Hopefully you found this page by scanning the QR code on a bottle of our Small Batch Apple Juice, but if not, you're definitely missing out on indulging in this information. As you've probably picked up by now, we're massive nerds about our ingredients and love learning more and more about each of the elements that makes up our drinks. Here we wanted to give you a little more insight into the production of our apple juice and also tell you a bit about the apple varieties that went into each batch of our juice.
WHERE DO OUR APPLES COME FROM?
There’s a lot of talk these days about “real ingredients”, “farm to table”, and “natural produce”. For us, it’s never really been a marketing line, it’s simply how we’ve always believed drinks should be made. At the heart of our apple juice are proper British apples. Crisp, seasonal fruit with character, grown slowly by nature.
Whilst we don’t own orchards ourselves, we’re lucky to work with some fantastic growers across Essex and Kent, two counties with a long and proud fruit-growing heritage. By working closely with local farms, we’re able to source apples when they’re tasting their best, keep food miles lower, and support the growers who know their craft far better than we ever could.Every harvest is slightly different. Weather, sunshine, rainfall, and variety all play their part. That means each pressing has its own subtle personality, just as real fruit should. So, what actually happens once the apples arrive with us?
Here's how we turn fresh apples into bottles of juice
1. Collecting the Apples
We collect fresh apples directly from our partner farms, often not long after they’ve been picked.This matters more than people might think. The fresher the fruit, the brighter the flavour. Apples stored too long can lose their natural vibrancy, so we always prefer to work with fruit as close to harvest as possible.Depending on the season, we may use different varieties, each bringing their own balance of sweetness, acidity, aroma, and texture.
2. Washing
Before pressing, every apple is thoroughly washed.
It’s a simple step, but an important one. Apples arrive straight from the farm, often with traces of soil, leaves, and the outdoors still clinging to them. A proper wash ensures only clean fruit goes into the press.
3. Milling
Once clean, the apples are milled into small pieces.Think of this as preparing the fruit for pressing. Breaking the apples down into a fine pomace increases surface area and helps release as much juice as possible in the next stage.
4. Pressing
This is where the magic happens.The milled apples are loaded into the press, where pressure is applied to gently extract the juice. Out flows fresh, cloudy apple juice — fragrant, vibrant, and tasting exactly as it should.No concentrate. No reconstitution. No shortcuts.Just juice, straight from the fruit.
5. Filtering
Once pressed, the juice is filtered into our collection tank.This helps remove larger solids while keeping plenty of the body and flavour intact. We’re not trying to strip the juice of character, just refining it enough to make a beautifully drinkable final product.
6. Bottling
We hand-fill and cap every bottle ourselves.Being hands-on allows us to keep a close eye on quality and consistency. Every bottle that leaves us has passed through our hands, which is something we’re rather proud of.Small batch means exactly that.
7. Pasteurising
Each bottle is then gently pasteurised.This careful heat treatment helps preserve freshness and gives the juice a longer shelf life, while maintaining as much flavour as possible.
8. Labelling & Sending Out
Finally, every bottle is labelled, batch coded, dated, packed, and sent out for you to enjoy.Whether it’s heading to a local café, independent shop, or straight to someone’s front door, this is always our favourite part of the process.
WHAT ARE YOU SIPP'N?
The apple juice varieties we offer will change each season, as we use wonky and surplus apples from local farmers. Each year brings a different harvest, so availability depends on what’s grown. While staples like our Cox apple juice will always be around, other varieties will come and go each year.
Below is a list of our award-winning varieties, along with other apple juices we've offered over the years.
