Cider pressing at Gwatkin Cider

The first apples of the season have arrived at Gwatkin Cider in Abbeydore

Just under 30 tons of apples!

Picking up the apples and placing them carefully in the hopper with the tractor

Denis Gwatkin and Bernard look on as the mill fires up

The apples are fed down the hopper, washed and then chopped to create a pulp which is then pressed between belts via rollers.

Mickey shovels the dry pulp away

                               The dry pulp at the end is fed to Hereford cattle on the farm

Cider apples in Monmouthshire

In the shadow of the Skirrid Mountain, just outside of Abergavenny is one of the old orchards of Monmouthshire. The farmer does not use the orchard but allows Llanblethian Orchards Cider to come in and pick the apples and pears. There are varieties of apples such as Kingstone Black, Newtons Wonder, Yarlington Mill and a few we dont know. Each variety will be fermented separatly and may be blended to produce the final product, available next year. Its not raining yet but may do so later, onwards to pick the KB!