British cider brand South West Orchards his tapping into the growing no- and low-alcohol market by unveiling its first low-abv expression.
The new cider, produced in partnership with David Sheppy, master of cider at Sheppy’s Cider Ltd, has an abv of just 0.5%.
The juice of the new low-abv cider is obtained from cider apple varieties such as Yarlington Mill, Harry's Master and Dabinett and from a small amount of dessert apples. The fruits are harvested in the Autumn, pressed, and the resulting juice is fermented for six weeks.
After fermentation is complete, the young cider is matured for at least three months. At this stage the alcohol is brought down to 0.5% by blending with apple juice, which gives the new cider a sweet finish.
South West Orchards recommends to serve its low-abv cider chilled, straight from the bottle, or poured in a glass over ice and garnished with a slice of dessert apple.
‘Recently we have seen a strong shift in behaviour, with consumers seeking out healthier lifestyle choices,' commented Nic Ponticakis, head of South West Orchards’ distributor Signature Brands.
'These changes in behaviour are being replicated across the drinks industry, with the no- and low-alcohol beer category increasing in volume by 33% over the last year alone. As we head into summer, we believe cider drinkers will start to mirror beer drinkers, by increasingly heading for non-alcoholic options, to align with health and moderation trends.’
£14.95/12*50cl, Signature Brands
