8 drink producers in the Cotswolds you need to know about
PUBLISHED: 14:35 28 June 2019 | UPDATED: 16:15 28 June 2019
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From delicious ales to refreshing fruit juices, infused spirits and tasty ciders, we're proud to be home to some of the best local producers around. Here are eight drink producers in the Cotswolds you need to know about
Kidlington, Oxfordshire, OX5 9EW
Telephone: 01993 880597
Facebook: @BritishHoney
Twitter: @BritishHoneyCo
The British Honey Company provide pure 100% British honey straight from the hive, retaining all it's natural goodness. They believe every jar of honey should be as fresh tasting as possible, which is why they let their bees do the work by themselves.
With a love for Gin and Honey, The British Honey Company produced the delicious Keepr's Dry London Gin infused with Cotswold Honey in small batches from 300-500 bottles. Each batch traceable back to the hive the honey came from. This expands their product range with a delicious selection of spirits inspired by the British countryside using locally sourced fruit. The range includes British Raspberry & Honey Gin, English Strawberry and Lavender Gin, and many more.
The British Honey Company__________________________________________________
Sandyhill Farm, Sherborne, Gloucestershire, GL54 3DS
Telephone: 01451 844134
Facebook: @BensonsTheJuicers
Twitter: @BensonsFruity
Bensons the Juicers is a family of fruit farmers from the heart of the Cotswolds. From humble roots to apple trees, it took just one glass of freshly pressed apple juice from the family farm for us to realise they had something worth sharing.
Today Benson the Juicers make delicious, natural products from their National Trust farm in the beautiful Cotswolds countryside, ranging from award-winning juices and juicy waters, to ices and fruit ciders. They are passionate about the quality and provenance of their ingredients and are dedicated to producing delicious, natural products that make you feel good.
You can find out more at bensonsthejuicers.com and follow Benson the Juicers on social media for all the latest news and special offers.
Bensons Fruit Juice__________________________________________________
Inchbrook Trading Estate, Bath Road, Woodchester, Stroud, GL5 5EY
Telephone: 03332570636
Facebook: @woodchestervalley
Twitter: @woodchestervv
Nestled in the beautiful south Cotswolds A0NB, Woodchester Valley Vineyard is a family owned vineyard and winery, with three sites across the unspoilt Stroud valleys.
Offering tours and tastings year round, a 'Classic' and 'Sparkling' tour as well as a variety of special events, a visit to Woodchester Valley Vineyard is a great opportunity to enjoy the stunning surroundings whilst learning about the wine making process.
With multi-award winning wines to taste, including this year's IWSC Gold Award Sauvignon Blanc, even the most dedicated wine critique cannot fail to be impressed. The Cellar Door is open six days a week and well worth a visit for the knowledgeable advice, full range of samples available and frequent wine promotions. There is an array of accommodation onsite, including luxuriously appointed boutique rooms, a cosy self-catered farmhouse and spacious contemporary house: a stay at this vineyard provides a perfect base to explore this delightful undiscovered corner of the Cotswolds.
Woodchester Valley Vineyard__________________________________________________
Station Road, Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, RG9 1AZ
Telephone: 01491 572035
Facebook: @MrHobbsGin
Twitter: @MrHobbsGin
The Mr Hobbs Gin range of products is brought to you by the family pleasure boating business, Hobbs of Henley, based in Oxfordshire along the banks of the Thames, who give you the most enjoyable way to "mess about on the river". Husband and wife; Jonathan and Suzy Hobbs, launched their Mr Hobbs Gin in 2017 and have since added two fruit flavoured gin liqueurs, in Rhubarb & Ginger and Raspberry & Elderflower, to their portfolio.
As part of the upcoming 150th anniversary of their boating business they were perusing the Hobbs of Henley business archives, and records pointed them towards the rumours that the founding father (Harry Hobbs, whose face you'll see proudly emblazoned on their bottle) had been distilling his own gin back in the day and it inspired their own journey to follow in his footsteps. A novel way to celebrate history and raise a glass of their cherished family tipple to their Henley heritage.
Mr Hobbs Gin__________________________________________________
Brewery Lane, Hook Norton, Banbury, OX15 5NY
Telephone: 01608 730384
Facebook: @hooknortonbrewery
Twitter: @hookybrewery
Hook Norton Brewery began brewing in 1849 so, 170 years on, they thought they'd brew a special limited edition beer to celebrate. Thinking long and hard to come up with a suitable name, common sense prevailed and well, the beer was ready to drink! "Please enjoy our 170. A robust trio of all English hops, delicate and smooth Goldings, spicy and fruity Challenger and floral Fuggles. Our core range of beers including Hooky, Hooky Gold and Old Hooky are also available all year round for you to enjoy."
In addition, Hook Norton Brewery brew a new, limited edition, seasonal ale each month to give you variety throughout the year. Hook Norton Beer - wise choice.
Hook Norton Brewery__________________________________________________
The Old Vicarage, Northington Lane, Awre, Newnham, GL14 1EL
Telephone: 01594 510282
Twitter: @Severn_Cider
Severn Cider is a third generation, award-winning family business based in the tiny village of Awre. Gabe Cooke, ciderologist has said, "Severn Cider makes some of the highest quality cider and perry in the country." All of their bottled ciders and perry have won Great Taste Awards.
This delicious whole juice cider and perry is made from freshly pressed, heritage fruit, which gives it a deep, rich, natural flavour. Their own orchards have been neither sprayed nor fertilised. The cider is made traditionally on a rack and cloth press and fermented on its own wild yeast. The draught ciders are also suitable for vegans.
To get your taste buds tingling, drop by and try their full range of traditional still and sparkling ciders. You will have a great experience in this quintessential rural part of Gloucestershire; tasting, seeing where the cider is made, meeting the family and hearing their story.
Severn Cider (c) David Broadbent Photography__________________________________________________
The Cotswold Fruit Company
Bleby House, Abbey Terrace, Winchcombe, Gloucestershire, GL54 5LL
Telephone: 07710 777661
Facebook: @bushel.peck.cider
Facebook: @humblebee.drinks
The Cotswold Fruit Company was set up with the simple objective of making high quality cider and apple juice. They've been going since 2015 and are a small, independent, family-owned business. They don't own their own orchards, so rely on using surplus fruit they can find, so long as it meets its simple criteria: they only use fruit from unsprayed trees from gardens and traditional orchards within Gloucestershire…for a reason.
Unsprayed: it means that that the fruit is as natural as possible and that birds, bees, insects, wildflowers and the environment in general haven't been harmed in any way.
Gardens: many households with fruit trees in their back gardens don't know what to do with all the fruit, so The Cotswold Fruit Company will use surplus fruit, given in exchange for free juice or cider - its a sustainable way of using fruit that might otherwise go to waste.
Traditional orchards: they are havens of biodiversity and were once a significant part of Gloucestershire's landscape, but have been in long-term decline and by sourcing fruit from these old orchards they are making The Cotswold Fruit Company's own small contribution to their survival.
Gloucestershire: because it's The Cotswold Fruit Company's home county and they want to keep food miles as low as possible.
The products:
Humblebee 100% natural pressed apple juice
All the fruit used has been handpicked, so they know it's ripe and ready for pressing so nothing is added to the juice - no colous, no flavours, no preservatives, nothing at all - so it is as nature intended. They mill and press the apples in the morning, and bottle and pasteurise the juice in the afternoon. Together with using unsprayed, local apples, it helps to explain why their apple juice tastes as it does … of apples.
Humblebee 100% natural pressed apple juiceThe Fresh+Crisp cider (the one with the green label) is made with eating apples and has a pleasing appley aroma and a clean, crisp, refreshing flavour. It's of medium-dry sweetness - although it may taste and feel like a dry cider - and is typical of the way cider was traditionally made in eastern counties of England (in East Anglia, Kent, Sussex). It's best served cold.
Rich+Mellow cider (the one with the red label) is made with cider apples and is therefore a typical West Country cider, with a greater depth of flavour provided by the tannins found in those cider apples. It's well rounded, smooth and quaffable.
Sweet+Smooth perry (the one with the yellow label) has a more subtle, delicate flavour, where the natural sweetness of pears is balanced with some fruity acidity. Its a blended perry, gathered from some truly magnificent perry pear trees scattered around Gloucestershire, it possibly has more in common with a sparkling wine that cider.
Bushel+Peck cider and perry__________________________________________________
Festival House, Jessop Avenue, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL50 3SH
Telephone: 01242 506147
Facebook: @bamorganicdrinks
Twitter: @BamOrganic
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