Their story
Loader's Cider is a farmhouse cider maker at Sweetings Barton, Cotford St Luke, founded in 2015 by Paul Loader, initially as a hobby with his son George, and now run as a family business. Apples come from older, organically managed orchards in the area, many originally planted for the historic Taunton Cider Company, chosen for fruit with higher tannin and lower acidity than modern dessert varieties. The cider is made and sold on site, with a small shop at the farm and an online shop shipping across the UK. The business has picked up medals at the Bath and West cider competition.
Fruit is bought in from older, organically managed local orchards, including some originally planted by the Taunton Cider Company; Loader's does not describe growing its own trees.
Apples and pears they nameYarlington Mill, Browns, Sweet Alford, Tone Vale
What they make
- Scrumpy Dry dry, 6.2% ABV
- Tone Vale medium-dry, 6% ABV
- Sweetings Mill still, 5.8% ABV
- Montys Sweet sweet, 5% ABV
- Loaders Original 5% ABV
- Montys Gold sparkling, sweet, 4% ABV
Visiting
Farm shop at Sweetings Barton, Dene Road, Cotford St Luke
Opening times, as they publish them: Thursday to Saturday, 10am to 6pm
Where to buy
- Online, direct from the maker loaderscider.co.uk
- At the farm or cidery When open
No named third-party stockists published on the site.
Recent awards
- Silver, British Cider Championships 2024 (Bath & West Show), Class OC2 Medium - Sweetings Mill
- Bronze, British Cider Championships 2024 (Bath & West Show), Class OC1 Dry - Loader's Dry 2021
- Bronze, British Cider Championships 2024 (Bath & West Show), Class OC1 Dry - Loader's Drycider