NATIONAL Apple Day on Saturday (October 21) will be celebrated at local cider maker Sheppy's, in Bradford on Tone, near Wellington, which has been making the drink for more than 200 years.

More than half of apples grown in the UK are used for cider making and the country has the largest cider market globally, with just short of half of all British households now regularly buying cider.

The UK market was last year estimated to be worth £3.4 billion.

Sheppy’s Cider Farm has more than 90 acres of orchards and in peak harvest presses up to 50,000 litres of juice per day.

Managing director David Sheppy, who is current chairman of the National Association of Cider Makers, said: “The cider industry has such a rich heritage and the UK should be proud to have producers across the country who have been honing the craft of cider making for hundreds of years.

Wellington and Wiveliscombe MP Rebecca Pow with Sheppy's Cider managing director David Shelly at am event in Parliament.
Sheppy's Cider managing director David Shelly with MP Rebecca Pow at a Parliamentary event. (Elyse Marks)

“It is encouraging to see that cider is still hugely popular both in pubs and at home, attracting drinkers from all generations.

“With such a diverse range of ciders to explore, we hope that National Apple Day will encourage people to raise a glass and try a cider they have not experienced before, whether that is in a local pub, restaurant, or in their weekly shop.

“My favourite for this time of year is Sheppy’s 200, which is a full-flavoured medium cider, with some traditional tannin undertones.

“It is the ideal accompaniment to warming lamb, pork, or pasta dishes.”

The range of climate conditions in different parts of the UK makes it an ideal environment for growing apples, with some varieties enjoying plenty of sunshine, while others can withstand colder temperatures.

Hundreds of apple varieties are grown in the UK, with some of the most widely available eating apple varieties including Braeburn, Bramley, Cox, and Royal Gala.

Meanwhile, those most commonly used for making cider in the UK include Foxwhelp, Kingston Black, Yarlington Mill, and Dabinett.

It typically takes eight to 15 medium size pressed apples to make 500 ml of cider.

Cider accounts for about 20 per cent of total alcohol sales in pubs, making it the second most popular drink after beer, with more than 870,000 pints bought in the UK every day.

The number of people older than 45 years who enjoy the drink has increased by 50 per cent in the past decade.

At the same time, the market size for cider production in the UK increased by 25.3 per cent in 2022 alone.

British-made cider is now exported to more than 50 countries worldwide every year.