Neil Macdonald

Both of our cider-making workshops were booked out, so we are planning another one on Thursday 27 September.

As this will be right in the middle of the dessert harvest, and at the start of the cider fruit harvest, it will give everyone the opportunity to press some juice, experiment with blending, and take the results home to await developments!

Participants so far have enjoyed the opportunity to taste a huge selection of West Country ciders.  Some of them have been from the major brands but most are from small local producers whom we know well.

The variation of flavours has been eye-opening, as have the things to watch out for that indicate an unfinished fermentation or oxidation, or worse!

We have been so pleased that people have brought along samples of their own brews to 

share.  All have been extremely interesting, and some downright entertaining!

On the one hand making cider couldn’t be simpler: press some apples into juice and wait.  But if you want to make a superior product there are one or two pointers we can offer that will really make a difference.

Neil Macdonald will be tutoring the workshop and there will be a guided tour of West Bradley Orchards and Orchard Pig’s pressing and bottling plant.  Lunch is also included.

The fee for the workshop will be £95.  To book please call us on 01458 851222 or 01458 850154.

Royal Bath and West Society Show

This year’s show was memorable for being the largest cider competition in the world, with 490 entries. Making a much admired appearance was celebrity chef Raymond Blanc,(seen here with Nick Bradstock from the NACM) who had all the cidermakers nodding appreciatively as he led the judging panel.

Everyone was delighted when pomologist Liz Copas, one of the

great apple identifiers in Somerset, a pioneer at Long Ashton Research Centre and a

gifted artist, was presented with the Bath & West Society’s Gold medal for a lifetime’s contribution to the world of cider production, by Professor Peter Gregory, chief executive of East Malling Research – the Kent home of the national apple collection.

The award came as a total surprise to Liz. “I was completely bowled over. I had no idea. It was a very well kept secret!”

Growers’ Day, on Friday 1 June, was well attended and packed with interesting presentations, including Emily Durrant talking about HONE, John Thatcher on

Orchards of the Future and an Open Meeting of Orchards South West as well as visits from MP Ian Liddell-Grainger and MEP Julie Girling.

Orchard Pig picked up a First prize for its sparkling Apple Rambler juice, one from the new drinks range from Orchard Pig.