The General, a world class vintage cider produced by Crediton-based, independent, family-owned Sandford Orchards has just added another award to its trophy cabinet. It was named Champion Cider by Taste of the West at their ceremony last month.
Barny Butterfield, Chief Cidermaker at Sandford Orchards comments: “We are delighted to have scooped another accolade for The General. At 8.4%, it is the Godfather of our vintage range, aged for a minimum of 6 months in our ancient oak vat. It has already won gold at The World Cider Awards in 2021 plus a gold medal and the category trophy at...
Sandford Orchards has just launched the 2025 Breakthrough Cider Maker Awards which offer aspiring cider makers the chance to win an invaluable package of advice, guidance and guaranteed listings in the on and off trade. These unique awards, which are now in their fourth year, are free to enter, open to cider makers producing between 3,000 and 50,000 litres of cider or perry per year and designed to support the future of cider in the UK. The closing date is 31st January 2025.
Barny Butterfield, Chief Cidermaker at Sandford Orchards and founder of the awards comments: ”When we...
Independent, family-owned Sandford Orchards, based in Crediton, is celebrating two more awards for its hugely popular session cider, Devon Red. It has just scooped a Gold at the Food Drink Devon Awards and a Silver at the Great British Food Awards. These are in addition to the Gold it was awarded at the Taste of The West Awards earlier this year.
Barny Butterfield, Chief Cidermaker at Sandford Orchards comments: “Devon Red is our flagship cider and the one that is most well-known and widely adored by our fans. Just last year it was voted ‘best drink’ by the readers of Food...
A weekend bursting with fresh seasonal flavours, culinary inspiration and family fun is in store for food lovers at RHS Garden Rosemoor this October.
Sponsored by Atkins Ferrie Wealth Management, Festival of Flavours celebrates the bounty of autumn and Rosemoor’s Heritage Devon apple harvest with cookery demos, expert talks and garden tours, and an artisan food and craft market. There will also be live music and campfire cooking to get visitors into the festival mood.
Watch live cookery demonstrations and learn how to cook with foraged ingredients, make sourdough or press...
The school summer holidays have been a washout in Devon with bad weather contributing to a reported 20% downturn in tourist numbers but, for one Devon business, all this rain has resulted in a bumper apple harvest.
Barny Butterfield, Chief Cidermaker at award-winning Sandford Orchards comments: “A late cool spring followed by a flaming June was the perfect start to the apple growing season. The wet July filled the water table as the fruit swelled and the late sun at the end of August and early September has put us on track for big sweet juicy apples, and lots of them! We are...
Darts Farm is thrilled to announce that its new restaurant, The Farm Table has just been voted ‘Best Newcomer’ by the readers of Food Magazine.
Michael Dart, who runs Darts Farm alongside his two brothers, James and Paul, comments: “We are absolutely thrilled to win this award, which recognises the huge effort that has gone into creating The Farm Table. It was during lockdown that we first dreamt about opening a restaurant that would showcase the best produce available from our farm and food hall. Last summer this dream became a reality and, less than a year after opening the doors...
Award-winning cider maker, Sandford Orchards, has revealed why drinking its fabulous cider is a more sustainable option than many other alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages on the market. Sandford Orchards’ natural, low-impact approach to producing cider is good for soil health and wildlife diversity. It also has a short supply chain and uses a lot less energy and water than many of its counterparts.
Barny Butterfield, Chief Cidermaker at Sandford Orchards explains: “Starting from the ground up, our apples grow in local orchards, many of which contain diverse and often historic...
In 2002 Barny Butterfield began making cider in a shed. Fast forward 20 years and he is Chief Cidermaker and owner of Sandford Orchards, a business that produces over 7 million pints of cider per year, yet still retains Barny’s original vision, to produce the best tasting cider ‘done right’.
Barny Butterfield comments: “In the beginning, cider making was really just a hobby but one that I seemed to have some talent for. It was also something that I was incredibly passionate about, right from the outset. Eventually, it was clear that either my hobby or my day job had to go and I...
Salcombe Distilling Co. is delighted to host a pop-up gin refilling day at family run Darts Farm, just outside of Exeter, on Saturday 8th October 2022. The event, which will run from 10am until 4pm, will give customers a chance to refill their empty Salcombe Gin bottles with award-winning Salcombe Gin ‘Start Point’ or Salcombe Gin ‘Rosé Sainte Marie’ and receive a 10% discount. Commenting on the pop-up, Howard Davies, co-founder of Salcombe Distilling Co. says: “We are thrilled to bring a pop-up refill station to Darts Farm, as part of our commitment to reducing waste. We already have...
Devon’s talented food and drink scene was alive at Monday (3rd October) night’s 11th Food Drink Devon Awards. Over 330 individuals from the county’s finest food and drink producers, hospitality and catering businesses and speciality retailers celebrated in style at the esteemed awards’ ceremony, held at Crowne Plaza Plymouth with its breath-taking views overlooking Plymouth Sound. The ceremony was hosted by Tony Hawks, Devon-based comedian, author and food lover who regularly appears on BBC Radio Four panel shows ‘Have I Got News For You’, ’Just A Minute’ and ‘I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue’....
