It was two years in the making, but now Thatchers Zero, the Somerset cider maker’s first alcohol-free cider, has been named Best No and Low Cider in the UK by industry magazine Imbibe.
Thatchers Zero was unveiled in January 2020 after a long development journey, and only when the cider maker was 100% happy with the cider’s taste, depth and appearance. By using a unique production process, Thatchers has been able to create an alcohol-free cider that doesn’t compromise on quality – and offers the premium experience people are looking for when enjoying a Thatchers cider.
Thatchers Zero is full of appley aromas and crisp refreshment. With a beautifully bright, golden appearance, crisp, medium dry taste, and fruity aroma, it is crafted using a selection of Thatchers favourite bittersweet apple varieties, creating a 0.0% cider with body, smoothness and character.
The Imbibe No and Low Taste Awards were launched to reflect the quality and range of products in what has become a significant sector of the drinks industry in recent times – one that has grown during lockdown and is predicted to continue to grow in the years to come.
Like all other ciders in its range, Thatchers Zero is gluten free and is suitable for vegetarians and vegans.
Thatchers Zero is available in high street retailers including Sainsbury’s and Co-Op, RRP £1.85. It is also available from specialist retailers including Dry Drinker and Wise Bartender, and from Thatchers www.thatcherscider.co.uk
1 x 130g white fish fillet, skinned (Halibut or other sustainably sourced white fish)
1 small shallot, finely sliced (approx. 30g)
5 cherry or small plum tomatoes, sliced
6 black olives, sliced
3 new potatoes, cooked
Few sprigs of basil, chopped
1 small courgette, finely sliced (appox. 35g)
1 bottle of Oldfields Applefresco cider
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Piece of tin foil 40cm by 30cm
Piece of parchment paper 25cm by 25cm
Prepare all of your vegetables and basil so that they are sliced nice and small.
Place them in a bowl and add 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil, and a good twist of salt and pepper. Mix together.
Lay out the piece of foil and lay the smaller parchment in the middle. Place the mixed vegetables in the centre of the paper and lay the fish on top and add a little extra seasoning to the fish.
Fold the foil and parchment in half, and bring the ends together to cover over the fish. Turn in and fold the sides of the square, so that the sides are closed and the top is still open.
Pour 60ml of the cider into the top and then seal the top of the parcel folding it over twice, checking that all the sides are secure.
Place on a baking tray and cook in the oven for 20 minutes on 200ºC/400ºF/Gas mark 6.
Pull the tray out of the oven, and carefully cut a hole in the top to reveal your fish!
Serve on a plate and enjoy with the rest of your Oldfields Applefresco cider!
Click here to watch on youtube. Alternatively, click here to have a look at other recipes by The Fuss Free Foodie involving ciders from our members!
It’s exciting times at Dunkertons Organic cider as they celebrate new international award wins and a complete packaging refresh, just in time for what is hopefully a glorious British Summer.
Dunkertons began in 1980 with the pioneering spirit and vision of their founders, Ivor & Susie Dunkerton. Their vision was to craft organic ciders in harmony with the environment to support the natural eco-system and were the first UK cidery to be certified organic as a grower & producer with the Soil Association. They only use whole pressed organic apples or pears and mature their ciders in single VATs similar to winemaking, for over 12 months, resulting in all their ciders or perry containing over 90% juice. Their ciders and perry are world renowned for their famous ‘deep flavour’.
Lee Holdstock, Trade Relations Manager for the Soil Association commented, “It’s been a pleasure certifying Dunkertons for over 20 years, and it’s great to see them facing the future with the same pioneering spirit that has shaped everything they do. By growing organically for so long, without chemical pesticides or herbicides, the orchards that provide Dunkertons’ apples will have been contributing to better soil health, cleaner air and higher levels of insect life. In fact, organic farms have 50% more wildlife than non-organic. Shoppers are increasingly interested in where their drinks come from, both in terms of the provenance of the cider and terroir. On both these counts, organic production delivers high quality ciders for drinkers to enjoy, just as Dunkerton’s has been doing for over two decades.”
The new packaging includes embossed labels, tactile inks, gold foils and the addition of neck labels plus the addition of new cyclops tasting notes and food pairing on the back labels. Dunkertons are confident the new presentation of their premium organic ciders and perry will genuinely appeal to today’s discerning cider drinkers.
Dunkertons are also launching a new deep flavoured 5% ABV Craft cider in a 500ml bottle and a 330ml can which is the first in the can format for the cider company. The organic Craft cider was developed over a few years to ensure the ‘deep flavour’ was captured and they are confident that the new format and lower ABV will make Dunkertons even more appealing to a wider range of discerning cider drinkers.
Continuing their pioneering spirit Dunkertons are also going to be the first cider company to include a scale for sweetness, acidity and tannins on their packaging, all of which help deliver the flavour of the cider. Most ciders just distinguish between sweet and dry but this doesn’t give the drinker a full understanding of the complex flavours within each cider. Dunkertons have also included a food pairing for each cider to drive awareness of cider as a great accompaniment with food.
The packaging launch follows on from a triumphant start to the year for Dunkertons with Black Fox winning Gold for Best in Class and second place in the Traditional Dry Cider category, with Organic Dry and Organic Perry winning bronze at the 2019 Great Lakes International Cider & Perry Competition (GLINTCAP). Meanwhile in the International Cider Challenge 2019 Breakwell Seedling won a gold medal.
Co-owner Julian Dunkerton commented, “2019 will be another milestone in the history of Dunkertons Organic Cider Company. Our organic ciders and perry have a very strong following but we knew the brand presentation required a complete refresh and that we needed a lower ABV cider in the range to appeal to a wider range of today’s discerning cider drinkers. The new packaging looks fantastic and each label reflects the individual characteristics of the deep flavour that all our ciders are renowned for. Launching these straight off the back of our award wins sees us entering another exciting chapter in the Dunkertons story”.
Thatchers Cider has introduced new, lighter weight cans for its cider, meaning the Somerset cidermaker is saving the equivalent of 5.9 million empty cans a year.
The latest in a string of sustainability initiatives being implemented by Thatchers, this change will see around 70 tons of aluminium saved each year, thanks to switching to Ardagh Group’s lighter weight beverage cans. Thatchers Cider expects to save approximately 381 tons CO2 in 2019 by using only the lighter weight can.
Thatchers was the first cidermaker to ditch plastic ring carriers on its four-pack of cans, introducing instead recyclable board outers.
Martin Thatcher, fourth generation cidermaker says, “We’re looking at many different ways of reducing our impact on the environment. As well as running a business, we are all, as individuals, passionate about cutting waste and doing our bit to bring about change. Lightweighting our cans means less energy used across the packaging process.
“We’re producing around 100 million cans a year at Myrtle Farm, so this initiative will make a big impact.
“Investing in sustainability is one of our key priorities. However, it’s equally important to retain quality, ensuring that the durability of the new lighter cans is not affected. So the Ardagh Group worked hard to get the weight exactly right.” continues Martin.
Thatchers produces its family favourites range of ciders in cans – namely Thatchers Gold, Haze and Rosé. Throughout the cider market cans continue to be hugely important, driving market growth with a 52.5% share (Total Cider & Perry volume IRi 52w/e 2nd March 2019). Thatchers flagship cider, Thatchers Gold, is the number 2 canned apple cider in the UK, and is enjoying continued growth in shopper numbers.
Martin continues, “We’re working towards eliminating all plastic from our consumer packaging for cans and bottles. Removing plastic ring carriers is the first of what we hope will be a number of industry-leading initiatives in this area. We’re continuing to invest in sustainability throughout all stages of the cidermaking process, from development of our new energy efficient warehouse and mill at Myrtle Farm, through to ambitious plans to reduce to zero, waste sent to landfill from the cidermaking process.”
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