There’s A New Cider Maker Behind The Wheel!
There’s a guy called Ben that we’ve been working closely with for some time. He is a West Country fellow, born and bred, but he’s travelled all over the world since then and now he’s returned to Devon and owns…
Perfect Pairings for BBQ Season
It doesn’t take much to entice us outside and, with the merest hint of sunshine, you’ll find us whipping out the BBQ and settling in for some al fresco dining. Of course, cider is the perfect accompaniment, but which of…
Springtime Sips
Spring is a marvellous time of year. Winter is behind us, the days are getting longer, lighter and, hopefully, warmer and nature is bursting into life. There is even the real possibility of some al fresco drinking! This change of…
Spring News
As Seen on TV We’ve had an exciting few months with lots of TV appearances. In November, Barny and the cider works featured on BBC’s The One Show, showcasing our DNA mapping work. Then, in December, Devon Red appeared on…
British Cider Week
In 2023, a group of cidermakers got together to launch the first ever British Cider Week, a celebration that we wholeheartedly endorse. We’ve taken part each year and 2025 is no exception. We thought you might like to know more…
Meet The Makers: Andy May-Macleod & Jake White
We would like to introduce you to our cider makers Andy May-Macleod and Jake White.They bring the skill, expertise, science and passion that transforms our humble apples into Sandford Orchards’ award-winning ciders. They rarely take centre stage but, if you…
Perfect Date Night Pairings for Cider Lovers
We are old romantics, here at the Cider Works, and, as such, we are always keen to share our love of cider. We have decided to put together some cider-based inspiration for date night dining, to show you how you…
The Breakthrough Cider Maker Awards
When you think of awards, you are probably thinking of trophies and accolades but, much as we love winning those, we realised some time ago that our industry needed something quite different. We launched the Breakthrough Cider Maker Awards at…
The Wassail
If you happen to be in the Westcountry in early January, you might be surprised to hear singing, loud banging and even gun shots emanating from the local orchard. Don’t worry. It’s unlikely to be a riot, but more likely…
Winter News
The One Show This year, harvest time was even more special because, back in October, we were visited by a film crew from Yeti Television, working for The One Show. They were particularly keen to hear more about our DNA…
Can No Alcohol Cider Taste as Good as The Real Thing?
There was a time when, if you wanted a non-alcoholic drink, the choice was pretty uninspiring but, driven by a huge surge in no and low drinkers, the shelves are now brimming with alcohol-free alternatives! Sadly, a lot of those…
The Day The BBC One Show Came To Visit
Autumn is our favourite time of the year at Sandford Orchards. It is busy, with long hours and a lot of hard work, as we harvest and press the year’s crop of apples. Yet it is extremely satisfying to see…
Autumn News 2024
New Red Zero In September, we launched Red Zero (ABV 0.5%), a refreshing non-alcoholic version of our award-winning Devon Red. As you know, we like to do things properly at Sandford Orchards. We knew we weren't prepared to make a…
Meet the Makers – Spotlight on Barny
We’d like to introduce you to Barny Butterfield, Sandford Orchards’ founder and chief cider maker. He’s somewhat of a cider superhero in our eyes (although he’d shrug off any such suggestion). Just like Peter Parker, Barny’s alliterative name is purely…
The Best Cider in the World? – Meet The General
Just as parents shouldn’t have a favourite child, we cider makers shouldn’t have a favourite cider. We are, of course, very proud of every single cider that bears the Sandford Orchards label. We wouldn’t let them out of the mill…
Creamy Mussels with Devon Red Cider
This is the perfect dish to make on a portable grill on the beach, seasoned with the ozone smell of the sea. Or if the British weather isn't playing ball, it's just as delicious, cooked at home on the hob!…
An Alcohol Free Cider Done Right
We are absolutely thrilled to launch Red Zero, a refreshing non-alcoholic version of our award-winning Devon Red, with only 0.5% alcohol. Red Zero has been created by extracting the alcohol from real cider to create a delicious low alcohol alternative.…
Can cider really rival wine?
There are plenty of people who would say that they are not ‘cider drinkers’. Many people in this camp are probably basing their decision on a previous experience with the mass produced apple drink that is high on additives and…