Wise Owl Cider

So many bottles arrive at the door (no, I don’t expect you to sympathise) that it sometimes takes me a while to get round to tasting them but this week I finally got to try Wise Owl’s sparkling cider which they’d been patiently nudging me about.

And it’s delicious.

Cidermakers Richard and Paula Wise, who are based in Ashford in Kent use a 8 different apple varieties, some from a friend’s farm and other bittersweet varieties from near Bodiam Castle, all of which they mill and press themselves.

It gives the cider a really intense natural appley taste - gentler than a West Country cider but at a robust 6% by no means too sweet. After only one year of commercial production they were nominated as Cider of the Festival by their local branch of CAMRA in the Kent & East Sussex Railway Beer Festival last year

You can buy the cider direct from their online shop for £38 a 12 bottle case including VAT and postage. It’s also widely available in Kent and Sussex - see their stockists page for details.

For some inspiration as to what to enjoy it with see my Top Food Matches for Cider. I'd go for a chicken pie myself!