A Shropshire Lad II: Loveliest of trees, the cherry now, by A.E.Housman

It came as quite a palpable shock last November, when I was compiling the 2025 Harvest Reports for Cider Review, to hear that Martin Berkley of Pilton Cider was not participating in harvest of that year. He was starting the process of winding things up with his cidermaking business, and one of the best ways to do this was not to re-fill empty tanks with a load more liquid from 2025. Thus far, I’ve only managed one full review of Pilton drinks here on Cider Review, in all honesty I thought I’d have quite a bit more time to write a fair number more reviews…When a producer steps away (or passes away) from the small, social scene, that is cider and perry making in the UK, we the consumer are left both poorer and richer. Poorer in the mournful sense of not being able to interact with that cidermaker again over a chat, an email, or some kind of adventure; my heart feels this way with the loss of Little Pomona’s Susanna Forbes in 2024 – I’m sure a lot of you feel this way too. Richer though, in the grateful, privileged sense of being inspired by some of the magic, the sage advice, the delicious drinks that a producer like Susanna was able to conjure up and share with us all. Somewhere on that scale of loss I’d place the retiring of Dave and Fiona Matthews, aka Bartestree Cider & Perry as well. I’d met them at my first visit to RossFest, loved their drinks, subsequently found out all their hard work researching Welsh Cider Apples and Perry Pears, had expected them to be on the scene for the next ten to twenty years – but alas, producing they are no more. The palpable shock I mentioned above is true with Pilton Cider because somehow, Martin’s drinks have just been always there with me on my journey deeper into the cider & perry scene. I had assumed they would be here for a long time hence.

There’s a pit-stop I like to do on the long drive up to the Isle of Arran from my home in Norfolk. It’s roughly halfway, distance-wise, in the Lake District town of Penrith. A lovely supermarket called Booths that only operates across an East – West dissection of Northern England, from just north of Liverpool skirting across to the fringes of suburban Leeds. It has an amazing drinks selection if you want to bring gifts north or south to friends. Its coffee and tea selection is standout in supermarket terms. The first time I stumbled upon this supermarket, there in the cider section, amongst all the other macro producers you can find anywhere in the UK, was a 750ml bottle of Pilton. A marker of quality and a discerning drinks buying team. A cider as well as a supermarket I could trust. Back down to the East of England, and 15 years in the past, in my decade living in Cambridge, Pilton was to be found on the bar of the Arts Picturehouse Cinema where I then worked, as well as the shelves of Bacchanalia, an independent bottle shop on Mill Road. Another marker of quality cider, sold in establishments you could trust. A gateway into something finer. Then there was the ever-present bottle in my regular Scrattings orders around lockdown, a bottle of Max Lux, that somehow came from the 2014 season and was still available in 2020 to purchase (see Adam’s review of this much-missed cider from August 2020). A complete, bone fide treat, and something so much more flavoursome and evocative of the seasons than anything I could source in my local Morrisons or Tesco at the time.

To understand Pilton’s gradual exit from the cider scene, and it is thankfully a gradual one as Martin is still working his way through selling off stock from previous seasons, I had a brief chat with him to glean some more information about the decision.

CR: How long has Pilton Cider been operating and what spurred the

decision to cease production?

MB: Pilton Cider started in 2010.  I have very much enjoyed my cider journey and have now moved on to new challenges.

CR: How have you seen the UK cider scene change from when you first

started producing cider till today?

MB: It is great to see many producers all working together to promote the industry.

CR: Have you a few standout moments from your cidermaking career that are safe to recall on Cider Review?

MB: Working with Tom Oliver to create Cider Salon is the achievement I am most proud of.

CR: Any advice for someone thinking of becoming a cidermaker in the UK in 2026?

MB: Work with other producers and promote the whole category, not just your own product.

CR: What do you hope to see from the craft cider movement in the years to

come?

MB: Continued growth and development.

CR: Any chance of any more Max Lux vintages being released, or was 2014 an extra special year? (the cheeky question)

MB: As it says on the bottle, “2014 was a top year” and all the stock has long since been sold.

CR: Where can cider-drinkers buy the remaining Pilton Cider stock from?

MB: There is lots of stock still available from our website and from many good retailers around the country.

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I’m glad to hear we’ll still be able to source bottles of Pilton for at least the next year or so, and very grateful to Martin for taking the time to answer my questions for this article. If the plaster had been ripped off the wound, so-to-speak, swiftly in this case, and Pilton was gone from the shelves instantly, it would have felt more of a shock. This way we all get to enjoy a bottle or two (or case) over the coming months and still support Martin financially as he winds down his remaining stock. In the communal, affectionate spirit that so many of us find regularly in the cider and perry scene, I also gathered a few friendly folk together, asking them what Pilton means to them. Here are their words.

Alison Taffs, The Hop Inn and all sorts of cider & perry-related goodness: I first came across Pilton Cider in beautiful large bottles in a market-cum-deli at the then-brand-new St Pancras International station. I had already discovered Tom Oliver’s bottles and had become accustomed to including them in wine tastings I was running- to surprise and delight people with this extraordinary and excellent cider that seemed like wine.

I spied the classy-looking label with its squiggly apple logo and nabbed four bottles for me, and for tastings. An absolute delight! Smooth, juicy with a depth of flavour and loveable sweetness that made a perfect impression for my cider impositions into wine tastings in restaurants, the National Gallery Wine Club, matched with a supper course at the RA… this was cider that was welcomed everywhere.

When we opened The Hop Inn, Martin’s output formed one of the core elements of our cider offer. There were some spectacular bottles, boxes, and kegs. One year’s very special ‘Solstice’ was spectacular…. harvested late, on the winter solstice, bottled on the spring equinox, and released on the summer solstice. People do that kind of thing more these days; they didn’t so much then. It remains one of my dessert island ciders: spice and fruit and a delightful fudge finish. Rich and super full in the mouth. Spice and citrus and almost tropical complexity. Sweet and yet not. I can still taste it.

Then there was the vibrant and delicious ‘Scarlet Sharpe’ which was the colour that the name suggested – it flew out as soon as we could get it in stock. Much of it supped by my husband, Phil, who isn’t really a cider guy, but loved Martin’s output, especially this one.

We got to visit Martin in Shepton Mallet a few years ago. He showed me around his tanks: the keeves, wine co ferments, quinces…there were a lot of the knobbly yellow fruits waiting for him to work his magic. We sold the last few bottles we had in our store at The Hop of his Tamoshanta to a guest with a regular weekend order of three bottles to take away. She was bereft. So am I.

Tom Oliver, Oliver’s Cider & Perry: Martin is very creative, always thinking outside the box, and it was thus that he trail blazed a method of bulk keeving cider using traditional methods and modern equipment. The only UK cider maker to have good volumes of keeved cider in the marketplace.

However, for me, it will always be our partnership, that enabled us to dream up and then curate the “Cider Salon” in the UK and now Europe and Canada. The Bristol Cider Salon stands as a testament to helping aspirational cider have a foothold in the modern drinks industry and Martin was instrumental and pivotal in achieving that.

His get-togethers, at his ciderworks in Shepton Mallet, for cidermakers from all over the world, on the evening before the Royal Bath and West show were legendary. I miss his imagination and input and his ciders.

Amy Chandler, Nottingham CAMRA and much more: I remember my first bottle of Pomme Pomme well. Bought as a gift from a Canadian archaeologist after we worked together on a WW2 trenches project together.  Never sure of putting anything in my apples I was pleasantly surprised.  After that I think I bought a bottle of Martin’s Star Ship at Gloucester services on my way to run 10k at Westonbirt arboretum!

Gabe Cook, The Ciderologist: I remember meeting Martin for the first time most distinctly. He spoke with a freshness, a positivity and an energy that I had seldom encountered in this cider world. In an industry where the answer is commonly ‘no we can’t’ he was loudly proclaiming ‘yes we can!’ Reimagining the keeving concept for the 21st century UK cider drinker is one thing but add in his artistry (with liquid and design) and his commitment to REALLY try and change perceptions sees him as one of the key figures of our contemporary scene. Co-founding the Bristol Cider Salon in 2018 with Tom Oliver will go down as a seminal moment in the UK cider revival, and we are desperately sad to see him go.

Gillian Hough, CAMRA Vice Chair: I can’t quite explain the pride I felt when I presented a friend with a bottle of Pilton Tamoshanta, a keeved cider that finished off its fermentation in whisky barrels. It was 2013, and I loved this 4.7% medium sweet, gently sparkling, smoky vanilla cider so much I wanted to share its wonder with someone who’d helped me. As I handed over the bottle, I remember holding it like a newborn baby and moving my hand up and down over it as I explained how it was made and emphasised just how special this cider was. At the time, there was nothing like this on sale; this was a labour of love. Martin Berkeley, the energy behind Pilton Cider, was at least a decade ahead of the market, and he went on to create some of the very best ciders in the UK, e.g. Pomme Pomme, Road Trip and Starship, to name a few. Wassail Martin, enjoy your retirement!

James Forbes, Little Pomona Cider & Perry: Martin was one of our initial inspirations as we embarked on our cider adventure. I remember coming across Pilton Cider for the first time in a garden centre food hall near Epsom about 14 years ago, a commandingly large display that included magnums and, if my memory serves me right, Jeroboams too of stylishly presented classy looking bottles. It completely shifted my view of cider.

Later we met him and worked with him on several projects, including One Juice and Three Cherries. Martin also gave me my first ever quince, kick-starting my enduring love affair with this beautiful fruit and I’m very grateful for that (see Bea’s review of a quince drink from James and two from Martin).

The world of cider will be the less for Martin’s retirement from production but what a legacy he’s left for us.

Nicky Kong, The Cat In The Glass: It’s sad to see Pilton cider gradually coming to an end. Their keeved ciders were some of the first I ever tried and they completely changed my perception of what cider could be. Back then, keeved cider wasn’t something you came across very often and Pilton’s ciders had a character all of their own – rich, rounded, naturally sweet without being cloying and always incredibly drinkable. Over the years, they’ve become a benchmark for the style and introduced countless people to keeved cider for the first time, myself included.

Martin has played a huge part in bringing keeved cider into the spotlight in the UK and while it’s a shame to see this chapter coming to a close, there’s a lot to celebrate in what he’s achieved.

Chris George, Cork & Crown, Cider Merchant: Starting a cider business sent me on a journey, both in the literal sense as I drove around the fringes of various counties, seeking out the small producers I knew must be there, somewhere, and in the spiritual sense, as I discovered individuals with a passion for cider & perry who were swimming against the tide in a market saturated with concentrated, over-fizzy, fake sweet ‘ciders’, a drink which was a shadow of what it once was but still could be given plenty of time and even more effort. Martin Berkely and Pilton Cider ticked all the boxes.

Not simply by producing top quality ciders but by employing modern marketing and imagery whilst embracing traditional techniques such as keeving (one of the first British cider makers I bought keeved cider from) but by being unafraid to experiment. One of my lasting memories of Martin is witnessing his youthful excitement as he took me to corner of his cidery and lifted the lid from a blue, plastic barrel. Spontaneously fermenting vivid red cherries bubbled and churned inside. Martin’s enthusiasm was palpable and infectious.

Here was a man who truly loved his job and helped convince me that cider was as fascinating, exciting and delicious as I believed it to be. The cider community owes an enormous debt of gratitude to individuals such as Martin and I expect I speak for many by saying thank you for your contribution to the industry of ‘real’ cider. Cheers, Martin!

Elizabeth Pimblett, Museum of Cider, Director: I do feel rather nostalgic for 2017. I’d set up a Twitter account and was fervently retweeting or posting about cider when there did not seem to be too many people doing it, and it connected me with so many cider makers outside Herefordshire. Martin Berkely and Tom Oliver were clearly leading lights in this dynamic new world and two of my best memories over the next few years are going to Pilton headquarters after a Bath and West Show to see an art exhibition and taste some truly wonderful ciders, which stimulated my developing palate. The evening atmosphere was mellow but charged: here was a place where creative ideas were changing the face of cider.  Then the first Cider Salon in Bristol which took this sense of possibility, community and indeed diversity in cider to a new level. Martin for me has always been one of the stars of the cider world, someone I’ve looked up to. And in that sunny but strange lock-down during Covid, one of the best things I tasted was his quince-infused cider, orange discs flowing across the blue label, if I recall it accurately. Because it wasn’t just the cider that Martin made a work of art, it was the labels too. I was so sad to hear he was ceasing production, as he made glorious drinks, but also for me he was one of the key creators of that golden experience I had when first coming into the world of cider. Thank you Martin for being an inspiration.

James Finch, The Cider Critic and Cider Review Co-Founder: I first met Martin at the inaugural Cider Salon in Bristol back in 2018 and will always be grateful for his and Tom’s hospitality to an unknown wannabe cider writer. Over the years since I unfortunately didn’t get the chance to meet Martin many times, but recall with fondness his Bath and West afterparty, a gracious host, and a brilliant event. I will also never forget his speech about Keeving at the first CraftCon, hugely informative and candid sharing of early failures and the amount of work and vigilance involved. I left that event with a new level of admiration for cider makers, and the skills and time involved in crafting such delicious drinks, and a fear of exploding bottles. 

So, what about Martin’s marvellous ciders? Over the years I’ve tried many, not all I have liked, his boldness and creativity I think was meant to challenge perceptions and tastes, but many I have loved. His trail blazing with fruits including Quince, Cherries, Plums, etc I think catalysed an exploration in other makers, especially those in the 750ml market. I’m pretty sure it led to James Forbes’s Quince quest. But before all that he was the original UK Keever (if that’s a word?) a method shrouded in mystery and sorcery, which Martin over time has clearly perfected.

What were my top 5? I’d have to say Pomme Pomme, Tamoshanta, Max Lux, Scarlett Sharpe and Queen of the Brue. Possibly not his most radical or recent projects, but for me Martin’s ability to find balance with unusual flavours and residual sweetness set him out as a bit of an alchemist and he certainly challenged my perceptions of what cider could be. I was very sad to hear that Martin was stopping and wish him every success in the next chapter. 

I’ll finish with a review of Pilton’s classic ‘Somerset Keeved Cider’ 2023 season. A bottle I picked up in Booths in the Lake District a while ago, a bargain at £8. (Ed. Another Booths stan!)

Appearance: cloudy amber.

On the nose: apple pie, vanilla, caramel and a side of orange juice.

On the palate: fresh pressed juice with some Tarte Tatin, toffee and vanilla biscuit. Well balanced acidity and gentle bitterness with a velvety mousse and sweet finish. Simply delicious.

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Following on from James’ review above, and in the spirit of celebrating all things Pilton in this article, I thought I’d review a few readily-available bottles that you too can seek out direct from Martin or your nearest bottle shop. I bought all of these from Nicky at Cat In The Glass.

Pilton, Mr Brown – review

How I served: A day in the fridge and then 30 mins out at room temperature.

Appearance: Burnt golden hue, one of those honeys where the bees have been feasting on heather, gentle effervescence with a persistent thin mousse around the rim of the glass. Very good clarity.

On the nose: Smells just like a French keeved cidre with a bit more of a bittersharp blend at play. Good ol’ Browns bringing the playful acidity to the table (we’re not talking Bramley levels of malic acid here at all). There’s a nutmeg and allspice aroma as the cider warms in the glass. What a lovely scent this cider is giving off!

In the mouth: There’s a gorgeous, sensuous level of fizz to this cider, which alongside the relative sharpness of Browns, creates this fizzy whizzers sherbet sweet experience on each sip. Feels different to any Pilton I’ve had before being Sharp led with the Browns from the 2022 season, backed up by a little familiar (in Pilton terms) sweet, keeved cider. At 5% abv it sits very nicely towards the sessionable level of ciders. I agree with the refreshing tasting note on the label, would go great with fish dishes, or a pesto pasta bowl of deliciousness. There’s something Provençal Rosé in the flavour as it warms up, raspberries, subtle grape and rhubarb notes.

In a nutshell: Knock-knock!

Who’s there?

Mr Brown.

Come on in, you’re very much invited and appreciated at this cider party. Delicious!

Pilton, Somerset Keeved Cider 2024 – review

How I served: Day in the fridge and then 30 mins at room temperature. It’s been a warm Spring here in the UK and the garage is now too warm for optimal serving temps.

Appearance: Amber resin hue, no real fizz to the liquid in the glass but there is a very big bubbly mousse around the rim of the glass. Orange glowing clarity to the liquid.

On the nose: Moody, black tea (Assam or a heavy Kenyan), stewed plum, apple crumble.

In the mouth: It’s the definitive Pilton, keeved bittersweet arrival. Soft tannins, brown sugar, medium delivery, a lick of rolling tobacco and green olive. It’s all very umami and tasty. More Humphrey Bogart than Ingrid Bergman. The 2024 season this was from was a hot, scorcher of a year, and at 5% abv I’m guessing the keeving arrests that full conversion of naturally occurring sugars, leaving this unctuous, moreish cider behind for us all to enjoy. Would be fascinated to know the varieties that go into this Somerset blend.

In a nutshell: Quintessential Somerset, keeved cider. Will be hard to imagine this not appearing on the shelves every year in the UK.

Pilton, Somerset Keeved Cider 2023 – review

How I served: Day in the fridge and then 15 mins out at room temperature.

Appearance: Similar to the 2024, there’s minimal effervescence and a small mousse around the rim of the glass. The vibrancy of the orange hue is dialled down a little, slightly pastel orange, compared to its 2024 neighbour, but the clarity is still great.

On the nose: A very consistent aroma between the vintages, it’s loose leaf black tea, tobacco, and apple crumble. Perhaps a hint of freshly squeezed orange juice, a dab of marmalade, yes.

In the mouth: Upfront it’s that soft, sweet, keeved note that we’ve all come to love with Pilton’s core range output. But I think the cooler, wetter 2023 vintage is expressing itself here a bit more prominently with a certain level of soft astringency on each sip, easy going tannins too. 4.3% abv shows the average sugar content of the juice was a bit down that year too. Whether the blend of apple varieties is different here, or it’s the climate conditions at play, 2023 feels a different beast to 2024. It could be there’s a few more bittersharps in this blend? It’s always a rewarding experience to put core range releases of differing vintages side by side (see Raison D’Etre reviews FYI) to observe the ebb and flow that the changing years brings.

In a nutshell: A more complex delivery of Pilton’s annual Somerset keeved cider range. Well worth seeking out if any bottles are surviving on indie bottleshop shelves near you.

Pilton, Stray Dog Cafe – review

How I served: A day in the fridge, 20 minutes out in the sitting room.

Appearance: Rosey orange hue, near-still presentation, no mousse, great clarity. Could fool folk for looking like an Aperol Spritz in the glass.

On the nose: Raspberry leaf, redcurrant, apple and raisins, well it’s apple strudel when I think about it. Something of the aroma you get from standing under Poplar trees when they’re in full leaf.

In the mouth: Raspberry tipple gelato, vanilla pod, apple tea. Soft tannins, something bittersharp at play again I’d hazard. 5% abv from the 2022 season, that year we broke the 40•c heat barrier in summertime, the hottest since 1884. The sensation, or relatability towards another cider offering here is of a mulled cider that’s been allowed to cool down and develop a sparkle again. Allspice and pink sherbet. Not sure of the barrel influence that is mentioned on the label. Long finish with gentle astringency.

In a nutshell: A spritzy, spiced, minerally keeved cider from Pilton, quite unlike the rest of their range.

Pilton, Tamoshanta 2022 – review

How I served: A day in the fridge and then 15 minutes in the sitting room.

Appearance: Burnt gold, that lovely bit on the top of a crème brûlée where the blow torch has really worked well. Moderate effervescence with a strong mousse that covers the top of all the liquid in the glass for a good minute. Whisper of a haze to the liquid.

On the nose: A fundamentally exquisite aroma of sherry barrels, dunnage warehouses, autumn in the orchard, apple and raspberry crumble, rolling tobacco. It’s everything I look for in a cider and must have been one of the first bottles I tried that had this combination at play – love at first whiff!

In the mouth: This is what keeved cider can be and do in the glass! It’s Bonfire Night wrapped up alongside a naturally sweet apple juice-forward cider. Something lovely a savoury beneath that sweetness too, smoky bacon meets apple sauce. 5.9% abv is an approachable strength for newcomers and wizened cider drinkers alike. Super soft stringency after drinking. Medium finish, 30 seconds after each sip and it’s still leaving its mark on my olfactory senses and taste buds. It’s one of my favourite all-time ciders and I’ll be sad to not see this appearing on the shelves every year.

In a nutshell: One of the standout barrel-aged, keeved ciders on the market. A gateway into what cider can be and do.

Pilton Star Ship – review

Keeved cider with fermented blackcurrants, greengages, gooseberries, redcurrants, whitecurrants, and cherries.

How I served: Day in the fridge and then served straight away.

Appearance: Completely different to anything I tried recently, it’s milky, with a red blush. Light effervescence with a small mousse around the glass.

On the nose: It’s all sorts of currant and berry wafts coming up out of the glass, clean, and assault on the senses. There’s a note of Tokaji and Pineau des Charantes as the drink warms.

In the mouth: A wild, bombastic, technicolour kind of drink. I just don’t know what I can’t pick out specifically as there’s so much going on. One minute you think you’re catching cherries, the next, an austere greengage note cascades over your tongue. At 5.5% abv, it’s approachable and friendly, with a perception of residual sweetness there underneath the mild acidity. One thing is for certain; you have never tried a co-ferment like this before!

In a nutshell: An Um Bongo-meets-Haribo Tangfastics, co-ferment cornucopia of a concoction. Shows what you can really get up to with a made wine fermentation licence!

Pilton, In Touch 4 – review

A blend of naturally sweet keeved ciders, in contact with Pinot noir and Bacchus grape skins

How I served: Day in the fridge then 15 mins out in the sitting room.

Appearance: Mellow purple hue, light effervescence and a diligent mousse around the rim of the glass. Good clarity through that red wine-like colouring.

On the nose: The most ostentatious snakebite (cider + blackcurrant cordial) you’ll ever have the pleasure of whiffing. Blackcurrant, cherries and tobacco aromas waft up out of the glass.

In the mouth: An initial prickle and fizz of acidity from the grape gives way to a rich, deep, red wine spritz delivery, alongside an autumnal appetiser delivery. This is from the 2023 season, and at 4.5% abv is reflecting the damp, overcast conditions that harvest was known for. Stewed plum and a bit of cherry brandy on the finish. This is a medium sweet drink that is just the perfect sipper for warmer times of the year.

In a nutshell: A co-ferment of apple and grape skin you can lose yourself in. Pinks, reds, and purples galore to delight your olfactory senses!

Conclusion

John Lennon sung “You don’t know what you’ve got, until you lose it” on his 1974 album Walls & Bridges. It’s worth being reminded of that sentiment from time to time. Not to take for granted the people or the places or the drinks we think will always be readily accessible to us in our time on this planet. I hope that the musings presented in this article go some way to showing Martin how appreciated he is, just how catalytic and sculptural he has been to the UK and global cider scene over the last 16 years, and what an influence his style and presentation of drinks are at Pilton to all who have followed since. What will Bonfire Night be without a bottle of his Tamoshanta perched precariously on a rickety side table beside the blazing fire for me and my Dad? How will pitstops in Penrith Booths be when his bottles no longer grace their shelves? And who will I turn to on a near annual basis and ask: “Is Max Lux coming back again for another vintage?”

Whilst production may have wrapped at Pilton Cider, Martin evidently still has a good deal of stock to sell to us all. Next time you’re popping into an independent bottle shop, or logging in online to a reputable shop, perhaps you’ll pop a bottle or two of Pilton Cider in your basket and quietly relish the joy and satisfaction that you still live in a time where this is a possibility. As the coming months and years progress, like many makers before him, Martin’s cider will get harder and harder to source. It will sit aside the Bartistraws, the Minchews, the Chapel Siders -I still quietly hope new bottles from these makers will make an appearance in years to come. But for now, you live in the times of Cider Salons, crazy co-ferments, quince delights, keeved barrel-aged ciders, all with a sprinkling of magic from Mr Martin Berkely.  The sun may well be slowly setting, but why not watch it descend gracefully below the horizon with something gorgeous from Pilton Cider?