The Best Brands of Sustainable Vegan Cider
Cider is simply made from fermented apple or pear juice, but some brands filter through isinglass (fish bladder), gelatine (bones) or casein (milk). There are better brands on the market.
Dunkertons Organic Cider has been making cider for nearly 40 years using traditional skills. The fruit is pressed and fermented for up to a year, using apples from Gloucestershire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire. The range includes sweet and fresh ciders, Perry (made with pears) and canned and draught ciders.
For cans, always pop the ring-pulls back over the can, to stop wildlife getting trapped, before recycling. Never buy brands wrapped in plastic (these trap wildlife). If you see littered ones, rip up the holes and securely bin.
Dunkertons Organic Breakwells Seedling Cider is made with the historic apple, which first was discovered over 100 years ago in Monmouth. These small colourful apples give a lovely bitter-sharp flavour ideal for making cider. Ideal for summer evenings.
Vegan Cider from Two Herefordshire Farmers
Two Farmers Cider is a fruity cider made from locally-harvested strawberries, raspberries and blackcurrant, plus there is a no-alcohol version. Lovely to enjoy with tins of salt and vinegar crisps.
Bignose & Beardy (Sussex cider from waste apples)
If you’ve not yet tried Big Nose & Beardy, you’re missing out on one of Sussex’s most exciting drinks. This local cider company turns waste apples into a refreshing and ethical brew that’s winning fans across the country.
From quirky flavours to real environmental impact, Bignose & Beardy cider stands in a league of its own. Here’s why this Sussex cider deserves your attention.
Made from waste apples at a solar brewery, these crisp ciders have strong floral notes. Everything is fermented slowly, so there’s no need for bone char or fish bladder to quicken the process.
This brand was started by two men who both had good jobs in London, and decided to move to the Sussex countryside.
There the ‘out of control hobby’ of making cider has now become a successful business. They’ve even bought a local orchard, to help store local food in the community.
You can buy mixed packs and taster gifts, and even big boxes of cider with taps (ideal for parties and weddings, once popped, the cider lasts for a few weeks) and mulling kits.
Bignose & Beardy uses apples that would otherwise end up as waste. They collect unwanted fruit from orchards, gardens and even abandoned trees around Sussex, giving new life to apples that others ignore.
Most of the apples come from around Sussex, and locals are often paid for what would otherwise rot on the ground. Bignose & Beardy supports apple growers and garden owners, bringing new income into the area.
It also helps keep old orchards alive, which is great for wildlife and the local landscape.
