Oct 19, 2017
Knights Malvern Gold has been hailed as the World’s Best Non-Sparkling Cider by the expert judges of the World Cider Awards.
The World Cider Awards is an international competition that selects the very best in all the recognised styles of cider. Knights Malvern Gold had already been named the Best British (non-sparkling) cider in the first round of the awards this summer.
Knights Malvern Gold is a traditionally fermented, medium dry Herefordshire Cider crafted with 100% fresh apple juice from a blend of bittersweet apples including Yarlington Mill, Harry Master’s Jersey, Dabinett and Kingston Black.
Gordon Johncox, managing director at Aston Manor Cider, said: “We were thrilled when Knights Malvern Gold was named the best non-sparkling cider in the UK earlier in the year. To have the judges laud it as the World’s Best just a few months later is a testament to the skill, dedication and passion of our cider makers.
“After several years of investment in both our production facilities and product development, we are pleased to see how international recognition for our products is supporting the excellent reputation we feel is merited, given the quality of our operations and people.”
The World Cider Awards gave further accolades this summer to Friels First Press Vintage (sparkling medium) and Friels Hop Infused (flavoured hopped). Its mainstream brand Kingstone Press received a Silver medal in the sparkling medium category.
The medals for Aston Manor represent yet more success for its premium and mainstream ciders on the global stage, following a Gold, Silver and several Bronze awards from the International Cider Challenge and a Gold and Silver from the International Cider Awards earlier this year.
Oct 2, 2017
Thatchers Redstreak Cider has been named the best sparkling cider in the world in the recent World Cider Awards 2017.
Redstreak, part of the Thatchers Cider Barn range, is an 8.4% single variety cider made from local Somerset Redstreak apples.
To create the Cider Barn range, cidermakers at Somerset based Thatchers use their knowledge of the apples to work with a single variety, or combine two varieties together that balance and complement each other.
The Somerset Redstreak bittersweet apple is high in tannin and big on flavour, creating the Redstreak cider that is bold and peppery, with a spicy apple pie flavour, smooth feel and deep rich colour.
The traditional cuvage technique has been used in this cider, where the apples are milled and then held for a day before pressing out the juice, so developing the best flavour for this variety.
Thatchers also scooped two other titles in the World Cider Awards – this time for design. Stan’s Barrel Roller was awarded the World’s Best Cider Can Design, and Thatchers Vintage was awarded silver medal, for its new bottle label.
Martin Thatcher, fourth generation cidermaker says, “Being able to produce limited edition ciders with some of our favourite apple varieties of each harvest is a real joy. We’re absolutely delighted that the judges chose Redstreak as the World’s Best Sparkling Cider.
“Winning an award such as this is a real accolade for the whole team at Thatchers. For the judges to single out Redstreak from the other very worthy entries from across the world is testament to the skills and passion for innovation that our cidermakers have been honing over many years.”
Thatchers Cider Barn Redstreak is a limited-edition cider. The new batch made from the 2017 harvest will be available by the end of October in Thatchers Cider Shop at Myrtle Farm, Sandford, Somerset, or online at www.thatcherscider.co.uk
Sep 26, 2017
What a fantastic day it was at our Myrtle Farm Open Day on Saturday (16th September 2017). We’d like to say a huge thank you from us all at Thatchers to all our visitors who came along to help make the day one to remember. There were many familiar faces in the crowds, and many new friends were made too. Some had travelled from as far afield as the West Midlands and Hertfordshire; others from towns and villages throughout Somerset.
The sun shone for us all day, with an estimated 6,000 people visiting Myrtle Farm. One of the favourite attractions was the tractor and trailer tours around the orchards. Visitors heard from our orchard team all about the different varieties of apples we grow here at Myrtle Farm. Some even had the chance to bit into a fresh bittersweet apple straight from the tree, and soon understood why it has that name! Mr John Thatcher was also giving talks on apples and cidermaking.
For the younger generation there was apple pressing – and drinking the fresh juice straight away was a real treat. There was also face painting, a magician, as well as sports activities.
Many visitors had the chance to see our canning line for the first time which is situated in the Jubilee Building – did you know that the canning line fills 30,000 cans an hour! It also has state of the art robotic and camera systems to make sure all the cans are filled and packed perfectly.
Martin Thatcher, fourth generation cidermaker says,
“It was a real pleasure to meet so many people throughout the day, some of whom had travelled quite considerable distances to be here, as well as people from throughout Somerset. From tours around the site, to pressing fresh apples into juice, watching the Mendip Morris Men, to sports activities, it was an action-packed day, which we’ll all remember for a long time.
“I’d like to say a big thank you to everyone who came to join in the day with us, and to all those who helped make the day special by exhibiting and laying on activities. We hope to do it all again in 2019!”
Sep 19, 2017
The unusually early harvest across Aston Manor Cider’s Herefordshire and Worcestershire orchards continued this week with some varieties ready to pick up to ten days ahead of schedule.
Josh Faulkner–Elliott, orchard coordinator and cider maker at Aston Manor Cider, reports on a remarkable start to the season.
“While many of the culinary varieties such as Gilly and Red Falstaff have ripened as usual, we didn’t expect to be harvesting the likes of Hastings and Three Counties at this point in the year.
“These bittersweet apples traditionally crop towards the end of the season. Harry Masters, for example, would usually be ready from mid-October to late November.
“Despite a wet summer, a very warm spring has led to this early start, while high winds from the US mean 2017 is set to be a particularly speedy season – increasing the workload for us.”
Rod Clifford, head cider maker at Aston Manor Cider, said: “The storms on the other side of the Atlantic have had an effect here with winds knocking ripened apples to the ground in greater numbers.
“As they will start to go soft as soon as they have fallen from the branch, we are being extra vigilant to ensure that we catch all of the fruit for pressing.”
“Fortunately, we are well prepared.
“Operations at the pressing mill at Stourport-on-Severn are now at full speed and we work very closely with our growers and farmers who are doing an amazing job in responding to the quirks of this harvest.
“As we head into late September, we expect several more bitter sweet varieties to begin ripening in earnest and we predict that this to be our highest yield harvest to date – allowing us to make even more great cider.”
2017 is a significant harvest for Aston Manor. Several years after the business planted 400,000 trees across 1,000 acres of Herefordshire orchards as part of an £30m investment programme, the first of these trees will be yielding apples for harvest.
Sep 13, 2017
Apples and pears were on the agenda in Westminster last night, at the All Party Parliamentary Cider Group (APPCG) and The National Association of Cider Makers (NACM) autumn reception. With over 150 guests from across the political spectrum and the drinks trade, the event was a great success and a chance to hear more about this historic British industry.
As well as talking about the issues in hand, attendees were able to experience some of the premium brands from across the country, from producers large and small. The cider makers were on hand to explain the details behind the diverse range of products which result from the dedication and innovation that have been consistently growing the quality and range of ciders sold in Britain and indeed the world.
However, a warning note was sounded by Helen Thomas, Managing Director of Westons Cider and Chair of the NACM, in her keynote speech, about how long these dynamic and proud communities can survive. Helen explained that “excise duty has increased by over 20% since 2010 and we are now 25% smaller than we were 7 years ago. Cider makers are facing difficult times and are now making tough decisions, which may have a lasting impact on rural areas”.
“In the last 2 years, we have faced more disruption as an industry than I can ever remember. Smaller cider makers have faced the threat to the small cider maker excise relief, the announcement of a review into the alcohol structures for cider in the spring budget could have significant ramifications and our ability to compete both in the UK and abroad remains unclear in a post Brexit marketplace”.
But despite the uncertainty, the pride in a great British product remains. Helen said “We are a group that is proud to market great ciders, but we always reflect on the need to do this responsibly. We celebrate the overall decline in alcohol consumption, and are pleased when we hear that that the majority of people drink within recommended levels. Our commitment to monitor our marketplace demands that our members are fully committed to responsible drinking best practice, support their local communities and sign up to our code of practice – these are all important in ensuring that the cider industry has the right ingredients to sustain for the long term”.
Helen highlighted how British cider makers are regarded as experts from across the globe. “Last week many of us were in Frankfurt for the launch of the Global Cider Forum. Interest in British Cider has never been stronger and the UK market represents around 46% of all cider sold across the world. The NACM is proud to support more than 240 cider makers who represent the very best of Britain and we need to ensure that we remain a global success story for decades (or hopefully centuries) to come”.
To endorse this, the Lords and MP’s present were asked to sign up as “Cider Champions” to pledge their support for an industry that is so important to the UK economy (especially rural communities) where many are employed, trained and developed by the cider makers.
Helen closed with heart felt words about the industry that has delivered so much for so long but is now under pressure for its future: “It is about supporting the diversity of British cider and the passion and enthusiasm of the British cider maker. It is about supporting an industry that has been here for centuries and we hope will be here for centuries to come”.
