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 orchard near to our Cider Works on the outskirts of Crediton. The second is a small orchard in Sandford. We have planted a mix of classic cider apple varieties that we use in our ciders and some of the rare breed apples that we’ve discovered in our DNA project with The University of Bristol. It will be about five years before we can expect a reasonable crop from these but we’re excited to be putting more trees in the ground and safeguarding the future of these varieties whilst ensuring a plentiful harvest to feed the ever-growing demand for our authentic cider.
Franklin’s Night
We will be marking Franklin’s Night again this year with a special event at our Cider Works in Crediton on Friday 15th May 2026. Franklin’s Night is based on an old folklore that suggests a brewer called Franklin, who was keen to reduce the availability of cider, made a pact with the devil to send a frost in May to hit the cider apple blossom. In order to enjoy a bountiful crop of apples, there has to be a healthy blossom coverage in the spring. To avoid this late freeze, the old story goes, the cider maker needed to throw the devil off the bridge! The evening kicks off at 6.00pm on 15th May and will celebrate this traditional folklore with a play from the Mummers, depicting the tale, and live music from Skimmity Hitchers. Stone baked pizzas will be available to purchase and there will be plenty of cider, of course! Tickets cost £15.00 (over 18s only) and can be bought here.
Devon Red in Sainsbury’s
We are delighted to announce that, as demand continues to grow, year on year, our Devon Red Cider is now available in Sainsbury’s stores across the South West. Our hugely popular Devon Red is already available in Tesco, Morrisons, Co-op and Spar Convenience Stores, as well as other retailers and hospitality venues across the country. We’ve come a long way since Barny made early versions of Devon Red on his kitchen table but we are still true to our core mission to make authentic, great tasting cider. It just so happens that it is more readily available now for all our customers new and old.
British Cider Week
British Cider Week (24th April – 4th May) celebrates the depth and diversity of British cider. The week features events across the country hosted by a wide range of producers, from new young startups to traditional producers with generations of heritage. We are always keen to bring the joy of cider to as many people as possible so we were delighted to be part of British Cider Week and its efforts to celebrate and promote cider to a wider audience. As part of the celebrations, following on from the sell-out success of last year Barny opened up the cellar for an intimate Tour of the Barrels on 1st May. Those lucky enough to get hold of one of those exclusive tickets got behind the scenes access, and the chance to taste juice from rare and unknown apple varieties and small batch ciders that may never see the light of day. They also had a chance to chat to Barny and the cider makers and pick their brains on all things cider over a delicious cheese and charcuterie platter.
Spotlight on Devon Mist
Devon Mist (ABV 4.5%) is our glorious, hazy cider. Less well-known than our ever popular Devon Red, if you haven’t yet tried it, you really need to pick up a bottle and test it out. Devon Mist is our medium, hazy session cider. It is unfiltered for extra flavour and texture, which means it’s gently sparkling and bursting with the taste of ripe, heritage West Country cider apples. It has a beautifully rounded finish and is deliciously thirst-quenching. It’s a traditional cider, made for today.
