At Bath Cider House, our cider journey started with a simple realisation. It takes around 30 apples to make just one pint of cider. For an 18th-century city centre building, that presents a bit of a space problem.

So instead, we partnered with a local Somerset orchard to do what they do best. Our cider is pressed and slowly aged off-site, allowing deep, complex flavours to develop naturally over time. After around eight months, the cider makes its way back to us, and that’s when the alchemy really begins.

Here at Bath Cider House, we blend different cider varieties with high-quality natural ingredients, from fresh fruit juices to hops, to create our own unique ciders. The finished result is served straight from our impressive 500-litre tanks on the bar, ready to be poured and enjoyed.

Our Head Cider Maker, Max, has been well known as Head Brewer at The Bath Brew House for the last 8 years, where he’s won awards for his eclectic and experimental brews. He now joins us at the Cider House to bring his vast expertise to the cider game. We asked him a few questions.

What’s your favourite cider, Max?
A medium dry Somerset cider with a bit of a tang. I love a bit of malic acid in there too.

Still or Sparkling?
‍Fizzy cider. I prefer keg – it keeps fresh, tasty and gives that extra mouth feel.  Did you know that bubbles are giving you a little bit of pain on your tongue? It’s that what makes you like it.

Saucy. What’s your first cider memory?
I think my first drink in a pub was a Bulmers on ice – something nice and sweet, but when I was about 16, a friend of mine brought back up the contents of a three-litre bottle over a living room floor.  It’s a memory that hasn’t left me.

Any top tips for aspiring scrumpers?
‍Go and visit an orchard, walk around and taste all the different types of apple, so that you really understand what all the varieties taste like, and how picking an apple will change the taste of your final cider product.