THE LOWDOWN

Sitting as we do in the Garden of England, surrounded by glorious apple orchards, it’s no surprise we Kent folk love our cider. And there’s a LOT to love about Turners Cider – who have just celebrated their 10 year anniversary – a family business based in the village of Marden, in the Weald of Kent –  whose range includes flavours like Apple Pie, Elderflower, Pear and Rhubarb, each with its own unique crisp and fresh taste.

May and Phil Turner, the husband and wife team behind the award-winning brand, create their range of craft ciders in the ‘Eastern counties’ style: that means entirely from only ‘Eating’ and  ‘Cooking’ apples. Each type of apple involved in the process has been carefully selected for its flavour, which is why they use so many traditional varieties such as Cox, Worcester, Bramley and Russet.

THE STORY

Over 10 glorious years May and Phil have turned what started out as a hobby into a thriving, award-winning business (Turner’s Cider won Best Local Food & Drink Producer in Kent, in the 2023 Muddy Stilettos Awards, as voted by you). From its origins in the garden shed – starting at 50 litres and now producing 80-100,000 litres of cider annually – they put their success down to the authentic taste and natural ingredients.

The craft ciders are made from 100% juice, with no concentrate, nothing artificial and some products (like the ingredients for the Apple Pie Cider) are actually handmade by May in the family kitchen. The result is a range of clean, light and refreshing ciders with a balance of sweetness and acidity. They’re perfect for summer drinking, for thirst-quenching, as an aperitif and with many types of food.

OTHER DRINKS YOU’LL LOVE

Now that Turners have built such a strong reputation for their artisan apple ciders they are harnessing the spirit of Kentish apples to create other high-end drinks, all distilled in small batches here in our fair county. This includes their Traditional (Champagne) Method Turners Fine Cider – it’s like a luxury, famous sparkling wine but made with apples instead of grapes. Plus, at £20 a pop, (all puns intended) easier on the purse strings too. It’s our go-to for when we want to give someone a gift that’s both a bit different and also supports local.

And for the G & T lovers out there – we can highly recommend their most recent launch – a lip-smackingly good London dry gin. May and Phil used apple cider as one of the botanicals and the result is a spectacular Apple Gin, with a stunning aroma and fresh fruit taste. Why did no one think of doing this before?! It’s perfect served on ice with a slice of apple, with a premium tonic water or in a Turners Gin Appletini. Make ours a double.