For this month’s case, we’ve picked 6 new ciders from small independent producers in the cider heartlands of Somerset. Some are from new producers (or at least new to us) and some are brand new ciders.
They are all accessible and somewhere between medium and medium-dry but they have quite different flavour profiles and a broad range of strengths, from 4.8% to 7%. They show the breadth and depth of talent amongst new producers in one of the oldest and most traditional cider counties in the world.
Crafty Nectar No.7 (5.1%) Shepton Mallet
Ed & James are nomadic cider makers, working in collaboration with award-winning producers from the South-West to make their range of crowd-sourced ciders. No. 7 is their most popular cider and is just on the dry side of medium, mellow and sparkling.
Hewletts Mill ‘Stone Broke’ (5.4%) Galhampton
Hewletts Mill is right in the heart of cider country and three very local apple varieties were chosen to make Stone Broke. Yarlington Mill, Harry Masters Jersey and Dabinett apples are blended to make a fresh, clean, cider with crisp apple flavour. This is the 2020 Vintage – one of their best years yet.
Kicking Goat Medium-Dry (4.8%) Chelwood
A new producer on the cider scene, James Pearce has already won a number of awards including Silver at the International Cider Challenge. His medium-dry is our favourite and is a blend of 17 freshly pressed cider apple varieties, grown on the family farm in North Somerset.
Rawlins Family Cider Medium (7%) Horton
Another new producer, Simon Rawlins is making some quality cider in South Somerset, and was named runner up in the Sandford Orchards Breakthrough Cider Maker Awards 2022. His medium is a full-bodied and full-flavoured classic West Country cider, weighing in at a hefty 7%.
Southdown ‘Jubilee’ (6%) Shepton Montague
Southdown is not a new producer, having been named Supreme Champion at the British Cider Championships 2019, but Jubilee is a new addition to the range and is Rob Whale's first sparkling cider. Medium with a smooth finish.
Sunshine Drinks ‘Scallywag’ (5.5%) Chard
Despite the novelty branding, this is a proper drop of cider! Made from traditional cider apple varieties gathered from the orchards of South Somerset and pressed on a farm with a cider heritage dating back to 1939.
The Discover Somerset case is available as a standalone case or you can subscribe to receive it at a 20% discount of as part of our Craft Cider Subscription for only £20 a month plus delivery.
Allergens: contains sulphites.
How quickly will I get my order?
We will ship all orders in two working days maximum, often the next day. Deliveries are only made Monday to Friday, by our courier, DHL.
Can I request delivery for a specific day?
Unfortunately we can't guarantee delivery for a specific date, but will try our best to delay it if needed for a future date. Just add a note at the 'Cart' page in the 'special instructions' box. Or drop us an email queries@bristolcidershop.co.uk with your order number and we will get back to you.
What happens If I am not in?
Because we are shipping a Licensed product (alcohol), parcels wont normally be left in safe places. One of three things will happen if you are not in at the time of your delivery.
1. It will be delivered to a neighbour and signed for - the tracking will show a photo of where your parcel has been delivered. Calling cards are not left so please keep a close eye on your tracking information for updates.
2. Your parcel will be returned to the depot and a redelivery will be attempted the next working day. DHL will make three delivery attempts before your parcel is returned to us, where there will be a charge for further delivery attempts after this time. Alternatively a full refund for the cost of the product will be issued on its safe return.
3. You can tailor the delivery via your DHL tracking email. This includes choosing a future, preferred delivery date or choosing a DHL Service Point to redirect your delivery to. More information can be found out on the DHL website.
How much does delivery cost?
Delivery is £6.95 for most of UK for your first case and then £2.95 for additional ones. Rather than hiding the delivery cost in the product price and offering free delivery (there’s no such thing as free delivery!) we’d rather be transparent about the cost of the product and the cost of the delivery.
Are there any places you cannot ship?
We currently only ship within the UK. Delivery to UK islands, Scottish Islands and Scottish Highlands postcodes may cost extra - delivery charges will be displayed at checkout after you have entered your delivery address. Unfortunately we cannot ship outside the UK.
I live in Bristol. Can I collect?
Unfortunately our licence doesn’t allow us to have customer collections on site so we can only take orders for delivery, sorry!
How can I track my order?
When we ship your order, you will receive an email from us containing a tracking code from our couriers, DHL . The quickest way to track your parcel is to follow the tracking link and this will show you the status of your delivery in real time. This will also allow you to change any delivery details if you need to. If you have any further problems, please email us at queries@bristolcidershop.co.uk and we will do our best to help. Sorry we don't have a phone number.
Can I add a Gift Message?
Yes you can, simply add it in at checkout and we will include it on a card. No invoices nor sensitive information are included in the boxes, so no pricing information is given out, should you be sending a gift straight to a lucky recipient.
