Process & Poured Perfection

The Hitchcox Handbook

Our approach

At Hitchcox, we believe that great cider starts with a hands-on approach. Our process is a bit of a throwback: we use a vintage 1971 Butcher cloth press to give our cider that rich, hands-on touch. This traditional method allows us to extract the purest juice, capturing the full character and complexity of each apple.

Our commitment to traditional methods doesn’t mean we’re stuck in the past. We blend time-honoured techniques with a dash of modern innovation to create ciders that are both authentic and exciting. From orchard to glass, every step is handled with care, ensuring that each sip delivers the quality and flavor that Hitchcox Cider is known for.​

So, when you raise a glass of our cider, you’re not just tasting the fruits of our labour—you’re experiencing a piece of our heritage, pressed and poured with passion. Cheers!​

The Process

Get ready to witness the glorious transformation — from humble apple juice to something far more spirited (literally).

Once we’ve lovingly pressed every last drop of juice from our apples, it’s time to let nature do its thing. That golden liquid heads into fermentation tanks — or, if we’re feeling fancy, into whiskey barrels that add a bold, oaky twist. Either way, things are about to get interesting.

Enter yeast: those tiny, sugar-hungry legends. Some arrive naturally on the apples, others we hand-pick for the job — but all of them roll up their sleeves and get stuck in. They munch through the sugars, working their alchemy to turn juice into booze (cheers for that).

And let’s not forget the bubbles. As the yeast works its magic, it releases a cheeky bit of carbon dioxide. Sometimes we let it fizz off into the wild, other times we trap it to give our cider that signature sparkle.

Fermentation is where the real personality kicks in — and trust us, we let our cider take its sweet time. No rushing, no corner-cutting, just honest craft with a twist of mischief.