Their story
Ross-on-Wye Cider & Perry Company is run by the Johnson family from Broome Farm in Peterstow, near Ross-on-Wye, where they have been making cider since the 1930s. Cider comes mainly from the family's own orchards and is made as whole juice with directed natural fermentation, without concentrate. They produce small batches of single-variety ciders and perries alongside blends, typically keeping more than sixty types available at once. Cider is sold through The Cider Shop, which the company runs at the Yew Tree Inn in Peterstow, as well as through an online shop and independent stockists. The farm also hosts camping, orchard tours and tastings, and a calendar of its own cider events through the year.
Cider is made mainly from the Johnson family's own orchards around Broome Farm, Peterstow; orchard size and tree ages are not published.
Apples and pears they nameDabinett, Yarlington Mill, Major, Foxwhelp, Browns, Frederick
What they make
- Raison d'Être 2024 dry, bittersweet, barrel-matured, bottle-conditioned
- Draught cider (rotating) two ciders on tap, changes regularly
- Bottled cider and perry range over 60 varieties, rotating
Visiting
The Cider Shop at The Yew Tree Inn, Peterstow, Ross-on-Wye HR9 6JZ
Opening times, as they publish them: Open every day from 12 noon
Tastings: Yes. Shop sells two rotating draught ciders (bag-in-box or refill) plus over 60 bottled ciders and perries, including guest producers; camping available at Broome Farm in summer.
Tours. Orchard walking tour (20-40 minutes) plus a cider and perry tasting (often over an hour), around two hours total, £20pp, minimum group of 4; optional ploughman's lunch at £13pp for groups of 10+. Contact details are on their website.
Where to buy
- Online, direct from the maker shop.rosscider.com
- At the farm or cidery When open
- Museum of Cider (Hereford) Stockist
- Little Pomona Cidery (Bromyard) Stockist
- Pengethley Farm Shop (Peterstow, Ross-on-Wye) Stockist
- Beer in Hand (Hereford) Stockist
- Cottage of Content (Carey, Hereford) Stockist
Their events
Runs its own calendar of events at Broome Farm/Yew Tree Inn, including Blossom Day in spring, a Cider Challenge in July, a main Cider Festival in early September, and a Single Variety Symposium in October.