The Somerset Cider Brandy Company which was granted a licence in 1989 by HM Customs, and is the first full cider distilling licence in recorded history. As well as its cider brandy, the farm produced a nice range of ciders.

At Burrow Hill apples have been grown and cider has been pressed for at least 150 years. It is the soil, climate and apple varieties which give their cider and cider brandy its unique quality. It has long been recognised that England has three 'vintage' areas for growing apples for fermenting - all are in Somerset, and at Burrow Hill, Kingsbury Episcopi, Burrow Hill is right in the middle of one; the others are around Wedmore and Baltonsborough.

Apples are the starting point for both our cider and our Cider Brandy and at Burrow Hill they believe it is vital to know their origins. All the apples they ferment come from Somerset, and most come from their own orchards which extend to some 150 acres. They grow more than 100 varieties of cider apples - about 40 in quantity - and cider for drinking, or distilling, is made by blending these apples. The blending of the different types of fruit is the key to the craft of cider making. At Burrow Hill this is the responsibility of Shaun Brownsey and Julian Temperley, who together have more than 50 years of experience.

Regulars at the Glastobury Fesitval is know of the 'Cider Bus' run by Burrow Hill Cider, and selling draught ciders, mulled ciders and occassionaly cider brandy.

Burrow Hill Cider sells a range of ciders for all palates:

• Kingston Black Bottle Fermented Sparkling Cider made by Traditional Method. A dry, complex cider with a sharp fruit finish. Good enough to grace any dinner table (8%). This cider is very dry. Jilly Goolden on BBC Food & Drink described the Kingston Black as one of the, if not the best, English Cider. "This has got muscles, this has got brawn, this has got a hairy chest. I think it's gorgeous."
• Stoke Red Bottle Fermented Sparkling Cider made by Traditional Method. Bone dry. Full bodied with lots of tannin. For the cider connoisseur. Excellent with all food or even as an aperetif (8%).
• Sparkling Cider - A blend of at least 11 varieties of vintage apples "the cider makers craft at it's best".
• 1 litre glass flagons - Dry, Medium or Sweet. Keeps well. Champion at the Bath and West Show 2004.
• Draught Cider (Scrumpy) - Medium. Supplied straight from the barrel draught cider. This comes in plastic 4 litre containers and is best consumed within 7 days of delivery.

Burrow Hill also produced and sells Apple Juice, Cider Vinegar, and of course its awesome and renowned range of Somerset Cider Brandy (see the Burrow Hill website for more information about this top quality product!).

The Somerset Cider Brandy Company Ltd.; Burrow Hill Cider, Pass Vale Farm, Burrow Hill, Kingsbury Episcopi, Martock, Somerset TA12 6BU

All year. Monday-Saturday 9am-5.30; closed Sundays.

• Visitors are welcome to view the copper stills, protected by armoured plated glass and 68 locks and seals (by order of HM Customs & Excise) in the distillery. In the ciderhouse there is cider and Cider Brandy to sample amongst the oak vats, barrels and presses - all the paraphernalia associated with 150 years of cidermaking.
• The starting point of both our cider and Cider Brandy is apples from our orchards. Visitors can follow our orchard trail where different apple varieties and other interesting features are explained. The walk takes about 30 minutes and you may need wellies.

Directions by road: Pass Vale Farm is north of the A303, and direction very much depend on where yo are coming from. Find the village of Kingsbury Episcopi, and follow signs for Burrow Hill, which is a couple of miles west of Kingsbury Episcopi. The cider farm is on the left before you get to Burrow Hill (which you should be able to see in the distance). If you get lost, try asking in the Kingsbury Episcopi village post office (I did!).

Excellent quality stuff made only from traditional cider apples. The farm is interesting and there are some stills etc you can look at - there was also a Vietnamese pot bellied pig there! (Paul Gunningham)

One of my favourite ciders. A bit difficult to find but well worth the effort. (crofter.com)

[email your comments about Burrow Hill Cider to comments@zider.co.uk]

Pass Vale Farm, Burrow Hill.

Burrow Hill orchards.