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Somerset Cider

What do you get if you mix Sheep's Nose, Pigs Snout, Chibble's Wilding, Harry Master's Jersey, Broxwood Foxwhelp and Slack-ma-Girdle?

Well, in the south west of England these are all recognised as unique types of cider apple and are grown for their particular flavour and attributes for blending in the production of cider.

At Burrow Hill Cider Farm in Somerset, where cider apples have been grown and pressed for over 150 years, more than 100 varieties of cider apples are grown in the orchards of the lush countryside on the edge of the Isle of Avalon. About 40 of these apple varieties are grown and then blended to produce cider for drinking, or distilling. The blending of the different types of fruit is the key to the craft of cider making and at Burrow Hill this is the responsibility of Shaun Brownsey and Julian Temperley, who together have more than 50 years of experience.

2007 promises to be a good year for cider with Somerset experiencing an 'Indian Summer' which is expected to produce a bumper crop. Burrow Hill owner Julian Temperley says," the orchards are looking fantastic and depending on the next six weeks we should harvest a bumper crop and produce excellent cider"

Travellers with Wessex Heritage Tours will be able to judge for themselves in 2008 with visits planned to Burrow Hill to sample the results of this year's crop.

The expected excellent harvest should also reflect in the quality of the unique Somerset Cider Brandy produced at Burrow Hill. However, visitors will need to return in 2018 to taste the results of this year's harvest as the cider brandy is matured in oak barrels for up to ten years before bottling.