Learning about our Local Tipple
A day at Orchard Pig in Glastonbury — discovering that making great cider has more in common with winemaking than you might think, starting in the orchard and finishing in the bottle.
Growing up in and now returning to the West Country, I felt I needed to find out more about our very own local tipple: cider. Off I went on an educational day at Orchard Pig in Glastonbury, where Neil, Rob and Will were all welcoming and made it thoroughly informative.
In the Orchard
The process has more in common with winemaking than I expected — starting in the orchard, where correct winter pruning is vital for the best crop the following harvest.
I spent the morning with Will pressing the apples. Once pressed, the free-run juice is pumped into containers where sugar and pH levels are tested, giving an indication of alcohol strength and acidity. They also record which apples came from which orchard.
Pressing and Fermentation
Orchard Pig also make apple juice, and even with a cold I could distinguish between the fresh apple juice and the base cider juice. At that stage, the apple juice won hands down — but the base cider juice has a long journey before it tastes great in the glass.
The afternoon was spent in the bottling room with Rob and Adam, where all the technical work happens to ensure the cider reaches you in perfect condition.
Cider, Seriously
The real learning curve was understanding that cider is becoming a drink to be taken seriously — its image is evolving to sit alongside food rather than just beside it.
The best quote of the day: "You don't spit cider like you do wine — otherwise you don't get to appreciate the full flavour." I like the philosophy.