Their story
Pips Cider is a family-run cider maker in Herefordshire's Golden Valley, based near Dorstone. The business started in 2010 after the family, who had previously sold their apples on to other cider makers, decided to press their own. Their orchard at Dorstone was planted more than 65 years ago, well before the cider business began, and holds seven traditional varieties, grown without sprays or artificial pesticides. Fruit is a mix of sweet, bittersweet and bittersharp apples, hand-picked and fermented naturally with no additives, giving a natural alcohol content of around 5 to 7.5%. Pips Cider has no shop or tasting room of its own; instead it sells through farmers' markets, festivals and tastings across the year, as well as an online shop.
Their own five-acre orchard at Dorstone, Herefordshire, planted over 65 years ago; no sprays or pesticides used.
Apples and pears they nameReine des Hâtives, Nehou, Bulmers Norman, Brakewells Seedling, Michelin, Reine des Pommes, Dabinett
What they make
- Pips Cider Dry dry, still
- Pips Cider Medium medium, still
- Pips Cider Sweet sweet, still
- Pips Celebration Cider celebration blend
Visiting
Tastings: No. No premises to visit; cider is poured and sold at farmers' markets, festivals and tastings through the year.
Where to buy
- Online, direct from the maker pipscider.com
Sold at farmers' markets and festivals rather than through a farm shop; no named stockists published.