This month sees us focus on three small producers from East Devon - all of whom share a passion for reinvigorating craft cider production in this traditional area. We have selected two each of their contrasting ciders to create a superb showcase of East Devon's smaller producers. So here goes .....
Rull Orchards, Bickleigh, Tiverton
Mike is not your typical cider grower or maker, but he is making waves. Having sold his demolition business in Bristol, he set about planting up new orchards on the slopes of the River Exe Valley, and several years in, the first crops are ready, supplemented by seeking out local old orchards. Mike is one of the few UK Pommeliers too!
- Orchard Sunset; A light and fruity cider for warm, sunny evenings. Blended with a little zing and an almost tropical flavour from the rare Devon apple 'Goring', perfect for enjoying in the sunshine. Medium 5%
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Orchard Storm; Vintage cider made from classic cider apples. Made from a blend of bitter-sweet Dabinett from 2020 and bitter-sharp Tremletts for a bit of punch, leaving a cider that has a bold, rich and well rounded flavour. Medium Dry 5%
Courtney's of Whimple
The Courtney family took on an ancient orchard from the famous Whiteways and have reinvigorated it, letting sheep roam below the trees, and nature take its course, with all ciders wild fermented and without sulphites, so as natural as they come.
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Whimple Orchards, Medium Sweet 4.6%.
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Silly Cow, Medium 4.6%
Ventons, Clyst St Lawrence
Mark and Sharon Venton moved to their smallholding in East Devon in 2006 and upon clearing the overgrown grounds, uncovered two old apple orchards. Rather than waste the apples, they borrowed a hand-turned crusher and small basket style press to make small batches of Cyder in an old stable. Things have moved on since then a lot, although apples are still straw pressed!
Now using fruit from other local former Whiteways orchards too, they produce strong 6.5% and tannic traditional wild-fermented farmhouse ciders true to the old Devon roots.
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Skippy's Scrumpy, Dry, 6.5% still. Proper old school bone dry.
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Apple Vice, Medium, 6.5% sparkling. Big flavour hit, with a little sharpness and astringency as well.
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.
