Over a century ago, the village of Holcombe Rogus on the Somerset-Devon border, was teeming with apple orchards. A few of the old orchards still survive, including Ridgeway Farm which still yields a diverse assortment of old bittersweet and bittersharp apple varieties.
Ridgeway Cider was established in 2014, as we set about reviving the local tradition using an ancient, but broken, cider press from Julie’s parent’s farm down the road.
What started off as a few extra barrels to sell locally through Farmers’ Markets soon grew, as we quickly learnt more about the craft of cider making – culminating in receiving the gold award at The Royal Bath and West Cider Championships, multiple Taste of the West awards, and more recently First Prize at the 2023 Devon County Show.
Not only is our cider popular, but we also produce award-winning Cider Vinegar and Ginger Switchel. Of course, there’s too many health benefits to list here, but do check out Our Range for more information.
Whilst Ridgeway Cider continues to grow, we continue to honour the process of cider-making allowing natural yeast in the apples to convert the sugar in the juice to alcohol.
In this hectic world, some things just can’t be rushed!
Julie and Steve Hasell