All posts in: News

Sheppy’s Cider through Sunshine and Storms

Off 22nd November 2018

We are delighted to share an interview with Somerset cider maker, David Sheppy, on having a business that relies on the weather.

“Sheppy’s is a 202-year-old premium cider-maker, and I am the sixth generation of the Sheppy family to take on the helm. Despite this extensive experience, we are still at the mercy of mother nature at each harvest. Summers are set to continue to be hotter and drier, and winters may be wetter. We expect the unexpected, and our ethos is to work with what nature gives us.

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Turning London’s fruit waste into community-made beverages

Off 21st November 2018

The Orchard Project is the only national charity dedicated solely to the creation, restoration and celebration of community orchards. We believe that community orchards can transform lives, build resilient communities, improve our wellbeing and help nature to thrive in urban areas.

We are committed to reviving the UK’s rich history of urban orchards as a means to reconnect people to their food sources. Our projects involve training and upskilling community groups in England and Scotland, so that they have the knowledge needed to maintain orchards as communal spaces to be enjoyed for generations to come.

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West Country Faces Cider Oversupply

Off 23rd October 2018

As UK cidermakers anxiously watch the weather, West Country orchard owners are facing a double challenge of a bumper crop and falling number of buyers. A shift in consumer preferences towards fruit cider, combined with high yields from maturing orchards, has created a glut of cider apples, and Heineken, owner of Bulmers, the world’s biggest cider producer, is currently ‘reviewing’ its supply contracts with growers.

Growers could be forced to rip up their orchards as new flavours don’t need apples.

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Connecting People with Surplus Apples

Off 5th September 2018

It’s that time of year again, and one of the most commented and requested posts each year is the sharing apples posts.

So you know what to do – add you details in the comments below to get started, and potential local cider makers to you, will contact you.

Another great option is to find your nearest cider makers, to see if they’d like them – often in exchange for a few bottles in return.

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Cider World Record

Off 1st September 2018

The Mayor of Exeter was among the 282 happy drinkers who helped The Stable in Exeter smash the Guiness World Record for cider tasting in August.

Led by Dan Heath, founder of lead Stable supplier The Cider Box, cideristas crammed the venue’s three floors to taste the eight contenders on the Stable Cider of the Year shortlist.

The record before this attempt, held by The Oast House in Manchester, stands at 255 people, so they had lots of thirsty supporters to beat this, and make it into the history books.

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Somerset cider orchard wins innovation prize

Off 25th June 2018

A Somerset orchard has won the top prize for the Best Innovative Cider Orchard at the Royal Bath & West Society Show 2018.

West Bradley Orchards, near Glastonbury, was described by the judges as “containing more experimental trials than any of the other orchards which we judged. Four apple varieties, four support systems, and three different tree spacings will guide growers of future orchards in Somerset into producing the most economic and high-quality apples”.

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