CIDER making newcomers have scooped up a host of prizes after their first ever step into cider making.

Shed cider launched just one year ago and has already been awarded Gold in the cider newcomers category at the Bath and West Cider championships. Roger Blake of Bromham cider farm was a builder in London for over 20, years but in 1997 built his own house in Bromham, and has been making small amounts of cider for the last six years.

Now he uses the fruit from his 2.5acres of adjoining land and believes Shed Cider has the quality to grow from strength to strength.

He said: “We have planted 20 different types of cider apple and perry pear trees in our adjoining 2.5 acre field and utilise existing agricultural buildings to store apples and make the cider and apple juice. Neighbours and other local people kindly allow us to pick their apples and, until our orchard matures, we will have to buy in cider apples from Somerset in order to make our preferred west country style cider.

“We are proud of our oak framed hydraulic press which was completed last year by a very skilled neighbour, Charles Bentley, using a fallen oak from nearby Roundway Hill.

“Two years ago I successfully completed Peter Mitchell’s cider making and processing course at Harptree in Gloucester which has proven to be invaluable.

“Our aim is to produce and sell good quality traditional craft cider in small batches using our own cider apples to local people and commercial outlets.”

Poulshot Farm shop and Rowde local shop are currently selling Shed Cider's 75cl Real Wiltshire Apple Juice.