Published: Thursday, 16th April, 2009 7:30am

Sweet taste of cider success

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A PIONEERING duo from Dunbar aim to take a large bite out of the lucrative British cider market by becoming the sole commercial producers of the drink in Scotland.

Developed at Belhaven Fruit Farm, Thistly Cross cider is made exclusively from Scottish apples.

Farm owner Ian Rennie and his partner Peter Stuart have been successfully trading their cider - an East Lothian variation of the traditional English West Country beveridge - for the last two months.

Scotland has the second biggest level of cider consumption in the UK but, until recently, there was no commercial cider production north of Hadrian"s Wall.

But these trailblazing county cider makers, who have already sold more than 1,000 litres at Scottish farmers" markets, habour ambitions of expanding their sales base across the UK.

'It"s been very popular - a real crowd pleaser,' said co-founder Peter Stuart, who honed his cidermaking talents with industry-leader Peter Mitchell in Hereford.

'We have been selling traditional Scottish cider in three-litre boxes but we plan to bottle the product with a year-long sell by date in the coming weeks.'

Produced using traditional farmhouse methods, Thistly Cross Cider has a high fruit and juice content but the 7.2 per cent alcohol volume content provides a strong kick. Once suitably packaged, the aim is to lightly carbonate the cider and then attract UK distributors.

Thistly Cross" first batch was produced using conventional fermentation processes but the creative partnership behind the brand plan to expand their range and imbue the drink with some distinctly Scottish flavours.

'In a year from now we could have five different casks of cider including strawberry, blackberry and apple,' said Peter.

'But we want to make a truly Scottish cider - made exclusively from Scottish apples and maturing in whisky casks rather than the traditional rum barrels.'

And he added: 'Making this cider is a mixture of traditions - the best of British with something that is uniquely Scottish.'

Most of the apples harvested for the cider were collected from Thistly Cross" very own orchard in South Belton, owned by Ian Rennie, but the duo intend to source apples from other Scottish orchards.

Simon Russell, a spokesman for the National Association of Cider Makers confirmed Thistly Cross" status as the only commercial Scottish cider producer on the market.

And he added that, from these humble beginnings, Thistly Cross could grow exponetially.

'Scotland is under-represented in the cider market but its cider production could grow as it did in Wales five of six years ago,' said Mr Russell.

'Today in Wales, it"s absolutely flying with between 25 and 30 commercial cider producers.

'It is also doing alot for the reintroduction of native apples.'

Cider drinkers can sample the local blend at Thistly Cross Beer Festival and Country Fair being held on May 1 and 2 at Belhaven Fruit Farm.