Exclusive tour of Dowding's Apple Juice and Cider - June 2025

Touring an English orchard, sampling the wares and tucking into a cheese ploughman’s lunch – Somerset Chamber members can enjoy all this and more on our June tour of Dowding’s Apple Juice and Cider.
 
The award-winning champion cider and apple juice producer is inviting Somerset Chamber members to visit their organic orchards and farm before sampling their produce over a light lunch.

The artisan apple juice and cider maker, which is based near Wincanton, currently holds top awards from Taste of the West, the Somerset Cider Championships and the National Fruit Show. 
 
Run by Oliver Dowding, who was born into a farming family in the nearby village of Shepton Montague, the orchards are part of a wider arable farm that has been certified organic by the Soil Association for over 30 years.
 
By managing the land organically, local flora and fauna thrives – the farm even relies on owls to provide natural pest control!
 
 
All of Dowding’s apples are harvested by hand, improving quality control and providing employment for local people. Their drinks are pressed in small batches and most are bottled, pasteurised and labelled in their on-site production unit.
 
Members will be able to tour the orchard and production unit and learn more about their organic methods – and many awards!
 
This will be followed by apple juice and cider tasting with a cheese ploughman’s lunch and the opportunity to buy many of the award-winning drinks. There will also be an opportunity to network with other attendees.
 
Current awards include:

• Winner of the Traditional Cider Category at the National Fruit Show for sweet still cider
• Champion Cold Drink from Taste of the West for Kingston Black single variety apple juice and Gold awards for blended variety apple juice, dry, medium and sweet still ciders, dry and medium sparkling ciders, Somerset Breakfast Cider and apple cider vinegar
• 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

 
In the event of wet weather lunch will be served in the Apple HQ barn or outside in the sunshine if the weather is good. Parking will be available in an adjacent field which is accessible even if wet.

If you have any dietary requirements or allergies, please notify us when booking.

Bookings for this event will close 4pm on June 11. Please note, refunds cannot be made in the event of cancellation after bookings have closed.

Somerset Chamber of Commerce is operating a cancellation policy in line with our terms and conditions which can be found here: https://www.somerset-chamber.co.uk/terms-conditions