Anyone who thinks they can help with 'discovering' Dorset apple varieties should ring Mr Poole on 01308 485235.