Cider Apple Blossom at Thatchers Farm
Down in the Thatchers orchards in Somerset, the apple trees have woken from their winter slumber and are in bloom. The birds are in full voice and deer are roaming free. It’ll only be a couple of weeks before the blossom fades and the farm team see the first tiny fruitlets of the year. Good news for the apples that go into our Hazy Hog cider made by friends and fellow family-owned company, Thatchers.
It also means it’s time for Thatchers to give their orchards the 5-star treatment. That’s because they know that happy apples make better cider.
Chris Muntz Torres, their Orchard Manager, who along with his team of experts, look after the 550 acres of orchards explains: “Like us the trees have been enjoying the warmer weather. It’s been perfect conditions for them this year; a nice cold winter for them to rest and reset, followed by a warm, mellow spring. There’s plenty of moisture in the rich Somerset soil too which will help the trees produce a bountiful crop of juicy apples for our cider.”
“We’ve been busy making sure the trees have everything they need; from careful pruning to seeding wildflower meadows to help pollination later in the year. They’re already bursting with beautiful blossom which is a great sign that we’re set for another strong harvest this year.”
The 5-star treatment is not just reserved for their apple trees, it’s given to the whole supporting cast of cider makers; from the two and half million bees who make Myrtle farm their home and help pollinate the trees, to the tiny insects that enrich the soil.
As a family company, Thatchers has been working in partnership with nature for 120-years. From planting new orchards using regenerative farming methods, to enhancing biodiversity with wildflower areas – or even building a 4m high, 5-star hotel for nature in an acre of wildlife haven - they’re as committed to looking after nature as they are to crafting a perfect pint.
They’ve planted over 158,000 trees, added beehives to every orchard, and with the help from the Bumblebee Conservation Trust, made sure their orchards are bee friendly.
Every one of their ciders is made using 100% renewable electricity and with 3,500 solar panels, there’s plenty of juice being created at the farm. Even the apple bits left over once the juice is squeezed is turned into green energy.
In the mill, new technology has just been installed which captures all the CO2 created in the fermentation process, then reuses it to add sparkle to the cider. And they’re constantly reviewing their packaging too, from replacing plastic with sustainably sourced card, to using lighter cans and saving the equivalent of a whopping 5.9m cans a year. They’ve even changed the way they wash their kegs and fruit, reusing and recycling water to reduce consumption, and they have switched to electric forklifts and LED lights.
At their home on Myrtle Farm in Somerset, the Thatcher family have just finished planting 13,000 new apple trees on a patch of land they’ve spent three years regeneratively farming. It’ll be another few years before it’s ready to harvest, but thankfully they have another 500 acres all fully matured!
All this means you can relax knowing that the Hazy Hog cider you’re about to order at the Tap or buy in the Brewery Shop is as good for the environment as it tastes in the glass.
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So go ahead and treat yourself to a cool, refreshing Hazy Hog. Available on draught or in bottles from the Brewery Shop, online store and Tap.
If you are down in Somerset, why not take a Thatchers Cider Tour to see just how the cider is made?
To keep up to date with all the news from the Hogs Back Brewery, sign up to our newsletter below and follow us @HogsBackBrewery on X, Facebook and Instagram.