With a history spanning six generations, and over 200 years, Sheppy's Cider is one of the longest established cider companies in the UK.
The Sheppy family business remains independent and produces traditional ciders with apple juice from cider apples grown in orchards on their own Three Bridges Farm or locally. Traditional standard and more modern bush orchards over 70 acres play host to visitors, while producing a harvest which creates ciders of renowned quality for the local and wider British market. Natural fermentation takes place in giant oak vats as well as modern steel tanks, and the unavoidable smell of cider enhances the visitor experience.
Old Conky cider celebrates both Sheppy’s bicentenary, history and location near the famous Somerset town of Wellington, with the great Iron Duke’s famous victory at the battle of Waterloo just over 200 years ago. He was sometimes known affectionately as “Old Conky” because of his conspicuous nose. This cider is medium-sweet and slightly sparkling and will also be available in 20 litre bag-in-box format and in 50 litre kegs for the pub trade.
A traditional farming business is run alongside cider production, and a magnificent herd of Old English Longhorn cattle can be seen in the Summer months grazing around the farm and orchards. These produce meat for sale in the farm shop and for our Cider House Tea Room and Restaurant.
All public buildings offer disabled access. We have a children’s playground and there are picnic tables outside for visitors to enjoy in the Summer.
A museum collection of old agricultural and cider-making tools, gathered over the years from local farms, is of interest to our many visitors. A video of the cider-making year at Sheppy’s takes the visitor from Winter pruning through the seasons to the apple harvest and pressing time.
Our shop contains our complete range of ciders and home-bred Old English Longhorn beef as well as a wide selection of locally produced food and drink. Visitors are encouraged to enjoy a taste of cider or apple juice before buying. Sheppy’s range of ciders includes a selection of single varieties, organic cider, vintage cider and Somerset’s famous Scrumpy.
Our Cider House Tea Room and Restaurant (Closed from April 4th for major redevelopment) offers delicious home-made seasonal meals as well as cakes and light refreshments, all made from our own and locally sourced ingredients, as well as our ciders, of course. We can cater for all dietary requirements. The room is also available for evening or weekend bookings at times when the restaurant is closed to the public.
We offer two types of visit:
Fully guided tours during the Summer (May to end of October) can be booked in advance (minimum notice 14 days) for parties of any size. The tour includes a walk to the orchards, a visit to the press room and a vat house, a tour of the museum followed by a fully guided cider tasting. A meal can be provided for the group and menu choices are available. Guided tours take approximately two hours.
Unguided visits are more casual. We like to know if a group is coming, but visits can take place at any time during opening hours. For a very modest fee, visitors can see the museum and enjoy a cider tasting in the shop. Visitors are always encouraged to enjoy a walk in the beautiful orchards, and perhaps end their visit with a treat and a cup of tea from the tea room.
Apple pressing takes place in October and November when the harvest comes in, and this is an excellent time to visit. It is a busy time on the farm and visitors can see apples being delivered to the holding bays followed by pressing itself. At this time the farm is filled with the scent of apples and the yeasty smell of early fermentation taking place in the dark vat houses.