OUR STORY

Branch are Bristolian cider makers based at Bristol’s nearest cider orchard hidden away behind Ashton Court Estate. Ed & Samantha stumbled upon Far Orchard in the Winter of 2020 and couldn’t believe their eyes. How did they not know there was a beautiful 1,000 tree cider orchard in Bristol? How was this not a famous spot in such a cider-loving town? And why were all its apples just rotting on the ground??

Ed had already been in the cider business for more than a decade, launching Bristol cider bar The Apple then moving to America where he started US cider brand Austin Eastciders. Along the way he’d become obsessed with the bittersweet apples of home that he just couldn’t find in America. He’d travelled the length and breadth of America hunting for them. And now back in Bristol here were hundreds of thousands of them going to waste.

This magical orchard planted by cider legend Redvers Coate had been neglected by the big cider makers for some time, many of its apples having gone to waste for years. The world class bittersweet apples growing at Far Orchard and other orchards across the West Country had been replaced with imported eating apple concentrate in much of the cider served in the nation's pubs. 

Ed knew just how spectacular these apples were, he knew that Bristolians would go crazy for the cider you could make with them, and he also knew that if they continued to go to waste then pretty soon this iconic orchard would disappear. So Ed & Sam started Branch to showcase these incredible apples and help preserve Bristol’s cider orchard for future generations.

OUR CIDER MAKING

Using methods cherry-picked from traditional and new world cider making, wine making and craft brewing we aim to draw out every delightful drop of flavour our wonderful apples have to offer. Our ciders don’t taste like the basic cider you might be used to. They sing out with the delicious, distinctive character of varieties like Hangdown, Dabinett & Yarlington Mill. Just like wine grapes, bittersweet apple varieties can offer up all manner of fascinating flavours. Our goal is to create ciders that inspire and delight our fellow Bristolians, proudly made with our own local apples.

We are currently busy building our own cidery at Far Orchard, establishing a progressive, sustainable craft cider company right here in Bristol. Most of our cider is consumed within 5 miles of the orchard, mainly from reusable kegs, giving us a low waste, low carbon, highly sustainable business model. Traditional, unsprayed cider orchards are also some of the best habitats we have left in the UK for wildlife. By choosing cider made from traditional cider apples you are protecting the environment, supporting local orchards and sequestering carbon through nature's own carbon capture device - the tree! Look out for our cider on tap now in the best bars in Bristol and follow our progress on social media.