Traditional cider making

What makes our Kentish Cider a Traditional Cider?

The Kent Cider Co. produces its award winning, artisan cider in the time honored way of “hand pressing”. We do this using an oak press and rack method rather than an electric belt press or electric hydraulic press.

We do not add sugar to our cider. Sugar is often incorporated to speed up fermentation and build flavor and/or strength. Our cider takes its time and builds it’s flavor naturally.

This traditional method is considerably more labour intensive but produces a higher quality, fresh tasting juice, without the bitterness from the pips.The process of hand pressing leads to what we believe is a superior cider, distinctive from its mass produced relatives.

First the apples are milled using a machine called a scratter which pulps the apples. Next a wooden rack is fitted in the press onto which a cheesecloth is placed. This is followed by the former – a wooden frame that keeps the pulped apple in place.

The milled apples are poured into the former and tramped down to make a firm cheese. When sufficiently full the former is removed and the cloth folded in. This process is repeated until a stack of cheeses is built. An oak block is placed on the top cheese.

Now we begin to press, this process is best done slowly, gently applying pressure bit by bit. Once all the juice has been extracted we can break down all the cheese’s and start again. All of our pommace – left over apple – is taken away by a local shepherd to feed to his sheep through the winter.