Mission Statement

Transmission Incoming ….

Scotland is seeing an unprecedented increase in the number of cider makers and the quality of the cider made within its borders. It feels as if every day another orchard is being planted, another cider maker born, and more respect and intrigue for cider is flowing into the now saccharine apple-soaked veins of the public.

Now more than ever there is an immense amount of energy behind cider in Scotland, and the country is finding its feet as this new culture matures. I am a firm believer that if this new tradition of cider making is to continue to thrive and stand the test of time, it will be done through innovation, collaboration and sustainable practice. 

That is why I am launching the bulletin, not as a place to say what Scottish cider is or isn’t ,but as a place for conversation and community to flourish, and for an identity to be realised through these collaborative conversations. By being a centrepoint for talk I hope that cider makers and cider enthusiasts alike can find things to agree and even disagree on when it comes to the big question of what Scottish Cider will be?.

I hope in future to invite others to write articles and host events with the bulletin, so that a broad and resoundingly inclusive voice will reverberate from this project .A goal of the bulletin is that it will never become a repetitive sprawl of my own semi consciousness. The bulletin must stand to be an open space for ideas and a range of voices. 

There are a number of issues facing cider in Scotland,  from the minutiae of tax laws, to the representation of independent cideries, and the improvements needed for an efficient route-to-market for cider drinkers. By working together on these problems we can ensure that we will overcome them with equal measures of representation and interest, whilst continuously  evolving to face any challenges that may arise.

So what next? You should expect to see a broad range of articles from the bulletin. We hope to bring you news updates from the cidersphere, interviews with Scottish makers, product reviews of new releases, the odd soapbox piece on the state of play. One day we aim to bring you “experiments in cider making”, where we look at new and old techniques from around the world and explain what they could mean in the context of Scottish Cider. 

As well as articles, we want to bring a range of tools for the cider enthusiast including our cider map of Scotland which contains all the cider makers/orchards we’ve uncovered so far, along with the best places to find quality cider in the country. We will bring you updates on cider events in Scotland and its proximity, and perhaps one day – our own tastings and competitions.

In summary, we are aiming to give Scottish cider a voice.

If all this sounds good, or even bad to you, please get in touch and get involved. You can contact us at contact@scottishcider.org. Upcoming articles will include interviews with a new Scottish calvados/brandy maker and updates from Scotland’s newest dedicated cider room. 

Over and out.

Transmission over……

Written by

Tommy Newbold

Founder at The Scottish Cider Bulletin

Editorial by

Ivana Ilieva

Editor at The Scottish Cider Bulletin