Dowdings apple orchard

APPLE JUICE & CIDER

A person pruning an apple tree

Our Story

Dowding’s Apple Juice & Cider is run by Oliver Dowding, who 
was born into a farming family in the village of Shepton Montague in Somerset, where he’s lived all his life and farms under organic standards. The orchards are part of a wider arable farm that has been certified organic by the Soil Association for over thirty years. Land that’s managed organically provides an ideal environment 
for wildlife, flora and fauna to thrive.

In addition to using apples from the farm, Dowding’s also make 
use of surplus local apples that wouldn’t otherwise be harvested. As a small business, care can be taken to ensure that none of the apples harvested are ever sprayed or fertilised. Harvesting apples from other local places not only addresses food waste, but makes use of the many traditional and varied orchards that exist in an area often referred to as ‘apple and cider country’. This approach also involves others, such as schools and community projects. In 2022 we also harvested a few pears.

Dowdings juices

JUICES

You can find our selection of Juices by clicking the button below.

Dowdings ciders

CIDERS

You can find our selection of Ciders by clicking the button below.

VISIT OUR ONLINE SHOP

To purchase our selection of juices and ciders please visit our shop.

SHOP NOW

Please enquire for our trade prices.

How much Cider is in your Cider?

All of Dowding’s apples are harvested by hand. This improves quality control and provides employment for local people. All of our drinks are pressed in small batches. Most of our drinks are bottled, pasteurised and labelled in our production unit, which is in the orchards, and which we call ‘Apple HQ’. Our sparkling cider is bottled by others as it requires carbonation.

Please explore this website to learn more about the things that are important to us and how our values run through everything we do.

Every effort has been made to encourage public use of footpaths that criss-cross the farm and the orchards. Please see Somerset County Council’s website link here for details outlining all local footpaths.

Apples in crates

Our AWARDS

Web awards september 2024
Our current awards include:
 
  • Champion Somerset Cider at the Somerset Cider Championships for medium sparkling cider
  • Best Somerset Produced Cider in the Somerset Cider Championships 
    for medium sparkling cider
  • Best in Class at the Somerset Cider Championships for medium sparkling cider and dry still cider
  • Gold at the Somerset Cider Championships 
    for dry still cider, sweet still cider and medium sparkling cider
  • Winner of the Traditional Cider Category at the National Fruit Show
  • Gold awards from Taste of the West for blended variety apple juice, dry, medium and sweet still ciders, dry and medium sparkling ciders, Somerset Breakfast Cider and apple cider vinegar