Despite the challenges facing the UK cider industry, community orchards and small cider brewing businesses reflect a slightly different picture.
Brewer Adrian Morales and partner Alys Williams opened their cider tap room in Talgarth, Powys, about a year ago.
Since then they have also acquired an orchard next door which allows campers.
Adrian said: “I think we have to see orchards not only as a highly intensive source of apples but also as a source of more activity.
“I think it would be good to have more support from government bodies to encourage people to do that and diversify the orchards.”
Alys added: “It’s all about an education of the product itself and stripping it of its stereotype as a cheaper alcohol that people used to go for.
“We love to bring our experience from north Spain and use different types of apples – not just cider apples but cookers and eaters as well – which creates a more acid-driven cider which can go really well with a cheese board and things like that.”
