The Source

Richard Johnson, Thatchers Head Cider Maker, says, “Whilst us humans have been enjoying a pint of refreshing cider during the heatwave, the apples too have been benefitting from the warmth.”

Thanks to the weather, and the deep, rich West Country soil, the prospects for a healthy harvest for our apple orchards here in the West Country are looking good. Starting this year with a cold snap in later winter/early spring, followed by a mix of sun and rain, it all adds up to the perfect recipe for cider apples.

Richard continues, “Harvest has just started with our early ripening apple varieties, such as Katy. As the season develops, we see different varieties of both dessert and bittersweet apples arrive, depending on their ripening times. One of the important things we look at when we plant new trees is when they fruit, to make sure that the arrival of apples is spread out throughout the season. We press our apples as soon as they arrive at the farm to capture them at their freshest – we don’t want them hanging around and losing flavour.”

With the weather conditions in Somerset providing a perfect climate for apple growing, it’s not surprising that the county is widely regarded as the home of cider making.

Richard adds, “A good pollination in the spring was helped by the warm conditions, perfect for the bees to fly. The blossom stayed on the trees for some time, giving the bees plenty of time to do their vital work. We have bee-hives in our orchards, cared for by local beekeepers, and we also plant wildflowers in the orchards providing a valuable food source for the bees throughout the summer."

”Whilst we’ve had plenty of sunshine, we did have less rain than normal earlier in the year, and again now in summer. This has meant that the first apples will be slightly smaller in size – but that simply results in all the flavour packed into a smaller fruit! Fruit being harvested later into September and October will benefit from the rain we’re now getting, giving our trees the nourishment they need to thrive.”

Thatchers is a fourth-generation cider maker, and we have over 500 acres of our own orchard in Somerset, where we grow apples including Katy, Somerset Redstreak, Tremlett’s Bitter and Jonagold. Planting new trees each year to meet the increasing demand for our ciders, we also work with apple growers throughout the region who provide specific apple varieties under long term partnerships.

For further information, please contact:

Penny Adair

Penny.adair@thatcherscider.co.uk

Tel: 07967 047464

Notes to editors

We are a family run cidermaker with our home in Sandford, Somerset. Our ciders, all full of natural apple character, are crafted here at Myrtle Farm. Pride in our heritage – we’ve been making cider for four generations - is at the heart of everything we do. Our knowledge and passion for apples is reflected in our ciders: authentic, full of flavour and with a distinct character that reflects Somerset cidermaking at its best.

We craft a range of ciders – including Thatchers Gold, Thatchers Haze, Thatchers Blood Orange and Thatchers Cloudy Lemon, but whichever you choose, you can be sure they have all been made with the same care, attention and hands-on experience.