Gwynt y Ddraig

Gwynt Y Ddraig Cider started production in the late autumn of 2001. Bill George and Andrew 'Drew' Gronow embarked on a cider making venture with one remit, to make Cider using traditional methods. There were no plans with what would be done with the cider once made, apart from being drunk that is, and it was all very much approached as a hobby.

Apples were picked and pressed pretty much at random seeing as they had no real experience in the cider making field, and the resulting juice was left to ferment in some old oak casks.  Surprisingly the resulting cider wasn't half bad, although it was strong enough to knock out a couple of elephants! Many a person fell at the hand of that first batch!  Importantly though, it gave them the cider bug.  Realising that they had no way of re-producing the cider they had made due to the random mixture of apples they had used, they decided to take a more methodical approach.

From now on they would only use apples they recognised and had information about their cider producing properties. Through trial and error the technique slowly evolved into the methods they use today.  Still very much on a learning curve they continue to experiment with traditional methods with an emphasis placed on experimenting with apple blends to produce new and unique flavours. We hope you enjoy their cider and this basic guide to their cider company.

In the autumn of 2001, Gwynt y Ddraig made their first few hundred gallons of cider on the home farm in Llantwit Fardre. Since then they have increased production every year and broadened their selection of draught and bottled ciders.

Most of their cider apples come from Welsh orchards and the extra fruit from Somerset and Hereford. The apples are milled and pressed on our farm and the apple juice left to ferment and mature in oak casks.

The final product is a traditional farmhouse cider which won them the CAMRA Gold medal in 2004 – the first Welsh cider producer to achieve a Gold medal!

Beers available from Gwynt y Ddraig brewery:

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