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How we do Things

The Apples

Cambridgeshire used to be a major fruit producing region until cheaper (and inferior) imports made it more economical to farm arable crops. We believe strongly in giving a renewed purpose to the remaining bio diverse rich orchards. We select the majority of our apples from heritage orchards which allows wild life to flourish. Orchards can contain up to 1,800 different species of flora and fauna.

We use a mix of culinary, dessert and cider apple and pear varieties. We then blend these to create great cider.

If you are an orchard owner and would like to work with us please get in touch.


Pick

All of our apples are hand picked, washed and graded to ensure only the best make it into our cider. Selected from heritage orchards, we often use heritage varieties which are not commercially viable helping protect them for future generations.


Crush

The apples then go though our Scratter which chops them up and releases the juices and starts the natural biochemical process which is cider making. This is the least tranquil part of the process, a bit noisy, but the smell is amazing! The pulp begins to take on the golden colour that will be seen in the final cider.


Squeeze

The apple pulp is then squashed by our press. Several tonnes of pressure is exerted which removes the juice and leave the pomace dry ready for the piggies to feast on! If you are a local livestock owner and want some pomace to supplement your feed during September to November please get in touch. The remainder is composted.


Ferment

The juice is then mixed with a cultured yeast, and sometimes not, and commences its long slow ferment. It is then blended and left to mature, it's only ready when it's ready. The blending of ciders made from different apples is where the cider makers true art lies. We then either bottle the cider or put in 5 gallon barrels for beer and cider festivals or 20 litre Bag in Boxes for pubs and parties. Our bottle products are often "bottle conditioned" which means that the fermentation continues in the bottle producing a lightly sparkling cider. This method is similar to how Champagne is made and there is evidence that we discovered it first before the French, they just called it something fancy!


Our Process