Food & Cider Pairings
Our authentic ciders don’t need to be accompanied by anything to be enjoyed to the full but many foods can be enhanced by the pairing of one of our perfect pints. We’ve put together some dining suggestions that will taste…
Summer News
New Look Katja Perfectly timed for summer, we have just relaunched our English sparkling cider, Katja, in a convenient new 500ml bottle. A crisp, modern, single-varietal sparkling cider, Katja offers a sophisticated and easy-drinking alternative to English sparkling wine. With…
Barny’s Lifetime Achievement Award for Services to the Cider Industry
Barny is not the sort of person who likes to grab the limelight but we are very proud that he has just been presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award for Services to the Cider Industry and we thought that you…
What we’ve Learned From 25 Years of Cider Making
Autumn 2026 will mark our 25th harvest at Sandford Orchards! Much has changed since Barny started making cider in a shed more than a quarter of a century ago and we thought you would like to hear his thoughts on…
Spring News
Tree planting Over the past few months we have been busy planting more cider apple trees. We are thrilled to have created two new orchards by planting 250 trees. The first one is on the site of a neglected, abandoned…
Cider Myths Unwrapped Part 2
In one of our recent blogs we dispelled some common misconceptions about cider but it seems that there are still some more strange beliefs that we think need clarifying. Myth 1: All Ciders Are Equal Let’s start with a question…
The History of Cider Making in the UK
Although novel incarnations of cider appear on the supermarket shelves all the time, this fabulous apple nectar is far from new, with its presence stretching back for centuries. It is not all documented, so there are a number of theories,…
Why Choosing the Right Apples Makes Great Cider
When it comes to the main ingredient in our cider, we are, of course, very particular. We thought we would share our thoughts on choosing the very best apples. Comparing Apples with Apples Not all apples are created equal when…
Why We’re Proud Members Of The Slow Food Movement
We’ve been a member of the Slow Food Movement since 2018. You might have noticed their snail logo on our bottles and we thought you might like to know more about the organisation represented by this shelled gastropod and hear…
Celebrate Dry January with Delicious Alcohol-Free Cider Cocktails
If you are starting January with a new or ongoing plan to drink less alcohol, you are not alone. Non-alcoholic alternatives have grown in number and quality over the last few years, making these intentional choices way more enjoyable and…
Winter News
From Zero to Hero Less than twelve months after launching our first non-alcoholic cider, Red Zero, was named Best Non-Alcoholic Cider at the World Cider Awards. This huge accolade added to the burgeoning trophy cabinet that includes gold awards from…
A Snapshot of 2025
As another year draws to a close, we’ve been reflecting on the past twelve months, raising a glass to some great achievements and looking forward to the year ahead. Here’s a little insight into the highlights of 2025. Award Wins…
Autumn News
Bumper Harvest Autumn is harvest season for us, our favourite and busiest time at the cider works, and this year we are anticipating the biggest crop we have ever experienced. A mild spring and the sunniest summer for some time…
The Tar Barrels of Ottery St Mary
Devon’s Answer to Bonfire Night Crazy and dangerous are two words you might use to describe the Tar Barrels of Ottery St Mary. We’re more inclined to say ‘unique’ and ‘historic’ and here’s why we love this great tradition and…
Harvest Time
Much as we love long summer evenings sipping cider in the sun, unlike most Brits, we are really excited at the prospect of autumn arriving and bringing with it peak apple season! For us it is like Christmas. We have…
Cider Myths Unwrapped
Strange though it may seem, there are people who have yet to fully embrace the joys of cider. Many base their reluctance on common misconceptions about this fabulous apple nectar. We thought it was time to put a few things…
Summer News
Choose the Right Cider Life summer competition You may have already seen our bestselling and much loved Devon Red featured on buses and billboards this summer as we have recently launched our outdoor campaign to encourage consumers to ‘Choose The…
Cider & Folk Music: A Match Made In Devon
This summer we will, once again, be the official cider of the The Sidmouth Folk Festival. It is an event that we look forward to participating in every year and is something, as a company, we feel really passionate about.…