Long summer prompts earliest ever apple harvest for Thatchers

The award-winning cider makers Thatchers have begun their earliest harvest ever, kicking off a full ten days ahead of schedule thanks to this year’s long, hot summer.

For the first time in over 120 years, apples are being picked from Thatchers’ 550 acres of orchards before the August Bank Holiday. The extended sunshine has produced fruit bursting with flavour, rich in sugars and tannins, promising outstanding quality.

Martin Thatcher, fourth-generation cider maker, said: “We’re particularly excited about this year’s harvest. Thanks to the hot summer, the apples are packed full of flavour, rich with sugars and deep, full-bodied tannins.

The extended sunshine has produced fruit bursting with flavour, rich in sugars and tannins, promising outstanding quality

“That’s going to be really exciting when it comes to blending as traditional bittersweet apples bring the tannins and full body, while dessert apples, such as our favourite Katy, add freshness and sweetness – combined they create delicious blends like our signature cider, Thatchers Gold.”

The first apples to be gathered are the bright red Katy variety, known for their crisp, sweet flavour. They feature in Thatchers Juicy Apple and the award-winning Thatchers Katy cider, recently described as “perfect” by judges at the Cider World Awards. Once picked, the apples are pressed immediately to preserve freshness and ready for fermentation.

Richard Johnson, head cidermaker, added: “We had an excellent spring, where the warm weather and bountiful blossom gave us good pollination, meaning the trees are laden with fruit. The apples are slightly smaller due to the lack of rain, but the flavours are intensified.

I’m particularly excited to see our favourite bittersweet varieties like Dabinett and Somerset Redstreak, rich with the tannins that give our ciders the distinctive depth and character we’re known for.”

Chris Muntz-Torres, orchard manager at Thatchers Cider at the harvesting

Thatchers also prides itself on sustainability, making all cider using 100 per cent renewable electricity, including power from 3,500 solar panels.

This year, the family-owned company became the bestselling cider brand in England and Wales, with Thatchers Juicy Apple topping the charts as the fastest-growing new cider.

To meet demand, Thatchers planted 14,500 new apple trees this spring, expanding their orchards by 50 acres, and extended production facilities at Myrtle Farm.

For the first time in its 120-year history, Thatchers had their harvesting before the August bank holiday

The site is also home to the Exhibition Orchard, the UK’s largest collection of cider apples, with 458 varieties. Innovative projects such as the 100 Tree Trial aim to identify apple varieties that will thrive in modern climates, ensuring that future ciders maintain the fresh, full flavours today’s drinkers love.

Thatchers are member of the Bristol24/7 Better Business network, an initiative to help businesses thrive while creating a positive impact on Bristol and the people who live here. As part of their membership, businesses can publish member news stories like this. For more information, visit my.bristol247.com/better-business

All photos: Thatchers

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