Because of the problems of advancing age, lack of capital and unsuitability of premises, I decided to quit making cider in the Autumn of 2007. Instead Lambourn Valley Cider will continue, but only in order to make perry; most of which will be bottle-fermented.
However this does not spell the end of Berkshire cider. There are now three other craft cider makers in this part of the county, and we have decided to form an informal consortium under the name of WEST BERKSHIRE CIDER MAKERS. The other members are:
Ciderniks, Kintbury, Hungerford.
Proprietor: Nick Edwards.
Tel: 07885 296789.
E-mail: ciderman@ciderniks.com Website: www.ciderniks.com
Nick started cider making in 2003, using mainly local fruit growing in the Kintbury/Inkpen area, as well as importing some Yarlington Mill apples from Herefordshire. His Yellowleg cider takes its name from the old nickname for Inkpen clay workers.
Wyatt's Cider, Cold Ash, Thatcham.
Proprietor: Rick Wyatt.
Tel: 07775 711356.
E-mail: wyattscider@hotmail.co.uk
Rick made his first batch of cider in 2006, and it went down very well at Reading Beer and Cider Festival in May 2007. He is currently using fruit from some of the orchards to the east of Newbury formerly used by Lambourn Valley Cider, including the cider trees at Douai Abbey.
Tutts Clump Cider, Bradfield, Reading.
Proprietor: Tim Wale.
Tel: 0118 974 4069
Fax: 0118 974 4637
Mob: 07836 296996
E-mail: sales@tuttsclumpcider.co.uk Website: www.tuttsclumpcider.co.uk
Tim was introduced to the cider made by the monks of Douai Abbey in the 1960s, and was inspired to start making his own in 2006, using local cookers and eaters. Registered as a duty-exempt producer in early 2009, and is now selling his medium-dry, 6% cider on draught and in 500ml bottles.
A feature article which I wrote about West Berkshire Cider Makers appeared under this title in the Autumn 2009 edition of Beer, the quarterly supplement to CAMRA's What's Brewing, and is reproduced here courtesy of CAMRA.
Click here to read it in PDF format.