Oct 19, 2022
21 October 2022 – Cider makers across the UK are celebrating Apple Day by sharing the importance of orcharding and cider making. A crucial part of the country’s economy, cider making not only supports employment, farming, and sustainability, but boosts tourism particularly in the West, Southwest and West Midlands.
Apples, that are only suitable for making cider, grow in abundance throughout the orchards in the country and it is the skill of the cider maker to turn those apples into a delicious drink. British cider producers are part of an industry that is steeped in heritage with traditional, artisan expertise passed down through the generations.
Fenella Tyler, Chief Executive at National Association of Cider Makers (NACM) said: “Apple Day gives cider makers the opportunity to promote their trade and highlight the importance of cider making to their local community. The industry provides much needed support to the broader rural economy providing over 11,500 rural jobs across the UK and attracting tourists from around the country and the rest of the world.
The culture of cider making is interwoven within the fabric of local communities and is essential to sustaining rural areas. The industry supports local amenities and charities, funding wildlife ventures and community orchards. It is essential that the British heritage of cider making is supported.”
Throughout the UK there are three hundred farmers growing over sixteen thousand acres of orchards that are often handed down through generations. This farmland crucially preserves the UK’s biodiversity by attracting wildlife, and more specifically bees, that are needed for pollination. Once produced, cider flies the flag for British food and drink with over £100million of exports of cider per year.
About Apple Day
Apple Day, 21 October, was launched in 1990 by Common Ground. The aspiration was to create a calendar custom, an autumn holiday. From the start, Apple Day was intended to be both a celebration and a demonstration of the variety we are in danger of losing, not simply in apples, but in the richness and diversity of landscape, ecology and culture too. It has also played a part in raising awareness in the provenance and traceability of food.
Oct 6, 2022
To celebrate the inaugural Hereford AppleFest, the City of Hereford’s historic Town Hall will host an apple-themed banquet on Saturday 8 October at 7pm.
Our region has the perfect soils and weather to grow the finest apples in the world, not to mention centuries of experience in crafting fine apple juice, cider and perry.
Guests are invited to celebrate the 2022 harvest with Martin Carter’s (Saxtys’ Executive Chef) unique apple-infused menu. Using local ingredients, each of the dishes are matched with ciders and perries from some of the region’s leading producers – including
The banquet will take place in the majestic Assembly Hall, the scene of many lavish banquets over the 120 year history of the Grade II listed Town Hall. With its magnificent ornate ceiling, beautiful stained glass, and atmospheric oak panelling, don’t miss the chance to sample this exquisitely designed menu celebrating Herefordshire’s special relationship with the apple in this unique setting.
This experience is certain to book up quickly! To secure your ticket please visit https://ticketlab.co.uk/event/id/13018#/
Key-note speakers for the evening: Global cider expert, The Ciderologist, Gabe Cook, and the UK’s first Pommelier, Jane Peyton, School of Booze.
Tickets: £60 including welcome drink, key-note speakers, three course meal with matching ciders and perries, and coffee and mints at the close. Vegan/vegetarian/special dietary alternatives are available.
Oct 6, 2022
Cider presses are well into action in this corner of Herefordshire, and Big Apple venues are once again standing by to welcome visitors to the Marcle Ridge on Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th October. The apple harvest is in full swing, and no matter which way you turn in Much Marcle, apples are everywhere! Not to mention pears – perry pears of course.
Nine familiar Big Apple venues, including Woodredding, Lyne Down, Pope’s Perry, Hellens, Gregg’s Pit and Awnells Farm, alongside regular attractions at Westons Cider, are waiting to welcome visitors to enjoy the orchards, to see, hear and smell cider being made and to taste many different varieties of apples, local ciders, perries and apple juices. And don’t miss apple teas at the Memorial Hall!
This year’s highlights include giving a hand to press perry pears from the ancient avenue at Hellens Manor, discovering edible hedges, wheeling along with the Big Apple Bike Ride and tasting Jolly G’s Golden Guernsey Goat Milk Ice Cream. The ever popular ‘high-altitude’ tutored cider tastings are back on the Marcle Ridge, with musical interludes from Uke Can’t Be Serious and Leominster Morris. Practical sessions on maintaining orchards and wildflower areas with the traditional craft of scything, tool sharpening, and the chance to buy refurbished garden tools are a ‘must-do’ for those who like to do things for themselves. Talks on ‘Cider Country’, ‘John Philips, Hereford’s Georgian cider poet’ and the search for lost varieties of perry pears round off the programme. Full details of venues and special events, and advance booking where required, can be found at https://www.bigapple.org.uk/harvestime2022/
The Big Apple is delighted to be working alongside others this year to place apples right at the heart of Herefordshire under the umbrella of Hereford AppleFest.
Jackie Denman
Secretary, Big Apple Association Ltd.
Tel. 01531 670544
www.bigapple.org.uk
Sep 28, 2022
Devon’s Sandford Orchards, producer of authentic cider created by combining tradition and innovation, is thrilled to have won Gold at the World Cider Awards for Katja (ABV 8%), its Martinotti style fine sparkling cider.
Barny Butterfield, Chief Cidermaker at Sandford Orchards comments: “We are absolutely thrilled to win this award. Katja is a crisp, modern, single varietal, sparkling cider, crafted from the Katy dessert apple. It has already scooped a number of awards and accolades, since we first produced it in 2021, but receiving this Gold World Cider Award is our proudest moment yet. Katja has beaten off ciders from around the globe to gain international recognition as a gold medallist in the modern carbonated cider category.”
The annual World Cider Awards 2022 judged over 100 ciders from more than 10 countries. An international and highly respected judging panel blind tasted and scored the entries to identify the best ciders in each category. Anita Ujszaszi, Awards Director, said: “The winners demonstrated that across the world, ciders are increasing in quality and innovation and we are very excited to see what’s in store for next year already.”
Katja is a single apple variety cider. Sandford Orchards presses the apples and ferments them cool with a white wine yeast to enhance its fresh and fragrant apple characteristics. Katy as an eating apple translates well into cider and creates an elegant sparkling-wine like drink, but with softer acidity. Bottled with a good fizz, Katja makes a beautiful alternative to Prosecco.
Founded in 2002, independent, family-owned Sandford Orchards is based in Crediton, Mid Devon in the oldest working cider mill in the UK. The area has long been known as one of the most fertile parishes in all of Britain, both for its grazing and ability to grow apples. Crediton sits in the lee of the moors, so receives the right amount of rain and the right units of heat in summer. Combining tradition and innovation, Sandford Orchards harnesses these natural assets to produce an award-winning range of core session, flavoured, traditional and fine ciders.
For further information on Sandford Orchards please visit www.sandfordorchards.co.uk
Jul 8, 2022
Cider makers welcomed more than 250 guests to their Orchard Walk and Technical Day which returned for the first time in three years. The event provides a unique opportunity for the cider industry to thank those who work so hard growing apples for them and to celebrate the importance of British grown cider apples.
The event was opened by James Crampton, National Association of Cider Makers (NACM) Chair and Corporate Affairs Director at HEINEKEN UK. He thanked Tom Powell and the Foxley Estate at Mansell Lacey, Herefordshire, for hosting the event and welcoming such a large group of growers to his orchards.
James went on to explain that “Growing cider apples is at the heart of the cider industry and Great British ciders are a part of the heritage and traditions of our rural communities. Cider makers and apple growers have worked in partnership for decades, creating a platform that supports farming, employment, biodiversity, tourism and of course cider making.“
However, there was also some caution from the cider industry, due to the unprecedented challenges from Brexit, Covid and more recently escalating costs especially around energy and fuel. In addition, long term decline of the cider market has recently accelerated, and the apple cider market fell by nearly 20% in the last two years as the hospitality sector was impacted by Covid lockdowns.
James further highlighted HM Treasury proposals to reform alcohol duty, planned for introduction in February 2023 and asked cider apple growers to join the NACM and cider industry in continued talks with local MPs about their concerns. Impacts on the cider industry will be significant for cider leaving beer and spirits mainly unchanged. Cider will see a significant increase in excise duty rates, adding red tape and complexity to HMRC paperwork, all ciders over 4.6% ABV will see an increase in excise duty, with some seeing increases as high as 40%. The most traditional ciders will be hit the hardest, especially those around 6% to 7% ABV. Two thirds of cider makers will be negatively impacted.
Following the opening remarks, guests were invited to walk around the orchards, where a number of technical talks gave more detail into how the orchards are managed on the estate, as well as tips for improving biodiversity. The morning ended with an opportunity to visit a number of trade stands highlighting latest developments in orcharding and harvesting equipment and supplies
Jun 10, 2022
Devon’s Sandford Orchards, producer of authentic cider created by combining tradition and innovation, is thrilled to have been awarded silver medals for all three of its vintage ciders at the International Cider Challenge 2022. The General, Sandford Reserve and Apple & Oak each received a silver medal at the prestigious awards.
Barny Butterfield, Chief Cidermaker at Sandford Orchards comments: “We are absolutely delighted to receive silver medals for each of our vintage ciders at the International Cider Challenge, which is considered to be one of the most authoritative, respected and influential cider competitions in the world. We launched our vintage ciders last year after trialling more than forty different potential variations before whittling them down to these three, each of which boasts their own unique characteristics. We have been thrilled with our selection but it is always nice to know that the experts think they are pretty special too. These vintage ciders have now won an impressive haul of awards between them including a gold and silver at The World Cider Awards and a gold at the International Cider Awards.”
The General – Mighty Vat-Aged Cider (ABV 8.4%)
The General is the Imperial Stout of the vintage range. This super rich cider is bold and satisfying with the flavours of Seville orange, plum and baked apple. It is a superb complement to gamey meats or a fully-laden Sunday roast.
Sandford Reserve – Finest Cask-Aged Cider (ABV 7.4%)
Sandford Reserve is the ‘exhibition’ cider of this new range. Using the pick of the 2019 crop and matured in larger wine casks, Sandford Reserve drinks like a smooth, oaky, chardonnay with flavours of honey, Madeira and dried fruits. It’s the perfect partner to curry or spicy Asian food.
Apple & Oak – Fresh Oak-Finished Cider (ABV 6.7%)
‘Apple and Oak’, is a dry vintage cider aged in new oak barrels. It showcases youthful, ripe, bittersweet apple flavours which are complemented by hints of vanilla and toasty oak. The ideal accompaniment to a cheese ploughmans or cured meats, it’s the ‘cider nouveau’ of the collection.
The International Cider Challenge is founded on a rigorous and independent judging process, which serves to reward and celebrate the diversity and range of varying styles of international cider. Ciders entered into the tasting categories are blind tasted by an expert panel of independent judges and assessed according to their taste, appearance and aroma.
Founded in 2002, independent, family-owned Sandford Orchards is based in Crediton, Mid Devon in the oldest working cider mill in the UK. The area has long been known as one of the most fertile parishes in all of Britain, both for its grazing and ability to grow apples. Crediton sits in the lee of the moors, so receives the right amount of rain and the right units of heat in summer. Combining tradition and innovation, Sandford Orchards harnesses these natural assets to produce an award-winning range of core session, flavoured, traditional and fine ciders.
For further information on Sandford Orchards please visit www.sandfordorchards.co.uk, follow Sandford Orchards on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
