Around the counties in 48 (or more) ciders

History of Sheppy’s

Established in 1816, Sheppy’s has been crafting world class cider for well over 200 years.  In recent years we have seen the cidery based outside Taunton become more and more prominent, with the House of Cider taking a more consumer facing commercial role in 2017, but this farm has been producing cider for many years now.

Six generations have overseen the running of the cider mill, from the beginnings as an ancillary part of the core farming to the present day where the cider is the core of the business.  The current run of post-war cider supremacy was kicked off in the 1950s with Richard Sheppy presenting at the Bath and West show but there was cider in the family blood long before this.  The first referenced cider-making in the family came in 1816 with the then John Shepson (who would change his name to Sheppy.

The cider mill is currently run by David Sheppy who alongside Richard before him has really pushed Sheppy’s into the future and made it a real competitor on the UK cider scene being sold across the country.

My Views

In my view Sheppy’s is one of the finest ciders in the country.  It blends traditional principles with modern technology to create some of the most pure and simple selections going.  The use of cider stalwarts like Dabinett, Yarlington Mill and Redstreak to name a few gives that traditional taste with no thrills or unnecessary added materials.

There is a good mix of sweet, medium and dry options available to suite any and all tastes.  The non-traditional options (i.e. fruit and low alcohol) are also top of the market in my view.  Starting with the fruit options (of which they have raspberry, elderflower and blackberry & elderflower), these offer a pure and subtle version of the sometimes chemically and overly sweet fruit cider drink.  Sheppy’s use actual fruit juices to create these blends and it really shows in the taste which is both subtle but also an actual reflection of the taste of the fruit (as opposed to a chemical recreation that some options can sometimes taste like).  The low alcohol offering (which I have always struggled to see the appeal with) is one of the only ones I have tried that still tastes like cider (as opposed to apple juice).  It is 0.5% which perhaps helps retain some of the cider flavour.

The more traditional cider options range from blends (such as 200 and the draught options) and some strong single variety (such as Dabinett and Redstreak).  I don’t feel there are any that don’t hit the spot and they have all been crafted with great precision and expertise.

My choices

	Name	ABV	Thoughts
Dry	Kingston Black	6.5%	This is the classic dry cider apple of Somerset and one of the most beloved apples going.  It is on the stronger side and by its nature is very dry.  Probably not one for those new to cider, but a lovely sipper for those in love with the purest cider flavours.
Medium	200	4.8%	This cider was introduced to mark the 200 year anniversary of Sheppy’s.  This is a strong medium, with some traditional flavour which is a good all round option for those new to cider and old in the game.
Sweet	Redstreak	4.0%	On the lower end of the ABV spectrum this is a good option for a beer garden in the sun.  It is on the more medium end of sweet so it isn’t one that will become too sickly after one or two bottles.  A great option for those new to cider.

Final thoughts

I would say that Sheppy’s are a great cider choice for the newbie and the cider aficionado.  They offer great entry level drinks such as Redstreak and the cloudy varieties and some more acquired tastes such as Kingston Black.

Three Bridges Farm is also a great place to visit for tours of the orchards, or just unguided strolls, and a great farm shop and restaurant.  Overall, for me Sheppy’s represent everything a cider brand should be.