Somerset Cider & Apple Juice PPLE ORCHARDS ARE A VITAL part of the Somerset Cider Makers Somerset landscape and this map 11 West Croft Cider 17 Torre Cider Somerset will help you to discover the main John Harris — West Croft Farm, Jill Gillman — Torre Farm, Washford, Shepton Mallet Perry’s Cider Mills Brent Knoll, Highbridge, TA9 4BE. Watchet, TA23 0LA. Apple Juice 1 Cider Mill 4 farmhouse cider and apple juice Tel: 01278 760762/760259 Tel: 01984 640004 Perry Family email: [email protected] email: [email protected] Kilver St, Shepton Mallet, BA4 5ND. pAroducers who rely on those orchards. Half Dowlish Wake, Ilminster, TA19 0NY. website: www.somersetcidervinegarco.co.uk Cider on tap or bottled: Farmhouse, Medium, Dry and Sweet, Tel: 01749 334000 Charlton Tel: 01460 55195 John Harris has been making cider since 1992. He sells Janet’s Sheep Stagger & Tornado. Not just cider, but Gloucester Old website: www.sheptoncider.co.uk the fun of exploring a region is the 1 website: www.perryscider.co.uk Jungle Juice, Dry, Medium and Morgan Sweet and has won Spot Pigs and pygmy goats. Large shop selling truckles of Orchards The Shepton Mallet cider mill journey to the farm. Some working farms Cheddar cheese & Somerset Camembert, country wines, Housed in a sixteenth many awards. The Somerset Cider Vinegar Company makes Sally Bail/Duncan Small in Somerset is the most century thatched barn traditionally fermented cider vinegar (unpasteurised and Exmoor honey, jams, pickles, jellies and mustard. Apple efficient and modern cider mill this traditional and are large concerns, others small, but containing 'mother') from 100% juice at West Croft Farm. juice a blend of Cox, Bramley and Russet. Creech St Michael, Taunton, TA3 5PF. Tel: 01823 412959 in the world pressing over picturesque cider farm Open: Daily March-October 10am-5pm, November-February each has its own local distinctiveness. Open: 10am-7pm closed Wednesday, Christmas, Boxing Day, email: [email protected] 40,000 tons of locally sourced has been in business New Year and Sunday afternoons in winter. A large Wassail 10am-4pm. apples to produce over 30 since 1920, although takes place on the third Saturday after Xmas. website: www.charltonorchards.com million gallons of cider every cider has always been Many of the cider farms are now geared up 45 acres of orchard, 35 different varieties of apple, year. The senior team at the mill made in the ancient 18 Bennett’s Cider apple juice, plums, damsons, pears, soft fruit, pumpkins have over a hundred years of barn. The apples used for visitors and you will always be able to Barrington Court Viv Bennett — Chestnut Farm, Edithmead, and squash plus jams and chutneys. Fruit trees and cider making experience in cider making are from their own orchards and local 12 Burnham on Sea, TA9 4HB. bushes also available. Also orchard visits and short between them and although the farms. The art of craft cider making is still very much alive sample the produce. Almost all are open to the Cider Tel: 01278 785376 courses, tastings, talks and open days. mill uses the latest technology, and cider is stored in wooden barrels. Their cider has won public but some require you to phone first. Rachel Brewer — Barrington Court, Barrington, the traditional principles of many awards over the years and the ciders now produced near Ilminster, TA19 0NQ. Like his father Viv has won a whole string of prizes at the Open: Monday-Friday 9am-5pm, Saturday 10am-5pm. Bath and West as well as at the Devon County Show. This is a cider making are the same today are of the highest quality, with a wide choice of draught Tel: 01460 241938 Saturday opening September to February only. There are plenty more smaller cider makers out M e n d i p working farm. Viv’s father Tom won over 150 prize cards in 15 as they have always been. The ciders and speciality bottled ciders including a large range email: [email protected] result is a range of well known of Single Variety Ciders. Apple juice. Free entry to the years. Viv thinks he has now caught him up… there, but you will have to hunt around for them, web: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/barrington-court North Perrott and well loved cider brands cider mills which houses a large collection of old farm H i l l s Open: Monday-Saturday 10am-5pm, Sunday 10am-4pm produced to the highest wagons, machinery, tools plus a Rural Life Museum. Cider which also adds to the fun... Barrington Court has been making award-winning ciders summer, Sunday 10am-1pm winter. 2 Fruit Farm standards that the team at the mill can be sampled in the large Cider/Farm shop & Tea and apple juices since 2006, reviving the estate’s historical are justifiably very proud of. Room/Eatery which sells a wide variety of tradition. This picturesque National Trust property has 10 Jonathan Hoskyns — North Perrott Fruit Farm, Familiar ciders produced include Blackthorn, Gaymers, local foods, drinks, gifts and ciders. acres of traditional Somerset orchards consisting of over 100 19 Gold Rush Cider North Perrott, Crewkerne, TA18 7SS. different varieties of apple. Cider is made from hand-picked Olde English, Addlestones, Natch and K. Open: Weekdays 9am-5.30pm, Jim Lockyer and Chris Smoldon— Woodpecker Lodge, Tel & Fax: 01460 77090 apples, and pressed on a traditional 200-year-old cider Visits of the mill can sometimes be accommodated by Saturday/Bank Holidays email: [email protected] press. Their prize winning Dry and Medium farmhouse cider Bere, Aller, Langport, TA10 0QX. special arrangement, please call during office hours. 9.30am-4.30pm, Sunday 10am- website: www.parrettbrand.co.uk along with their apple juices are available to buy in the Tel: 07934 424797 and 01458 250166 1pm all year. www.facebook.com/farmshop restaurant and gift shop. There are also the Tudor manor email: [email protected] house and beautiful gardens to explore, along with a small website: www.sites.google.com/site/goldrushcider Family run fruit farm with farm shop, garden centre and Burrow Hill Sheppy’s E x m o o r cider exhibition detailing their cider story. We have been making cider with the family at our farm since coffee shop. Their own apples, plums and pears are 2 Open: March-October 11am-5pm daily, winter open 1988 and it is now sold as a guest cider in local pubs and can available in season and they make 30 varieties of Cider 5 Cider Ltd weekends. be bought direct from the farm. We welcome visitors and apple and pear juices under their Parrett Brand N a t i o n a l Cleeve • logo. The farm shop stocks a large range of local and Julian Temperley Abbey they will be able to give our cider a good try before they buy. David and Louisa Sheppy artisan products. Pass Vale Farm, Burrow Hill, Kingsbury Episcopi, Three Bridges, Bradford-on-Tone, Open: seven days a week, 9am-7pm. Pa r k Orchard Pig Ltd Open: seven days, 9am-5.30pm, 4.30pm Sunday. Martock, TA12 5BU. Taunton, TA4 1ER. 13 Tel: 01460 240782 Fax: 01460 249220 Give us an oink, or trot us a line Tel: 01823 461233 Fax: 01823 461712 West Bradley Orchards, West Bradley, 20 Pennard Cider email: [email protected] email: [email protected] Q u a n t o c k Quality English website: www.ciderbrandy.co.uk B r e n d o n Nr Glastonbury, BA6 8LT. Hugh Tripp — Avalon Vineyard, The Drove, website: www.sheppyscider.com Tel: 01458 851222 East Pennard, Shepton Mallet, BA4 6UA. 3 Apple Juice Burrow Hill has been a cider farm for 150 years and Sheppy’s Cider Ltd H i l l s H i l l s Tel: 01749 860393 Julian Temperley has been running it for the last 40 years. email: [email protected] Keith Goverd — The Bailiff’s Cottage, The Green, @SheppysCider email: [email protected] In 1984 he won website: www.orchardpig.co.uk Compton Dando, Pensford, Bristol, BS39 4LE. The Sheppy family runs a traditional cider website: www.pennardorganicwines.co.uk the ‘triple crown’, The Orchard Pig Tel: 01761 490624 m: 07770 937437 winning cider farm, with over 200 years of cider making @OrchardPig pennardorganicwines experience, producing a wide range of high email: [email protected] competitions in Somerset Ciders & Orchard Drinks - With Roots! It all started Proper scrumpy cider pressed by hand in straw cheese. All on quality draught and bottled ciders. Many of website: www.englishapplejuice.com Hereford, Devon in 2004, when founders Andrew & Neil were enjoying their draught, dry, medium or sweet. They also make organic Sheppy’s ciders have been winners of and Somerset. home made cider & hog roast with friends… No Porkies… mead, loads of fruit wines, stunning liqueurs, English grape Over 100 different varieties of English Apple Juice, prestigious awards over the years, and their range The cider is Orchard Pig was born out of a shared passion for great food wine and organic apple juice. cider, cider vinegar, perry and plum, pear, raspberry, includes Oak Matured Vintage, a range of single pressed from 40 and Old Spots, the original Orchard Pigs, and an accidental blackcurrant, cherry and gooseberry juice. Consultancy variety ciders, Gold Medal, traditional scrumpy and Open: 10am-6pm daily, all year round. different • discovery that home-grown apples make the best tasting work for orchards, apple juice and cider production. Muchelney Individual and group tutoring can be arranged. varieties of cider Abbey cider – A simple pleasure, best shared! Now that’s something apple and the to Snout about! Although life in our orchards is pressing for 21 The Tricky Cider Open: please phone first. Apple juice available at Bath farm owns 150 acres of orchard. Apart from traditional apples, we know good cider is a craft and takes time to farmers market. farmhouse cider, Julian makes two exceptional bottle mature! Company fermented sparkling ciders. The cider is matured on its Open: shop open for juices any time, Cider Monday- Steve Watkins and Alistair Brice — The Bakery, yeast for a year and then disgorged by freezing the ends of Friday 9am-5pm. Honiton Road, Churchinford, Taunton, TA3 7RF. Bradleys the bottles. This so called ‘Champagne Method’ was Tel: 01823 602782 4 Juice pioneered in Hereford in 1632 by Lord Scudamore before email: [email protected] the Civil War and had reached Montacute House in many more. Fifty-five acres of bush and traditional Miles Bradley — Box Bush Farm, Box Bush Lane, Wilkins Farmhouse website: www.trickycider.com Somerset by 1664, long before the French even claim to orchards are available for the public to walk in, including B l a c k d o w n Near Hewish, Somerset, BS24 6UA. areas for picnics and a children’s playground. Visitors can 14 have invented the method. Old cider house, huge vats, Cider Award winning traditional cider from the Blackdown Hills, Tel: 01934 822356 barrels, farm animals. Single Variety Bottle Fermented enjoy an excellent rural life museum and DVD of the also available in bottles. Sheppy’s cider maker’s year. Samples can be tasted in the H i l l s Roger Wilkins — Land's End Farm, email: [email protected] Sparkling Cider: Kingston Black and Stoke Red. Dry and Mudgley, Wedmore, BS28 4TU. Open: by appointment only. website: www.bradleysjuice.co.uk Medium Farmhouse Ciders & Cider Vinegar, Apple farm shop where cider and local produce can be bought. Cider Makers Tel: 01934 712385 www.facebook.com/BradleysJuice Juice: Russet, Cox and Bramley. Licensed tea rooms. All buildings and public areas suitable Scale: for disabled. Apple Juice Producers website: www.wilkinscider.com @BradleysJuice Open: Monday-Saturday 9am-5.30pm all year, closed 22 Ashill Cider Roger’s grandfather started the cider business in 1917. Sundays. Orchard trail & toilets. Open: Monday-Saturday 8.30am-6pm all year, Sunday M A House — Ashill Farm, Ashill, Ilminster, TA19 9NE. We specialise in producing single variety apple juice using (July and August only) 10am-4pm. 0 1 2 3 4 5 miles 10 miles Tourist Information Centre Roger took over when his grandfather died in 1969. A rare only the very best hand picked apples. Our juice is made insight into Somerset’s ciderhouse culture. There are chairs Tel: 01823 480513 email: [email protected] in small batches and pressed using traditional methods of and newspapers to pass the time of day. The free taster is production - taste the freshness of apple in a bottle. The Somerset always half a pint … good clean cider - just Dry, Medium and We pride ourselves on a full strength, full bodied traditional Thatchers Cider Parson’s Choice Open: by appointment only, please phone first. Juice is HE PHILOSOPHY of Hecks Traditional Sweet Farmhouse Cider. Roger also sells cheddar cheese. farmhouse cider produced from local apples. 3 Distillery 6 Rich’s Farmhouse 8 9 available at Somerset Farmers Markets. Company Ltd traditional farmhouse Farmhouse Cider Cider Open: Monday-Saturday 10am-8pm, Sunday Communion Open: Monday-Saturday 9.00am-6.00pm and Sunday Pass Vale Farm, Burrow Hill, 7 Cider Martin Thatcher cider making owes its Chris and Andrew Hecks Jeanette and Phil Dolding 10am-1pm, Sermon optional... 10.00am-5.00pm. Kingsbury Episcopi, Martock, TA12 5BU. Myrtle Farm, Sandford, BS25 5RA. Family run 9-11 Middle Leigh, Street, BA16 0LB. Parsonage Farm, West Lyng, Taunton, TA3 5AP. Tel: 01460 240782 Fax: 01460 249220 origin not just to the 25 Tel: 01934 822862 Mill Farm, Watchfield, Nr. Highbridge, TA9 4RD. Tel: 01458 442367 Tel: 01823 490978 23 Worley’s Cider email: [email protected] Tel: 01278 783651 Fax: 01278 786651 moTnasteries but to the generations of email: [email protected] Honey Pot Farm Neil Worley — 55 Dean, email: [email protected] email: [email protected] website: www.ciderbrandy.co.uk website: www.thatcherscider.co.uk Restaurant tel: 01278 794537 small farmers who have over the website: www.hecksfarmhousecider.co.uk website: www.parsonschoicecider.co.uk Cider & Apple Juice Shepton Mallet, BA4 4SA. Somerset Cider Brandy evokes all the thatcherscidercompany Legbender Cider Shop tel: 01934 744127 The Hecks family has been making cider for six generations, Parson’s Choice is a traditional Somerset Farmhouse Cider Colin & Julie Comben — Honey Pot Farm, Tel: 01749 880016 and 07855 951718 magic and mystery of the West Country. centuries excelled at using the very @thatchers_cider website: www.richscider.co.uk since 1840. The award winning farmhouse cider is fermented made on the Somerset Levels with pure cider apple juice Fosse Way, Yeabridge, South Petherton, TA13 5LW. email: [email protected] Over the years The Somerset Cider Brandy Cider has been produced at Rich’s Cider Farm at Watchfield best cider apples from their own in wooden barrels and sold draught from the wood. They have from their own orchards. There is also a small farm shop Tel: 07971 656440 website: www.worleyscider.co.uk Co has singlehandedly masterminded Out of a Somerset farming family has emerged one of the for three generations. There have been many changes since orchards and surrounding villages. which sells apple juice, cider vinegar, jams, chutneys, email: [email protected] worleyscider the revival of Somerset’s monastic country’s most distinctive craft cider-makers. Formed in specialised in draft and bottled Single Variety Ciders and 15 Gordon Rich started pressing cider apples at Mill Farm, tankards and gift baskets. Oak barrels, plants in season. Wilcox Cider @worleyscider distilling traditions. Today their old 1904, Thatchers Cider has grown from local farmhouse Apples that they have themselves had Perry and at least a dozen different varieties of apple web site in progress, ready late Spring 2013. although essentially the production of the juice is still Compost & veg. The Cider Shop, The Bays, Cheddar, BS27 3QW. French pre-war stills, Josephine & producer, to a family-led company widely respected not juice. Their shop also sells fruit and veg, local cheddar Honey Pot Farm Cider & Apple Juice is produced on our Renowned for their passion and dedication, Worley's traditional. One of their oak vats holds 10,000 gallons of a hand in selecting, grafting and even Tel: 01934 740005 Fifi, produce copious quantities of only for its expertise in cider-making, but for cheese, chutneys, pickles, jams, marmalades, cider mugs Open: 9am-6pm Monday-Saturday, Sunday 9am-5pm all year. 5½ acre holding. We produce 4500 litres of Cider per year as Cider combine a traditional fruit-focused approach with cider. They are a family run business offering a range of email: [email protected] apple spirit which is matured in oak its beautiful orchards, its commitment to naming. Orchards, soil and climate and cider jars. sustainably as possible, integrated with our sheep and other modern techniques. Their popular ciders range from farmhouse ciders, farm pressed apple juice, local barrels in a special spirit bond. sustainability, and its firm belief in all that is website: www.wilcoxcider.com animals which graze our orchards and feed on the pomace. easy-drinking farmhouse varieties to refined, lightly cheeses, chutneys, jams and crafts. Also on the farm is the are therefore vital ingredients and Open: Summer 9am-5.30pm weekdays and Saturday, Internationally acclaimed, the great about Somerset cider. From its century- Bridge Farm Traditional cider making in the heart of the Mendips with our We also keep bees to pollinate. sparkling bottles, full of fruity flavour. Cider Press Sunday 10am-12.30pm. Winter 9am-5pm weekdays and 10 Cider Brandy can be bought as 20, old oak vats to recipes that have been passed farmhouse cider became distinctive shop at the bottom of Cheddar Gorge. We also take our cider Restaurant Saturday, Sunday 10am-12.30pm. Group tours welcome. Cider Open: Fridays March-December 11am-5pm (other times by Open: Monday-Saturday 9am-6pm, Sunday 11am-2pm. 15, 10, 5 or 3 Year old, all bottled at down over the generations, Thatchers sticks in the same way that wine from around the South West doing a number of shows where we serving Coaches welcome by appointment. Nigel Stewart appointment). Please call ahead to make sure we're around. 42% abv. Added to this is the highly to what it knows to be right. Thatchers’ are known as ‘arts cider shack’. breakfasts, certain vineyards in France has Bridge Farm, East Chinnock, Yeovil, BA22 9EA. successful Kingston Black Aperitif master cider-makers craft a complete Open: summer 10am-5.30pm 7 days a week, winter 10am- lunches and at 18% and the clear but delicious range of bottled and draught ciders, from become famous. Tel: 01935 862387 5pm Thursday-Sunday. 24 26 clotted cream Lawrence’s Cider Ermie & Gertie’s Eau de vie at 40%. Recently, the fresh, vibrant and modern, to traditional, email: [email protected] teas and a The cider makers of Somerset are John Lawrence — Ridge View, Corton Denham, Ian & Mandy Sinclair — Pitney House, Pitney, Somerset Cider Brandy company won a PGI (Protected vintage and speciality, including: website: www.bridgefarmcider.co.uk museum Nr Sherborne, DT9 4LS. Langport, TA10 9AR. Geographical Indication) making them the only legal Thatchers Gold, Katy, Thatchers Rosé, marketing not just a fine drink, but a www.facebook.com/bridgefarmcider 16 Crossman’s Prime Vintage, Cox’s, Green Goblin, Pear, featuring Tel: 01963 220650 Tel: 01458 252308 distillers of Cider Brandy in Europe. The two copper stills landscape and a distinct locality Bridge Farm has been making award winning artisan cider Heritage, Traditional and Cheddar Valley. vintage cider Farmhouse Cider email: [email protected] email: [email protected] are on display at the farm. Conducted tours by for over 25 years. All the fruit is home grown or harvested Thatchers’ cider shop is open all year round. equipment. where the role of the individual craft Ben Crossman — Mayfield Farm, Hewish, website: www.ermieandgertie.com arrangement. All products available by mail order, credit locally and pressed on the farm. We produce range of fine website: www.lawrencescider.co.uk Visitors can also walk or cycle along the You can also visit their Legbender Cider Shop in Cheddar Weston super Mare, BS24 6RQ. card hotline or website. cider maker is paramount. Cider ciders, traditional still or sparkling, Pear Cider/Perry and Lawrence’s has been making traditional cider since 2003. Ermie & Gertie's make traditional cider using only Strawberry Line, a popular cycle path which Gorge, next door the famous Cheddar Gorge Cheese Co where made from pure cider apple juice, five year old Cider Brandy. The traditional still farmhouse Tel: 01934 833174 Mbl: 07770 531621 Apples are harvested by hand to ensure only the best fruit is locally grown apples. The cider is allowed to ferment Open: Monday-Saturday 9am-5.30pm all year, closed runs through several of Thatchers’ you can watch Cheddar Cheese being made and sample the cider is available from oak barrels in the farm shop. Bridge Good clean traditional farmhouse cider served from oak used. All the fruit comes from local Somerset orchards, naturally, finished in oak whisky barrels and is available Sundays. Orchard trail & toilets. orchards. range of Rich’s Ciders. pressed and matured in oak barrels Farm also presses between 8 and 10 single variety apple barrels. Dry, Medium and Sweet. Working farm with farm including my own trees, the Cider is then matured in Oak in bottles and bag-in-box. Ermie & Gertie's also make Disabled access varies. Most outlets Open: Monday-Saturday 9.00am-6.00 pm, Open: visit www.richscider.co.uk for opening times. on the farm is the true juices ranging from a sweet Egremont Russet to a delicious shop selling seasonal produce ie cheese, sausages, bacon, barrels, the influence of the Oak on Cider creates a stronger, traditional apple juice, dairy ice cream made with ; are working farms. If in doubt, please Sunday and Bank Holidays 10.00am-1.00pm. Spirit of Somerset. crisp Brown’s Apple juice. free range eggs, vegetables, potatoes, etc. deeper flavour. Guernsey milk and double cream, and fresh fruit sorbets. telephone the cider maker first. Open: seven days a week Monday-Saturday 9am-6pm, Open: Monday-Saturday 9am-6pm, Sunday 10am-1pm, open Open: seven days a week 9am-5pm. Open: by prior arrangement only so please telephone or please phone for Sunday hours. all year. email in advance of your visit. January: Wassail…Usually Jan 5th, the jus t before July-August: Grass has to be mowed Christmas. Some The Apple eve of Twelfth Night, but some stick to the old blossom time. by sheep or machines and the crop slowly comes cider farms work 1643 First cider tax imposed Great care in to fruition. Another magical time of year when round the clock Historical by The Long Parliament: 1/3d Terms used in Booklist about in Antiquity Notes and every hogshead. selection and you can see how the apples are forming. pressing apples the Cider Trade apples, cider and Myth propagation Eating apples start to come on stream, the whilst they are in Juicy Quotes 1652 Samuel Hartlib publishes “A design for Plentie Apple engine: in the old days a horse used to Apples travelled to Europe from the needed. One of earliest being Beauty of Bath and Discovery. prime condition. relating to the by the Universal walk round a solid granite trough to crush the apple. Then and orchards Tien Shan mountains in Kazakhstan the well known Working all day on a planting of fruite ingenios were Somerset Cider - Phillipa Legg & Hilary Binding history of trees.” invented with in Central Asia, where they still grafters in September: The main press is hard work, Cider & men turning Cider the Forgotten Miracle - James Crowden 1653 “A treatise of wheels and cogs, occur in wild forests today near Somerset was month for eating apples which making cheeses, 1777 Bath & West of England Ciderland - James Crowden Somerset. Fruit Trees and and the apple Alma Ata. called Punch are either sold directly to the taking them down and then tipping out the Society founded. By 1780 they A Somers et Pomona - Liz Copas the Spiritual use was crushed begin to publish letters and In 300BC the Greeks noted the Garland of North public or stored ready for the pomace, which is often fed to sheep, cattle and of an Orchard” between wooden 21st century Cider Apples - Liz Copas 1230 First listings of cider papers some of which refer to teeth or granite publishedy b Guide to the origins of Somerset’s Apples - June Small difference between wild crab apples Wootton. They had special curved knives for lean months. The first bite of pigs. Farms are forever pumping apple juice and presses as a source of income cider. rollers. Now high and domestic apples. In Greek myth grafting to make the cut to insert certain varieties is one of checking on the fermentation of vats. Barrels in a Royal Charter granted to Ralph Austen. speed mills do Somerset Cider Handbook - Alan Stone 1808 Bath & West offer prizes Hercules stole magic apples from the Jocelin Bishop of Bath. 1660 Restoration. the job fed by an In Search of Cider - Alan Stone calendar and prefer Jan 17th. Shotguns, mulled the scion into the root stock. the great pleasures of life. start to overflow. of 20 guineas for producing 3 Cider taxes raised to 2/6d per elevator. garden of Hesperides, the apple tree cider, wassail songs, wassail mugs, boys and Apple picking is at its peak, the 1265 Bishop Winchester's superior hogsheads of cider. Cider's Story Rough and Smooth - Mark Foot guarded by Ladon the serpent that Bailiff purchases 129 apple hogshead. Charles II very Cheese: toast in trees. Offerings to the orchard spirits. May–June: Blossom packing sheds December: Last of the apples crushed keen on cider. The Common Ground Book of Orchards never slept. Then again where would and pear trees for an orchard 1820’s Rev Thomas Cornish refers to neat Trees beaten with sticks to wake the spirits up. Arguably one of the most beautiful working overtime. before they go rotten. First of the Morgan Sweet plants orchards and makes layered mounds Apple Games and Customs - Common Ground Troy, Paris, Aphrodite and Helen be at Rimpton Old Customs revived for fertility and prosperity. The comes on tap. A great feeling of having got the cider at Heathfield Rectory of chopped cider The Apple Sauce Book - Common Ground without the Golden Apple... Who’s 1310 First near Taunton. apple and straw Time for testing last year’s cider and blending. apple harvest in and pressed. The year is measured Apple engine – ingenio Orchards - Local Distinctiveness - Common Ground the fairest of them all? recorded case which is built in Some songs are original and continuous. A slice in thousands of gallons. Some of the oak vats of mulling 1830 Cider taxes lifted situ within the press. Now cheese cloths are used, first Community Orchards Handbo ok - Common Ground For the Romans Pomona was the horsehair then hessian, now nylon. In large farms the of the past. hold 10,000 gallons or more. Winter Solstice. spices being 1840 Rev Cornish’s cider goes Craft Cider Making - Andrew Lea Goddess and Spirit of the Orchards. Orcharding purchased for cheeses are built on small trolleys and wheeled in, pressed times in the orchard. The whole Christmas and mistletoe. Time for a well earned to Queen Victoria, Lord Rivers, and then out. They weigh about a ton. Naked Guide to Cider - James Russell Her garden was her passion and her a heavy duty William Cave ndish at The Man Made Eden - James Russell love… In the1st Century AD Pliny February:Pruning and propping up success of the year’s crop depends rest and a pagan feast. Cider brandy vicar? session at Carlton Club, the Duke of Cider: or cyder, syser, siser, sidera, cidre (French), trees. Essential tasks if the orchard is to survive on the weather when the blossom October– Glastonbury Bedford and the Bishop of sicera (Latin), sikera (Greek), shekar (Hebrew) refers to Cider - Camra - photography Mark Bolton mentioned 20 different varieties of Abbey. strong drink made from fermented apple juice. winter storms. Pruning is vital and can double sets. There are three nights in May Cider apple Bath & Wells. Also see: www.ukcider.co.uk apple. And Virgil mentions pruning YearNovember: Brother Robert the yields if done well. Letting the light in is half around the 21st called Frankan nights when harvest in full swin g either with manual pickers 1894 Cider Brandy: refers to the distilled liquor of and grafting in the Georgics. The Cider Health Quote: of Lydeard cider aged in oak. The word brandy comes from the Dutch or with machine picking. Tree shaking and great buys 3 pounds Robert Neville Romans also b rought their own apples the secret and allowing good branches to frost can severely harm the autumn’s crop. “Cider, generous, strong, sufficiently heady, meaning burnt wine. to Britain, some of which may well mature and spread without over crowding. Sometimes only one or two varieties suffer. trailer loads of apples on the move. Farmyards of ginger, Grenville and excites and cleanses the stomach, strengthens honey, cloves, mace and rock 1664 First account of bottle chemist Ciderkin: small cider made from the second have stayed. stock piled with hundreds of tons. The the digestion and infallibly frees the kidney sugar. fermented 'champagne' cider FJ Lloyd begin pressing. Often drunk at harvest and less potent for those By 800 AD the apple was so popular in March: Planting. Many orchards have wonderful smell is out of this world. Cider and bladder from breed ing the gravel stone…” in Somerset by Mr Phellips of ten years of wielding a scythe. 1334 Glastonbury Abbey research into so Europe that Charlemagne ordered fruit been grubbed out in the name of progress or making From John Evelyn’s Montacute. In Somersetshire, old term used for real cyder, of wine strength Pomona — Royal Society 1664 gardener Thomas of shewed me a very fair large called Cyder: trees to be planted in every town in his been submerged in suburban tarmac and starts in Keynsham sells 2 bushels of ie 8-12% not the gassy liquid made from fermented apple Red-strake Apple... Dr Beale of ‘champagne’ concentrate, water and glucose syrup. kingdom. planning proposals. The new wave of planting earnest to apples and 3 tuns of cider. (A Yeovil produce ‘Aphorisms of ciders at tun is the equivalent of 2 pipes Cider Links has been very successful and many old varieties keep ahead Cider’ in John Evelyn’s Butleigh Court. Cyder Royal: “Distill one hogshead of cyder and or 4 hogsheads). Pomona. add the spirit to another. Spice with coriander seed in a BRISTOL CIDER SHOP - Specialist shop stocking over 100 have been brought back from extinction. There of the crop. 18 gallons 1903 National muslin bag and if an aide to digestion was needed add varieties of local artisan cider and perry. Kilderkin 1406 Cider quoted by are three distinct types of orchard, standard, The first Barrel 36 gallons 1669 Publication of “Sir Fruit and Cider wormwood.” Richard Haines in 1684. Tel: 0117 3821679 www.bristolcidershop.co.uk 54 gallons Chaucer: “This Samson no Kenelm Digby’s Closet Institute Weights & Hogshead CAMRA - National organisation for real cider - very half standard and bush. Each has different variety that 84 gallons cider drank, no wine”. Opened”. Many recipres fo founded at Long Ashton Cyser: cider strengthened with honey before Puncheon fermentation. Common in medieval times. Also refers to informative. Tel: 01727 867201 www.camra.org.uk is made is Measures 108 gallons spacing and cropping characteristics. 4 pecks or 8 gallons Butt 1533 Richard Harris, fruiterer apple drinks. outside Bristol. apple flavoured mead. Bushel 110-120 gallons COMMON GROUND - ‘Apple Day’ info etc. Morgan Port Pipe to Henry VIII “imports many Quart 2 pints www.england-in-particular.info Tun 2 pipes or 220-240 gallons apple, pear and cherrie graftes Firkin: small wooden barrel carried into the fields by Grafting is essential and is the only Sweet. This Firkin 2 Quarts April: Vat up to 10,000 gallons from France and the Lowe farm labourers, holds half a gallon of cider. Also called a FARMING AND WILDLIFE ADVISORY GROUP SOUTH WEST - Gallon 8 pints or 4 quarts way to propagate successful cider trees on Bees are essential for propagation of pollen, should be costrel. Day orchard courses and advice on small grants for orchard 6 gallons Countries,” lays down the first Six planting - Ann Langdon. Tel: 01823 355427 certain root stock. Best when the sap is rising many people put hives in orchards at this time. ready by large commercial orchard at young tree that has grown from a pip from Gribble: www.fwagsw.org.uk Teynham in Kent…“the Chiefe pomace thrown out at last year's pressing. mother of all other orchards Half-gallon cider firkin, also known as a costrel JOHN LEACH - Potter of Muchelney, for robust stoneware for those kindes of fruites.” ‘Jaisy’: old South Somerset term for apple now cider flagons in willow jackets and all manner of drinking and sells grafted trees to corrupted into Jersey as in Chisel Jersey. vessels, wassail mugs, jugs and c ups. Tel: 01458 250324. wealthy landowners… Keeving: a skilled method of making cider which K G CONSULTANTS - Specialists in cider and apple juice. allows some of the natural sweetness to remain. Somerset 1536-9 Dissolution of Tel: 01761 490624 email [email protected] monasteries, abbeys and Mulling: a way of using spices and sugar to make a ROYAL BATH & WEST SHOW - Orchard section. End of Cider Apple priories. Orchards, presses warm and heartening winter drink. Usually involves May/early June. Tel: 01749 822200 and stills come on the open cloves, mace, nutmeg and cinnamon in a muslin bag. www.bathandwest.co.uk Varieties Somerset... market. derived from Old English ortgeard. SOMERSET RURAL LIFE MUSEUM, Chilkwell St, Glastonbury Ashton Bitter, Ashton Orchard: BITTERSWEET: The heart of England’s West Country 1560 First recorded case of a - for old cider presses, machinery, artefacts and Brown Jersey, Broadleaf Somerset term used for the milled or pulped cider exhibitions. In 1976 twenty scarce Somerset cider apple still being left in a will. Robert Pomace: Jersey, Brown Snout, Somerset Cider…Cheddar Cheese… apple and also used for the layers of spent apple after it has Gibbes, otherwise known as trees were planted as a ‘gene bank’. Tel: 01458 831197. Bulmers Norman, Strawberries…Wortleberries... been pressed. Pomace is often fed to pigs, sheep and cows. Burrow Hill Early, Robert of Sherbourne, last They love it. Pectin is extracted for jam making. SOUTH WEST OF ENGLAND CIDER MAKERS ASSOCIATION Cadbury, Camelot, Just some of the local produce for which Somerset is famous. prior of Montac ute, leaves a SWECA Tel: 01749 334007 Chisel Jersey, Yarlington Mill Cider & 'lymbeck' or an alembic as 1676 Publication of “Vinetum 1911 Arthur Moore, Posset: a drink made with cyder, sugar, cream, eggs email: [email protected] Churchill, Coat Jersey, Dabinett, www.sweca.org.uk Farmers markets held throughout the county are an ideal way to sample and buy well as a 'stillatorie' to his Brittanicum” by John Worlidge. cidermaker for Spurways who and spices. Burrow Hill Early Dove, Early Red Jersey, Ellis Bitter, local food and drink, visit www.somersetfarmersmarkets.co.uk for more nephew Robert, a parson. had taken over from Rev. THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CIDER MAKERS is the Filibarrel, Hangdown, Harry Master’s 1696 “In most parts of Press: a device for pressing apples. There are beam Jersey, Improved Dove, 1580 First accounts of distinct Cornish, goes to make cider at presses, single thread wooden presses, double metal governing body of the cider and perry industry in the UK. information. Many Somerset pubs, restaurants, cafes and tea shops are proud to Sommersetshire it is very Norton Fitzwarren for an extra thread presses, capstan presses, hydraulic presses, belt Tel: 07761 874277 www.cideruk.com Improved Hangdown, Apple Juice actual apple varieties. The fruitful for orchards… plenty presses and centrifugal presses. Major, Michelin, use local produce. There are also several vineyards. note book of Sir John 1/- a week. This later becomes VIGO PRESSES www.vigopresses.co.uk Norton Bitters, of apples and peares...” the Taunton Cider Company. Trevelyan of Nettlecombe Celia Feinnes. Tel: 01404 892101 for all manner of pressing, bottling and Pennard Bitter, Red Visit www.visitsomerset.co.uk to find out more about accommodation, travel, filtering equipment. refers to Leather Coats (Royal 1916 Cider taxes re-imposed Dabinett Jersey, Royal Jersey, Silver 1708 “Cyder - A Poem” by Cup, Somers et Redstreak, local events, attractions and for the opening times of the Tourist Information Russetts) Red Star, Glass Dove A Guide to Orchards and John Phillips written and 1923 Cider taxes lifted again Other useful Links Stable Jersey, Apple, Essex Apple, Dorset Centres - The Information Experts. You will also find local information centres in published. www.ciderandperry.co.uk Stembridge Apple. Catsheads, permains 1976 Cider tax re-introduced Jersey, Tommy and pippins and costard www.england-in-particular.info Harry many of the market towns, see www.visitsomerset.co.uk for details. 1763 Cider tax increased by Dennis Healey...1500 Rodford, Cider Makers apples had been known since www.orchardmarketplace.org.uk Masters from 4/- to 10/- a hogshead by gallon exemption introduced. www.orchardnetwork.org.uk Tremlett’s Bitter, Jersey Twelfth Century. Vilberie, White Close Bath 0906 7112000 (50p per minute) Shepton Mallet 01749 345258 Lord Bute to help pay for the www.scrumpyandwestern.co.uk Somerset Pippin, White Jersey, Bristol 0906 7112191 (50p per minute) Somerset Visitor Centre 01934 750833 1626 Daniel Defoe writes that Seven Years War. General riots www.somerset.gov.uk search for orchards Redstreak Yarlington Mill. Cartgate 01935 829333 Street 01458 447384 Cy der is used as an anti- in Somerset, effigies burnt etc www.somersetcider.co.uk etc. as it gives Excise Men the www.ukcider.co.uk SHARP: Backwell Red, Brown’s Apple, scurvy agent at sea. Cider Ladies Finger, Crimson King, Fair Chard 01460 260051 Taunton 01823 336344 right to enter Maid of Taunton, Gin, Improved Kingston Dulverton National Park Centre 01398 323841 Wellington 01823 663379 homes for Black, Improved Dunster National Park Centre 01643 821835 Wells 01749 671770 inspection Lambrook without a Kingston Frome 01373 465757 Weston-super-Mare 01934 417117 Black Pippin, warrant. William Langworthy Dunkerton’s Glastonbury 01458 832954 Yeovil 01935 462781 Pitt the Elder ‘Hard at it’ — Creech St Michael, 5th October 1934 Neverblight, Late opposes the tax Somerset, Vallis Apple, Yeovil Minehead 01643 702624 and coins the Scratter: mill for cutting up apples whilst crushing Sour. 1987 First legal distilling takes phrase “An sometimes driven by a horse. place in Somerset for over 150 SWEET: Bell, Court Royal, Dunkerton’s Late, Honey Acknowledgments: Englishman's String, Improved Woodbine, Le Bret, Morgan Sweet, To the cider makers and apple juice producers who were the original inspiration for the map back in 2001. To those who helped with research years…Somerset Cider Scrumpy: cider made with apples th at have been home is his Redworthy, Slack-ma-girdle, Sweet Alford, Sweet Coppin, and sourcing pictures. David Walker of The Somerset Rura l Life Museum, Dr Robert Dunning, Phil Stone,Paul Chadwick, Nick Cork, Joy Williams Brandy Company formed. scrumped or stolen. A slightly derogatory term today when Sweet Pethyre, Taylor’s Sweet, Woodbine. and John Carter of Somerset County Council, The Somerset Local History Unit, The Somerset Record Office, Judith Crisp, Nell Barrington, castle”. compared to the high quality ciders. It is an unfiltered Paul Sander-Jackson, Common Ground, Julian Temperley, Bob Chaplin, Simon Russell, Alan Stone and H M Customs & Excise. 2003 Long Ashton formally cider produced with natural yeasts. BITTERSHARP: Cap of Liberty, 1766 Cider tax closed down Kingston Black, Lambrook Pippin, Photo Credits: Times International, Pauline Rook, Martin Woods SSDC, Newton Freeman, Liz Copas of Long Ashton reduced. Much Syllabub: a light frothy pudding made with cider, Lorna Doone, Porter’s Perfection, Research Station, The Somerset Rural Life Museum, Perry’s Cider, Chris Pearsall. 1632 Lord Scudamore rejoicing. Local landowner Sir cream and cider brandy. Sharpshooter, Stembridge Clusters, Compiled by James Crowden, www.james-crowden.co.uk Willian Pynsent leaves ‘Hard at it’ — Creech St Michael, 6th October 1934 Stoke Red, Yellow Redstreak. and Nell Barrington, www.barringtonassociates.co.uk Ambassador to Charles I Tundish: old type of funnel used for filling barrels. Designed by Andrew Crane, www.axisweb.org/artist/andrewcrane introduces the Redstreak William Pitt his estates near Buttery Door, DUAL PURPOSE: Printed by Remous, www.remous.com Curry Rivel. In return William sharp green juice from fresh crab apples Cider Health Quote: Congresbury Duty, Stoke Red and starts his Verjuice: Pitt commissions and cider apples, used in possets and syllabubs. Court de Wick, Hoary Morning, King’s experiments in “Constant use of this liquor...hath been orcharding and Capability Brown to found by long experience to avail much Favourite, Long Tom, Pig’s Snout, Wassail: The act of drinking a toast to the Cider God Po or Man’s Profit, Royal Somerset, bottled cider… design a tower known to health and long life; preserving the locally as the ‘Cider in the orchard, along with shotguns, songs and banging of Sheep’s Nose, Shoreditch Wine, Sops old pans. Wassail cups and bowls are much prized. Most Drinker's of it in their full strength and Monument’ at in Wine, Stubbard, Ten Commandments, celebrate this on Twelfth Night, 5th Jan but others still vigour even to very old age”. Tom Putt, Wear and Tear. Burto n Pynsent. choose the old New Year, 17th January. Tom Putt, Red John Worlidge 1676 Photographs and names of cider apples from Somerset Pomona A Cider Shoe for mulling by kind permission of Liz Copas © March 2013 - James Crowden & Somerset County Council. A new wassail mug by John Leach