Members List
From Ukcider
"Who's Who" on ukcider and the ukcider wiki
Hucknall Cider Co. "Torkard Cider"
Username: rayblockley (or Ray on the wiki).
Real name: Ray Blockley (!)
Photo(s): Ray Taken April 05 - with gitty-goatee (didn't last...)
Status: Enthusiastic amateur grower, producer and drinker.
Production: 9 gallons (2004); 3 gallons (2005: Biennialism); 25 gallons (2006, all from my own fruit as trees mature); 150 gallons (2007). Torkard Cider is made exculsivley from our own home-grown apples; Torkard 57 is made from a blend of our own apples and other apples sourced throughout Nottinghamshire.
Website link: Hucknall Cider Co blog
Location: Hucknall, Nottinghamshire. Just north of Nottingham.
Orchard / Nursery: Garden 'micro-orchard' of 13 apple trees (cider / triple use / crab); bush, half-standards, standards and espalier. Oldest trees planted in winter of 1999/2000. Currently clearing a 50m x 50m derelict plot to turn into an orchard and wildlife haven.
Day job: Secondary schoolteacher.
CAMRA Activity: APPLE representative and Cider Bar Manager for Mansfield & Ashfield Branch Beer & Cider festivals.
Other relevant details: Partner Gail also CAMRA member, keen Perry connoisseur - and scratter power source...Gail
Registered Duty Exempt with HM Customs and Excise.
Contact: rayblockley(at)ntlworld.com
2006 "Torkard Cider" voted "Cider of the Festival" at the 2007 Mansfield CAMRA Spring Beer & Cider Festival.
Also voted "Cider of the Festival" at the 2007 Ashfield / Newstead Summer Beer & Cider Festival.
"Torkard 57" blend voted "Cider of the Festival" at the 2008 Chesterfield Beer Festival.
NB Note photo links to a host site:ukcider pics on flickr.com
Knytshall Orchard Cider
Username: Michael Cobb Real name: Michael Cobb
Photo(s): To follow later
Status: Lifelong Cider Drinker, producer of small quantities of Cider.
Production: 50 gallons (2005) despite a biennial off year from my own apples and some from a local farmer
Website link: None that is cider related
Location: Glastonbury Somerset.
Orchard / Nursery: Established small standard orchard of as yet unidentified varieties - with (identified) new trees added 2004.
Day job: Electronic Engineer currently working in Health and Safety.
CAMRA Activity: None.
Other relevant details: Dog breeder (affix Knytshall) moved to Somerset to find a property without close neighbours. Orchard was included and at first the apples went to waste. In 2003 saw a press demonstated at the Royal Bath and West Show - bought one to use some of the apples. Approx 10 gallons of Cider produced in the first year. Encouraged to enter the Cider in the competition at the Royal Bath and West Show to support the society (I am a steward at the show). Success in the competition encouraged an increasing production in 2004 to 40 gallons including using some apples from Glastonbury Abbey. 1st Prize for dry Cider at Bath and West 2004 and 2005 with very different Ciders, nothing for dry in 2006 but 1st prize for medium using a very thin cider back sweetened with a sharp juice! - it all depends on the judge on the day! Small quantities may be available - Registered duty exempt with HM Customs and Excise.
David Hughes
Photo(s):
something or other
Production:
Website link:
North Wales
Day job: management consultant ex member- but ex NE member & ex Chairman of Apple
Colin Mills
Username: Colin Mills
Real name: Colin Mills
Photo(s): none posted yet
Status: no pretensions to same
Production: none
Website link: none
Location: Amersham
Orchard / Nursery: none
Day job: volunteer, Oxfam (Amersham); volunteer assistant librarian, Chiltern Open Air Museum; formerly freelance librarian and indexer, lab technician etc.
CAMRA Activity: Cider & Perry Officer, Mid-Chilterns CAMRA; Cider Bar Manager, Boxmoor Beer Festival; Volunteer staff, various beer festivals in Home Counties
Other relevant detail: member, SPBW
Andrew Lea
Username: Andrew Lea
Real name: Andrew Lea
Photo(s): Later (perhaps)!
Status: Worked from 1972 - 1985 in the Cider Section of the University of Bristol's Long Ashton Research Horticultural Station, now sadly completely closed and with houses built all over it (apart from where a bat colony has held up construction!)
Production: 800 litres in an 'on' year and 200 litres in an 'off' year. Not a commercial producer, but registered as 'duty exempt'.
Website link: http://www.cider.org.uk
Location: Between Wallingford, Abingdon and Didcot in South Oxfordshire
Orchard / Nursery: Twenty-five trees of 11 West Country cider cultivars on MM106, on about one-sixth acre. About 15 years old (that's the orchard, not me!)
Day job: Former Head of Beverages Research for a UK Food and Drink and Contract Analysis organisation, but now semi-retired.
Other relevant detail: 3rd prize dry and medium dry cider Bath and West Show 1995; 1st and 2nd prize in Bottle Fermented Class at Hereford Cider Museum Competition 2002; 3rd prize Medium Dry Cider at both Hereford International and Bath & West Show 2007.
Andy Roberts
Username: Andy Roberts or occasionaly WikiSysop
Real name: Andy Roberts
Photo(s): see my user page
Status: ukcider founder and facilitator
Website link: Andy's blog
Location: London
Orchard / Nursery: none
Day job: ICT technician
CAMRA Activity: not a member at present
Trevor FitzJohn
Username: Trevor FitzJohn, Real name:Trevor FitzJohn
Photo(s): Too ugly
Status: Hobby Producer, cider not yet for sale
Production:
Website link:none yet
Location: Wairarapa New Zealand
Orchard / Nursery: Teepee Ciders 1acre 100 tree orchard 20 cider apple cultivars half Kingston Black. Frances and I established the orchard and cidery as a way back to the rythmn land from our hospital based jobs.
Day job: Radiologist
Mark Ellis
Username: Mark E. in Oz, Real name:Mark Ellis
Photo(s): maybe later on.....
Status: Hobbyist with ambition!
Production:
Website link: http://www.zymurgia.com
Location: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Orchard / Nursery: Family 100 year old, 30 acre orchard in our version of West Country, the Wimmera Plains area of Western Victoria outside of Horsham in a little place called Quantong, which is being replanted or grafted over to cider amd perry to compliment the dessert varieties that actually make a quid
Day job: IT Project Manager
Paul Gunningham
Paul was a founder member of ukcider, posting as "scrumpyuser" amongst other names before tragically passing away in May 2007 whilst recovering from a serious car accident.
He maintaimed his own websites about Scrumpy and Western, Scrumpy User Guide, The Wurzels, Pete Atkin and also took over editorship of a series of seminal pages by Gillian Grafton - "The Real Cider and Perry Page"
These sites, all richly flavoured with Paul's individual style will live on indefinitely through web archives such as the "wayback machine"
Richard Fairhurst
Username: Richard Fairhurst
Real name: Richard Fairhurst
Photo(s):
Status: Cider drinker!
Production: First home-made batch currently bubbling away...
Website link: Blog
Location: Charlbury, Oxfordshire
Orchard / Nursery: none
Day job: Editor, Waterways World magazine
CAMRA Activity: none
Other relevant detail: posted numerous pub listings before getting an account here - flagged with IP address 84.92.81.68!
Rockingham Forest Cider
Username: scrumpyboy
Real name: Mark Shirley
Photo(s): n/a
Status: Small scale grower and producer, large scale drinker
Production: 2007/8 - Approx 170 gallons of cider from mostly Herefordshire/Worcestershire cider fruit, plus 30 gallons from local culinary and dessert varieties. Should be available at the Criterion, Leicester; and the Hatton Arms, Gretton from May 2008, also the Northampton Beer Festival (29th - 31st May) and the 'Welland Valley Beer Festival' in June (see Northants CAMRA website for details)
Website link: Rockingham Forest Cider & Blog
Location: Middleton, Northants/Leics border
Orchard / Nursery: A mix of established culinary/dessert and new plantings of cider apple on M26 rootstock, 18 in total
Day job: BT
CAMRA Activity: East Mids Regional Cider Co-ord
Other relevant detail: Partner Karen: apple washing and hygiene manager
Swan Cider - (at 'Chateau Shed')
Username: The Sec-RAT-ary
Real name: Dave Jones
Photo(s): Ask at any police station ! ;o)
Status: Small scale producer, and another large scale drinker
Production: Approx 490 litres of cider (2006/2007 season). Only Festivals and Pubs supplied. Registered with C&E
Website links: Website Manager and Sec-RAT-ary of The Real Ale Tasting Society - R.A.T.S. ®
Location: Llantrisant Old Town - Mid Glamorgan
Day job: Warehouseman (Comet)
CAMRA Activity: I was Mid Glamorgan Camra Branch contact & 18 years a member, but both my wife and I cancelled our membership in May 2006
Other relevant detail: 'Best Newcomer' and Joint 2nd in the 2005 'Welsh Perry & Cider Championships' at the 'Clytha Arms' near Raglan for my 'Cygnet Cider'. Sec-RAT-ary of the Real Ale Tasting Society - R.A.T.S. ® for 12 years.
My thanks to: 'Gwynt y Ddraig' (Bill and Andy) and 'Seidr Dai' (Dave Matthews) for all their help and Cider knowledge they've passed onto me. Victoria Gorman for her help in my purchase of the 'Shark' electric apple mill on 10th Nov 2005.
Wish List: (1) To upgrade to a 'proper' Cider Press - (which I did on 4th May 2006 !) (2) To eventually move into larger premises as 'Chateau Shed' is getting way too small ! - (3) To get the Misses a new pair of 'Marigolds' for next season's fruit washing ! ;o)
Abbey Stores
Username: Nissedasapewt
Real name: Charles May
Status: Retailer of real cider and beer
Production: I leave that to the others
Website link: Abbey Stores
Location: Salisbury, Wiltshire
Day job: Shop keeper
CAMRA Activity: I read the newsletter when I have time
Other relevant detail: If any local cider producers would like me to sell their products please contact me through my website. Rose Grant's ciders are now being sold and I would be very pleased to hear from anyone else.
Lamb Abbey Orchards
Username: Lamb Abbey
Real name: John A Gasbarre
Photo(s): 
Status: Owner of Lamb Abbey Orchards, founded in 2005. Young heirloom fruit orchard working toward becoming a small-scale producer of cider and perry. Intrigued both with classic English cider apples as well as many less common American ones (Graniwinkle, Harrison, Campfield, Smith's Cider, Honey Cider, Golden Pearmain, Black Limbertwig, Myer's Royal Limbertwig, Old-Fashioned Limbertwig, Park's Pippin, etc.) Our complete list of varieties is on the website.
Production: No cider production to speak off. We're still wrestling the deer for the fruit. Next project will be an adequate deer exclusion fence which will probably give the orchard the appearance of a low security prison. Alas, it's a necessity.
Website link: Lamb Abbey Orchards
Location: Union, Maine USA / 20 miles from the Atlantic in Midcoast Maine / USDA Zone 5a (although it's getting warmer!)
Orchard / Nursery: 7 acres of fruit trees to be expanded to 19 over the next 3 years. 120 varieties of apples including 33 we'll be using exclusively for cider and juice. Also 3 varieties of Welsh perry pears. Cider mill is probably 5 years into the distance but eagerly anticipated.
Day job: Headhunter / Biotech & Pharmaceuticals Meticulum
CAMRA Activity: Have purchased a number of CAMRA guides, but am not yet a member
The Mangledwurzels
Username: jethrotool
Real name: Jethro Tool (aka Frank Blades)
Photo(s): Various Mangledwurzels pics here - I'm the one with the blonde hair
Status: Musician, songwriter and cider drinker
Production: "as they produce, so shall I consume!"
Website link: The Mangledwurzels
Location: Hinton Charterhouse, East Somerset
Day job: Web Designer at Somersetmade Ltd
CAMRA Activity: nope
Other relevant detail: The Mangledwurzels are a Wurzels tribute band from Somerset who are usually seen hanging around cider pubs, singing about cider, watching other people drinking cider, but are only allowed one drink themselves as they are driving! It's a hard life...
Steve Marquis
Username: Steve Marquis
Real name: Steve Marquis
Photo(s): 
Status: cider drinker & publican
Location: Blue Bell Inn - Regional Cider Pub of the Year 2007 (N.Wales, Cheshire & Merseyside), Rhosesmor Road, Halkyn, Flintshire, Wales CH8 8DL. Tel: 07010 700072.
Production: "as they produce, so shall I procure, trade and imbibe!"
Website link: Pub website
CAMRA Activity: member
Darran Ridley
Username:
Real name: Darran Ridley
Photo(s): None
Status:
Production: First year 2006 trying to make 100 gals. Made the first 30 gals with a 20lt press before buying an antique cider press which should be capable of making 30-40gals at a time. Using a garden shredder to prep the apples which have been kindly donated/collected from locals gardens. We have 2 40 gal rum barrels to age the cider in.Update 20/11/06 now getting 2 more whisky barrels as now have enough apples for 200 gals. Not bad as i was only going to make 20 gallons in the first place!!
Website link: None
Location: The Royal Oak, Cerne Abbas (although for private consumption (tied Pub!))
Orchard / Nursery: Locals Gardens/donated apples
Day job: Chef and pub manager
CAMRA Activity:
Other relevant detail:
Roy Bailey
Username:
Real name: Roy Bailey
Photo(s): Looking for a flattering one!
Status: Proprietor of the Lambourn Valley Cider Company, founded December 1995.
Production: 600-700 gallons per annum in the past, but as I have decided to downsize this year, the 2006 production is about half that.
Website link: http://www.lambournvalleycider.co.uk/
Location: Great Shefford, Hungerford, West Berkshire.
Orchard / Nursery: We make our cider and perry from fruit growing within about a 15-mile radius of Newbury. The cider is made from a mixture of cookers and eaters of all types, plus a few cider apples growing at a local abbey. The perry is made from just two pear trees of unknown variety. In 2001 we planted an orchard of about 112 trees at Shefford Woodlands, 2 miles away. One-third of these are pears grafted from one of the unknown trees; one-third another unknown variety of apple which we have also grafted; and one-third Kingston Blacks. It is hoped that these will soon start producing.
Day job: Former film and TV producer/cameraman, now officially retired, except that ...
CAMRA Activity: A member since 1974; former Secretary of the Newbury branch and later newsletter founder and editor. Later Chairman of the West Berkshire branch, and now Webmaster and Press Officer.
Other relevant detail: A member of the British Guild of Beer Writers and an occasional contributor to What's Brewing on both beer and cider
Richard Lewis
Username: Richard
Real name: Richard Lewis
Photo(s): I have a collection but am not computer liturate enough to know how to place them.
Status: just a happy cider drinker
Production: none
Website link: none
Location: Sheffield
Orchard / Nursery: none
Day job: when I am working (currently sick) I am a Railway Guard working out of Sheffield.
Cider by Rosie
"username" Rose
.
Rose Grant
"Status". I consider myself to be a craft cidermaker. I run a small business called Rose's Cider and maintain a cider orchard. This is a full time cottage industry, dedicated to the making and sale of real 100% juice cider. It is a passion that has become my career in 'retirement'!
"Production". 7,000 litres per year, consisting of 6,000 of the draught traditional medium dry called 'Cider by Rosie' and 1,000 of special keeved and single variety ciders. The Cider by Rosie is sold to local pubs in 20 litre bag in boxes. Special ciders are bottled for sale at events and festivals etc. All the apples that I use are true cider varieties from my own orchard and other local orchards.
"Orchard". 2 acres, 150 cider trees of about 20 different varieties. The orchard is also used for village events such as Wassail and May Queen. See http://www.winterbornehoughton.org.uk
"Website". http://www.ciderbyrosie.com [[1]] links to my blog pages on this wiki. I want to insert my own home page soon. This will be just a basic business profile as I do not intend to sell by internet or mail order.
"Location". Winterborne Houghton, Blandford, Dorset DT11 0PE
" Societies etc". Member of 3CCPA , supporter of Big Apple events and Common Ground Apple Days. First prize for Medium Dry Draught Cider at the Putley Big Apple Cider Trials 2007.
Garry Parsons
Username: jezek
Status: Enthusiastic producer and drinker.
Production: 3000 Litres (2005: ); 4500 Litres (2006 : )
Website link: http://www.solwaycider.org.
Location: Moss Side , Wigton , Cumbria .
Orchard / Nursery: planting 6 trees in garden soon hope to buy land and have Orchard.
Day job: Train driver.
CAMRA Activity: Cider Bar Manager @ various Festivals.
Registered Duty Exempt with HM Customs and Excise
Mick Weller
Username: lightweightmick
Real name: Mick Weller
Status: Hobbyist producer
Production: 400 litres approx 2007 (most ever)
Website link: http://lightweightmick-cider.blogspot.com/
Location: N Derbyshire
Orchard / Nursery: Only 2 trees so most fruit sourced locally from customers, golf courses and roadside hedgerows
Day job: Window Cleaner
