Having seen the feature in the June 2005 issue of ALE, regarding the possible sale of Cassels, Sinclair Stevenson contacted Jim and Lucy Cassels. After some discussions and a bit of wrangling a deal was agreed and the keys to the business handed over in September 2005. The aim of the new owner is to continue to produce natural, dry ciders from unsprayed English apples without additives or chemical processing and to maintain the excellent reputation of the ciders built up in the past decade. There are plans to increase the production for 2007 and to introduce more named variety ciders. It is hoped that Cassels can extend the pressing season by sourcing early and late fruiting varieties of cider apples. This will avoid any possibility of stock running out during the winter months.

Since taking over the business Sinclair has worked closely with Jim to learn the intricacies of cider making, from apple selection to gathering, crushing, pressing and fermenting the apples. Cider apples are bought from local orchards around Cambridge and from small growers in the West Country. For Cassels Stock Cider, these are blended with a proportion of cookers and dessert apples to make a consistent naturally dry cider. For the popular single variety ciders, specific cider apples are processed and fermented separately. This season Cassels will have Dabinett, Yarlington Mill, Dabinett/Stoke Red named blend and Knotted Kernel, a new variety to the Company.

There has been a sharp learning curve for Sinclair but he has been ably supported and advised by Jim over the past months and owes a debt of gratitude to him for his hard work. The future of Cassels Cider looks to be in good shape.

Cassels Ciders will be available at the CAMRA Beer Festivals in Cambridge and other local branches in East Anglia, as well as the usual outlets in and around Cambridge.

To learn more about Cassels Ciders check out the following web site www.casselscider.co.uk or www.unsprayedenglishapples.co.uk