Our best estimate places this booklet within the late 90's, and after some investigation we found that it was put together by Robert West.
We hope you enjoy having a look at this nostalgic glimpse into the history of Dunkertons Cider and our organic legacy.
]]>
Our organic Dabinett cider has earned a Gold Medal.
Last year our Dabinett won a Silver Medal in the same category so we are delighted to be honored two years running.
We express gratitude to everyone associated with Taste of the West and extend congratulations to all participants.
Shop our organic Dabinett Cider here.
]]>
- Robert West
]]>We strongly recommend placing your Christmas orders by Monday the 11th of December to ensure they get delivered in time for Christmas, allowing for delays with the courriers.
However we will be able to dispatch orders placed up until Sunday 17th December before Christmas.
* These dates apply to mainland UK, excluding Scottish Highlands only.
Orders placed after Sunday the 17th of December will not be despatched until the 3rd of January at the earliest.
Please refer to our full shipping policy here.
Happy Christmas & New Year!
]]>Sunday 24th December - 8am-6pm
Monday 25th December - Closed
Tuesday 26th December - 9am-5pm (Waghorne's Closed) (Bakery offering coffees & cookies only)
Wednesday 27th December - 9am-5pm
Thursday 28th December - 9am-5pm
Friday 29th December - 9am-5pm
Saturday 30th December - 9am-5pm
Sunday 31st December - 9am-5pm
Monday 1st January - 9am-5pm (Waghorne's Closed) (Bakery offering coffees & cookies only)
Tuesday 2nd January - 8am-6pm
The Padstow Fish Co is open Fridays 9am-2pm.
Find us at: Dowdeswell Park, London Road, Cheltenham, GL52 6UT
Cheltenham Taproom Bar
Sunday 24th December - 11am-10pm
Monday 25th December - Closed
Tuesday 26th December - 11am-10pm
Wednesday 27th December - 11am-10pm
Thursday 28th December - 11am-10pm
Friday 29th December - 11am-11pm
Saturday 30th December - 11am-11pm
Sunday 31st December - 11am-9pm
Monday 1st January - 11am-9pm
Tuesday 2nd January - 11am-9pm
Find us at: Dowdeswell Park, London Road, Cheltenham, GL52 6UT
Pembridge Shop
Open Friday and Saturday 10am-5pm, until Saturday 30th December. The shop will then be closed until Friday 9th February.
Find us at: Dunkertons Cider Mill, Bearwood Ln, Pembridge HR6 9ED
]]>- Robert West
]]>When I worked at Dunkertons in Pembridge, Herefordshire one of the most common questions was, “are cider apples little, red apples?”
Cider apples can be all sorts of colours, sizes and shapes. So in the autumn of 2004 I got together a group of three apples to show how different they can be with a pound coin to give a sense of scale. From left to right: Cherry Norman, a Herefordshire variety that has a sweet aroma and the cider form its juice is really fruity. Next is Michelin, a French variety first discovered in the nineteenth century named after Henri Michelin a pomologist, the apples produce a soft, mildly astringent cider. And lastly, Sweet Coppin, a Devon variety first discovered in the eighteenth century, the apple is sweet and the cider is a light and useful for blending.
Cider apples can have many varied characteristics in the way they look and the cider they produce.
By Robert West
]]>Dunkertons Cider's First Logo Ivor and Susie discovered rural Herefordshire when they stayed at Susie’s brother’s cottage in a hamlet in northwest Herefordshire at the end of the 1970s. They were both working in London, but realised that they wanted a different life in Herefordshire. They bought a small holding near Pembridge and, after a couple of years had started the cider company. They wanted their label to be distinct from other cider makers and to represent how they felt about their new home in Herefordshire. A friend and art lecturer in nearby Kington designed this label for them. It was on all the draught cider jars and still cider bottles. Susie told me recently that it represented how Ivor thought of Herefordshire as his "paradise" on earth. - Robert West
Did you know, if you look closely, our organic Vintage cider still references this archival design!
]]>
Before buying the belt press in 2004, Dunkertons, when based in Pembridge, Herefordshire, used an old electric flat-bed hydraulic press. Ivor found this rusting in a farmer’s field and bought it for scrap value. Once renovated it provided reliable service for twenty-four years. In fact, I can’t remember it breaking down.
To extract the juice from the apple pulp (pomace) the pomace is built on a trolley. The layers are wrapped in cloths and separated by ash slats. This construction is called the cheese and weighs about half a ton. The cheese was wheeled across to the press. The press would slowly be lifted against the oak blocks at the top. All the time the juice would be pouring from the layers. It took about fifteen/twenty minutes to get to full pressure. The half ton of pomace would produce about seventy-five gallons of juice that would be pumped off to a fermentation vat.
The cheese would then be wheeled along on rails outside to be dismantled layer by layer. Some varieties of cider apple made a very sticky pomace that was difficult to shake of the clothes. All the pomace needed to be removed to ensure that the juice of the next cheese would flow freely.
The pomace was heaped on to a trailer and when the trailer was full to overflowing it would be towed to another part of the farm. The pomace could then be fed to the sheep, cows, pigs and poultry. It was a tasty treat for the animals who in the autumn would mainly be on dried feed.It was necessary to make sure that the pomace wasn’t kept too long as it would start to ferment. There was one time when one time when it had been kept a little too long, the cattle got rather lively and broke out of their barn. We had to wait until they had calmed down to get them back in!
Thank you to Robert West for sending this memory
]]>Stainless steel is inert, so the taste of the cider that goes in the vat will be the same when it is drawn out, however much later.
In October 2000 the first delivery of vats was made with Ivor Dunkerton on the forklift to unload them. It was a late finish by the time the vats of various sizes were lifted into place.
Today, the cidery in Cheltenham sparkles and shines with row after row of steel vats. All filled with wonderful-tasting ciders, available to shop online now.
]]>
By Chris Boulton and @culpepper_co
On 3rd November at 11am
Join us for the launch of a remarkable project working with fishermen from Cornwall to produce a one-of-a-kind, multimedia, @thefishmish fundraising project.
A one day pop up featuring:
INTERACTIVE PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBITION ‘CORNWALL & COTSWOLDS' by Chris Boulton.
FROM BOAT TO TABLE WEBER COOKERY DEMONSTRATION:
Cornish fish dishes by classically trained chef turned Pit Master Chef
@shanecookiemcbagleybbq and @weberuk
Grill Master Gyles Foster expertly paired with Dunkertons Organic Ciders
CREATIVE COLLABORATIONS – THE Q&A
Inspiring interview with photographer, the designer and charity revealing all about this unique project and the charity’s work
CREATIVE NETWORKING
Bring your best project or product idea to the @culpepper_co
Team pop-up.
Take some time to free network and chat in the beautiful
complete with wonderful food vendor partners and drinks from The Taproom for you to visit and enjoy
This event is kindly sponsored by
@dunkertonscider with all proceeds donated to The Fishermen’s Mission.
DUE TO THE UNIQUE NATURE OF THIS EVENT, THERE IS LIMITED AVAILABILITY SO PLEASE BOOK YOUR PLACE TODAY, BOOK HERE
]]>
At various times they had goats, geese, chickens, badger face sheep and Hereford cattle. For Ivor and Susie rearing their own animals had been one of the main reasons they wanted to live in the countryside.
Having a cider business and orchards to run kept them busy, but with animals on the farm, there was always other work that needed to be done.
For Ivor, who had been brought up and lived in London, this was a dream come true. Mrs Pig was on the farm in the 1080s. This photograph is from 1984. She would often barge through the electric fence and make her way to Pembridge village, a whole a mile away.
]]>
Saturday the 19th August 2023 marked a bittersweet moment as we bid farewell to none other than Robert West, who led his final Masterclass at Dunkertons. Robert is a beloved member of our family, with a rich history at Dunkertons Cider. He embarked on his journey with us in the early 1980s, initially working as a gardener for Ivor and Susie. Gradually, he began to showcase his profound knowledge of cider making, and before long, he became deeply involved in the cider production process. Over the years, he accumulated a wealth of cider-making expertise, a level of mastery matched by very few.
Even after our relocation from Herefordshire to Cheltenham in 2018, Robert remained an indispensable part of our team. He made the trek down every couple of months to sample the blends, offer guidance on adjustments, and, not to forget, host our monthly masterclasses. Let's all raise a glass of our finest organic cider to Robert and extend our heartfelt gratitude for his pioneering contributions!
]]>
Organic Browns - Gold
Organic Dabinett - Silver
Thank you to everyone involved Taste of the West and congratulations to all other entries.
]]>
This recognition is a testament to the dedication and craftsmanship that goes into every bottle.
Thank you to everyone at The International Cider Challenge.
]]>Vin, one of our organic fruit growers, played a pivotal role in supplying Dunkertons Cider with a range of cider apples, most notably the organic Dabinett apple. It was with Vin’s inspiration that we created our single variety organic Dabinett cider.
Vin converted his orchards to Soil Association certified organic in order to supply Dunkertons Cider, and we are proud to have supported him through the conversion process, and his commitment to sustainable practices and organic farming.
We are forever grateful for the privilege of having known Vin, and he will be greatly missed by the Dunkertons Cider team.
Our thoughts are with Vin's wife Francine, and their entire family.
]]>💥WOOZY PIG IS COMING TO DUNKERTONS💥
Launching Wednesday 25th January
Join us from 4-7pm and receive FREE fries with every burger ordered. Free fries also available for children.
Formed in 2017, Woozy Pig is a household name in and around Cheltenham offering
a full range of street food, from epic smash burgers, loaded hot dogs, BBQ smoked / pulled meats, dirty fries & tater tots. Not to mention their popular brunch menu.
Their burgers are made with amazing, aged meat from ex dairy cattle, and the rest of their core menu ingredients are sourced from local independent butchers, suppliers & bakeries, in and around the Cotswolds.
Normal opening hours after 25th below…
Wednesday & Thursday 4pm til 10pm
Friday, Saturday & Sunday 12pm til 10pm.
Just before Christmas I was in Leominster shopping when a voice called me. It was Michael, and he looked drawn. “Robert, I don’t know if you’ve heard but Jim died on the 22nd December.” I hadn’t and I was shocked.
Now, Dunkertons longest standing customers, from the time of cider making and the shop in Pembridge, Herefordshire, may well remember Jim Symonds. He helped Susie, Ivor and myself (and others as the years passed) with the pressing of apples from the mid-1980s to 2000. This was when the apples were pressed by an old flat-bed hydraulic press which made the process more arduous than using the belt press of today.
Jim was a Herefordian through and through. Brought up in an ancient mill, he was a true countryman and would follow the seasons with agricultural work. He would help with the potato and hop harvests in the weeks before he would come along to Hays Head to help Dunkertons with apple picking and pressing. Hardworking and good company he was an essential part of the team at harvest and pressing time. One of his great interests was beekeeping: he had beehives all over this part of north Herefordshire, and some up into the Welsh hills which produced heather honey which was highly regarded.
These past couple of weeks or so my mind has been full of memories of those, years thirty or so years ago when Dunkertons was tucked down the Herefordshire lanes that Jim loved so much.
I have been in touch with two of Dunkertons ex-employees, Darren Gregory and Paul Evans, who still runs Dunkertons Shop in Pembridge, (which will be open again Fridays and Saturdays from 10th February) asking if they had any particular memories and they both came up with the same one. At Christmas Ivor and Susie would arrange a Christmas meal or suchlike for us cider makers. For a couple of years we went ten pin bowling. Both Darren and Paul remembered that Jim showed and unexpected talent for bowling and scored strike after strike.
Any Dunkertons customers that do remember Jim from those Pembridge days please think of Jim’s family and friends who are coping with his unexpected death.
- Robert West 4th January 2023
]]>
We are delighted to announce that we are stocking an artfully curated range of food & drink from Daylesford Organic in Dunkertons Cider Shop.
Our friends at Daylesford have been championing organic farming for over 35 years, and their range is a perfect complement to our award-winning organic ciders.
Crafted with purpose, tradition and love, La Boulangerie Artisan delivers the best French flavours, handcrafted with traditional ingredients: organic French flour, water, and sea salt from Guérand. This is a bakery that believes in the purest artisan practice, where authentic baking and a passion for the organic create real bread.
Our Taproom evolved from our vision to share the experience of our award-wining organic cidermaking with as many people as possible. With an atmosphere that is unlike any other, cosy up by the fire-pits with your family to enjoy great drinks & great food.
Ronnie's
The vision of The Lucky Onion's Executive Chef and Culinary Director, Ronnie Bonetti, this is
authentic Americana-style cuisine at its finest. Tuck into burger stacks, wings, nachos, signature fries and all those comfort food favourites, perfectly paired with a pint of organic Dunkertons Cider.
Bombay Street Food Co.
Bombay Street Food Company has collaborated with Cheltenham’s top Indian restaurant, Koloshi to bring the spice route to Dunkertons. Showcasing handmade dishes based on centuries-old traditions passed down through generations, get ready for a journey of regional subcontinental cooking.
Sourdough Pizza Co.
This pizzeria is all about unique pizza dough, which is homemade from an age-old recipe that remains a tightly guarded family secret. Whipped up and served by a passionate team, the Neapolitan pizzas are hand-stretched to order and freshly cooked in a wood-fired oven.
Browse and book tickets to our thrilling range of events. Including weekly Quiz Nights, weekly Cidery Tours, monthly Comedy Nights and regular live music including big name DJs, 2022 saw Seb Fontaine & Judge Jules perform in the Taproom!
]]>Happy Christmas!
]]>All Christmas orders must be placed by 11pm on Sunday 18th December at the VERY latest for delivery to mainland UK, excluding Scottish Highlands.
Orders placed after 11pm on Sunday the 18th of December will not be despatched until the 3rd of January at the earliest.
Happy Christmas & New Year!
]]>FRIDAY 11TH NOVEMBER 2022, 3PM - 7PM
Bring friends and family and cosy up to firepits with our £5 special fire-cooked menus, from our stylish new street food outlets; Bombay Street Food Co, Sourdough Pizza Co and Ronnie’s, whilst indulging with our organic Mulled Cider.
FIRED UP? TELL US YOU’RE COMING, HERE.
]]>Making our organic cider is both an art and a science.
A couple of times a year members of our production team meet with Robert West, previous Head Cider Maker and Bean Benson our director to decide on which ciders will go into the blend for our organic Black Fox and Premium Reserve that season.
They will look at what ciders are ready for drinking and come up with a list of two to three dozen that could be blended then taste all of them and make notes of the characteristics.
Next, they come up with a selection of vats with ciders that once combined will make a balanced blend. It is crucial to consider the taste characteristics that different ciders have; the tannic astringency of say Chisel Jersey; the sharp acidity of say Frederic; the body of Dabinett; the fruitiness of Browns. There are any number of apples that have these characteristics so a blend can be a combination of perhaps eight or up to a dozen or more varieties. The vats tend to mainly hold 5,000 or 10,000 litres, though they can range from 1,000 to 20,000 litres. We make blends of between 80,00-150,000 litres depending on what ciders are ready for drinking and what works together.
A litre of the blend with the ciders in their various proportions is put together. It is sweetened and fizzed and the team taste it. If the taste is not quite right we will look at the stock spreadsheet and the blend. Does something need to be taken out or added? If so we will make the adjustment and make another litre trial blend.
It is crucial that we get our blends exactly right so we can make the highest quality, delicious organic cider, exactly as expected.
If you are interested in the art of cider making we recommend booking one of our Cider Making Masterclass.
Shop our award-winning organic ciders here.
Celebrate in style with our full range of organic cider on tap plus the very delicious new additions of:
Ronnie's Rib Shack
- in collaboration with The Lucky Onion
Serving up delicious comforting food, from ribs to burgers & fries to wings.
The Sourdough Pizza Co
In collaboration with Bella Mia
Serving up handmade classic sourdough pizzas & sweet calzones including galaxy or biscoff with salted caramel
Bombay Street Food Co
In collaboration with Cheltenham's favourite Indian restaurant, Koloshi.
They serve a mouthwatering menu inspired by the flavours of southern Asia using authentic ingredients. Some honorable mentions include Murg Banjara, naan bread stuffed with grilled chicken thigh, red onion with mint chutney or raita.
All go down perfectly with a pint of organic cider, visit us.
]]>Earn discounts on future orders when you sign up to our Loyalty Scheme!
HOW TO EARN POINTS
REFER A FRIEND
If you refer a friend you both get 10% off your next order
HOW TO EXCHANGE YOUR POINTS
Exchange 500 points for a £5.00 discount voucher
HOW TO SIGN UP
Did you know we have now won medals at the ICC for 7 consecutive years?
All of these ICC Award Winning Ciders are available to buy from our online shop, order now.
We are very thankful to everyone at the ICC for this award. Read the full list of winners here.
Saturday was another perfect Spring day and perfect to see how the blossom of the first, early cider apples is coming on. Frederick and Foxwhelp blossom was in bloom. These two cider apple varieties are essential when making a blended cider as they add the crisp aroma and taste of fruity apples. Also out was the Court Royal blossom. This variety makes a delicious, unique tasting single variety cider with a delicate taste. It was lovely to see the contrasting blue of bluebells in the orchard.
Robert West, former Head Cider Maker at Dunkertons Organic Cider
Find out more about our history.
Shop our organic perry and ciders.
]]>
Filled with 10 litres (or 17 pints) of still, organic, award-winning cider in each box.
Perfect for sharing with friends & family, especially throughout the warmer months at BBQ's and garden parties.
As delicious as our original 20l Bag in Box, but better fitted to your fridge.
Available filled with 3 of our most loved organic ciders:
Organic Craft - 5% - Balanced, smooth, easy-drinking
Organic Black Fox - 6% - Tangy, smoky, bright
Organic Dry - 6.8% - Crisp, refreshing, bold
]]>