On this episode of Sran I took a deep dive into the world of Scottish cider. As it continues to grow in popularity, I wanted to speak to some of the people who are the heart of the cider industry to see how their businesses are doing and what we can all look forward to.
First up I speak to Judith Gillies, who, with her husband Ron, runs Cairn o'Mohr winery in the Carse of Gowrie, Perthshire.
Since 1987 they have been brewing up fruity award-winning wines and more recently, cider as they are based in an area famous for its apples, pears and plums.
Judith tells me how they got into the business, how it is changing and what their hopes for the future are.
I also chatted to Grant Hutchison and his wife Jaye about their store Aeble in Anstruther, Scotland’s first dedicated cider shop.
Grant was previously the drummer in Frightened Rabbit who in recent years had turned his attention to cider. Now they are putting on their first cider festival, which is happening in Edinburgh at the end of the month.
They tell me all about how Covid prompted their move to Fife and the store's opening, as well as how people's understanding and appreciation for cider is changing. They also discuss their plans and hopes for the upcoming festival—one of the first of its kind for Scotland.
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Scran season 6: An autumn orchard in Fife, Naughton Cider and Sip Champagne
Scran season 9: The rise and rise of 'alcohol free' with Jump Ship Brewing and Sobr Bar Aberdeen
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