An award-winning cider producer based near Hay-on-Wye has released its first cider collection of 2024.
Artistraw, which has its premises in Clifford, has released a delicate perry, four tasty ciders covering a number of styles, and a cider brandy - just in time for summer.
The new collection is available to order from Artistraw’s webshop, as well as partner retailers and of course from Herefordshire’s smallest shop, situated at Artistraw’s farm premises in Clifford.
From small beginnings in 2017 when Artistraw started its commercial journey with a release of some 550 bottles, the business, owned by entrepreneurial cidermaking duo Tom Tibbits and Lydia Crimp, has grown steadily ever since.
Artistraw specialise in making fruit-forward natural ciders, where the only ingredient in the bottle is apples, and they are proud of their philosophy – nothing but the fruit with no additions of water, sugar, sulphites or E-numbers.
Today they make between 8,000 and 9,000 bottles annually, selling them directly from the farm, where Tom and Lydia welcome tours and tastings, as well as through a select distribution networks of specialist drinks retailers.
“This is our most exciting release yet, with a range of styles available, from bone dry sparkling cider to soft, juicy perry, and of course the Artistraw signature style, a medium dry pet-nat cider displaying all the character of the traditional orchards that we are nurturing back to full productivity”, says cidermaker and founder of Artistraw Cidery and Orchard, Tom Tibbits.
“First planted in the 1930s, veteran trees produce the best and most flavourful drinks in our experience, we are fortunate to be able to use them for our modern take on proper cidermaking.”
Amongst the releases is a cider made from a single orchard, ‘Jury’, which showcases three rare and unusual varieties; Médaille d’Or, Maréchal, and Strawberry Norman, varieties planted by H.P. Bulmer himself back in the day, and an exquisite perry made from Winnal’s Longdon, Thorn, and Blakeney Red perry pears.
“Our collection of spring ciders is finally here! As ever, this collection serves to showcase many of the different styles we enjoy experimenting with in the cidery and aims to show that there truly is a cider for everyone!”, says co-founder of Artistraw Cider, and vice-Chair of the Three Counties Cider and Perry Association, Lydia Crimp.
“From a 2021 bone dry, pet nat cider which celebrates the life of the anti-hero and original Green Man, Eadric Silvaticus, to a tiny 60 bottle batch of 2020 vintage sparkling perry, there’s a bottle for every occasion!”
In a collaboration with Ludlow Distillery the duo have also made a cider brandy, matured in oak cask to soften and round off the fiery spirit. This is available as a single bottle or can form part of a wider mixed case mail-order.
Since winning silver in the Sandford Orchards ‘Breakthrough Cidermaker of the Year 2022’ competition, Artistraw have gone from strength to strength, most recently picking up two ‘Best-in-Class’ accolades at the British Cider Championships for their ciders.
The twice yearly collections are where you’ll find all of the most exotic smallest batches; the bottlings made with fruit harvested from single trees and the more experimental batches.