Our Story
It all starts with apples. Kentish Pip is based at Woolton Farm near Canterbury, where the Mount Family has been growing apples for four generations.
Our products are a window into the lifestyle and ethos of our family business: working with nature and never satisfied to settle for second best.
Our Farm
Founded by Herbert Mount over 100 years ago growing fruit and vegetables. Now diversified into a thriving mixed crop farm, business hub and drinks business.
We produce Kentish Pip cider and our own wines from our small vineyard.
Starting Out
Kentish Pip started out in 2012 by Mark Mount, who milled and pressed the apples by hand in his garden.
Working with his wife Rosie they developed the original range from extensive trials and old family recipes, such as hedgerow jelly and elderflower cordial.
An early run of awards and growing sales set the business on its way.
Evolution
Kentish Pip has come a long way since the early days but the journey is far from over.
Too many people still think of cider in negative terms and it is our mission to shine a light on the potential of this mysterious and wonderful drink.
Our cider is now available as far away as Hong Kong and produced in cans, bottles, kegs and bag in boxes.
We are an M&S approved producer with SALSA accreditation since 2017.
Our core range includes six different ciders and we have a special range with very small batches of limited editions released throughout the year.
Our Approach to Craft Cider
We are obsessed with flavour and quality and our goal is to combine the best ingredients with innovation, style and a pinch of tradition to produce the next generation of Great British Cider.
The Best Ingredients
Kent is historically known for growing dessert and culinary apples (eating and cooking) just like we do at Woolton Farm.
In 2014 Mark planted four new orchards with a selection of nine heritage cider apple varieties. These varieties bring the bitterness and astringency familiar to traditional craft cider drinkers.
We source dessert and culinary apples from our own farm and a handful of trusted local growers in Kent and Sussex. In combination with our unique range of heritage cider apples this is the first stage in creating our distinctive style.
Needless to say we only ever use 100% fresh apples and pears.
Never made from concentrate.
Pressing and Fermentation
All production takes place at Woolton Farm. We press the fruit in its optimum condition and ferment largely in single varieties.
Through many trials we have paired the specific yeast strains with different varieties to maximise our desired outcomes.
For us it's about promoting the individual character of each variety.
We only ever ferment the natural sugars in the fruit.
We don't chaptalise any of our products.
Maturation (Ageing)
Great cider takes time, especially when tannin is involved.
Our fresh, fruit forward ciders can be ready within a few months of pressing, where others require 24+ months maturation before they are in optimum condition.
During maturation the activity takes place on a microscopic level, with the molecular structure of different compounds evolving and the taste and aromatics of the cider changing at the same time.
The only real way to tell when the cider is ready is to taste, taste and taste again.
Blending
Blending is the art and science of creating the finished product from the base ingredients.
The styles of our ciders are distinguished by the apple varieties used. We combine culinary apples, dessert apples and heritage cider apples.
Our house style is fresh and fruit forward with most ciders falling into the distinction medium dry.
There are of course exceptions to this like Dappler, a dry wild fermented cider or view our special editions.
All our products, including flavoured ciders, contain between 75 and 100% apple juice.
Packaging
Once the final blend is signed off we package the cider into cans, kegs, bottles and bag in boxes for still cider.
In order for the ciders keep in their prime condition once packed we either pasteurise the products or micro filter them to remove any live yeast.
