Meet our drinks producers
Mid Devon has a number of quality award winning drinks producers specialising in juice, cider, ales and wine. Below is a sample of what we have on offer in Mid Devon and the experiences you can have when visiting our breweries and vineyards.
Get to know our producers and read about their stories here:
Meet Libby and Kevin at Exe Valley Brewery
What can you tell us about the brewery?
Exe Valley Brewery was founded in 1984, in a converted dairy barn, nestled at the top of Silverton village with views looking across the Exe Valley and beautiful county of Devon.
In November 2020, we purchased the brewery and despite the pandemic, our passion for the potential of local produce gave us hope that the brewery could not only survive, but become a beacon of excellent beer and community spirit.
With twenty years of experience in the drinks industry between us, including being a cocktail bartender in one of the world’s best bars, we have a love for developing delicious drinks and continue to do so with the help of our very talented brewer, James.
At Exe Valley, we produce a range of traditional ales using historic brewery recipes, many of which have won awards throughout the years.
Which is your favourite beer that you produce?
I would say our favourite beer is Dob’s Best Bitter – it’s been made by the brewery for decades and is a classic traditional bitter that is a fan favourite with our customers. It is named after a conversation with a local pub in the village where we are based, who when they discussed “dry hopped” bitter became condensed into “Dob’s” bitter and that became the name, which I love and represents the connection with our community which is really important to us.
Where can visitors enjoy Exe Valley Ales in Mid Devon?
The brewery is open for take away and collection beer, and has seating available where you can sit and enjoy beer with the Exe Valley views. We are in the process of building a full beer garden, which we hope will be open in June 2021.
The following retailers stock our products:
- Lamb Inn, Sandford
- Redwoods Inn, Tiverton
- Grape & Grain, Crediton
- Exe Valley Farm Shop, Thorverton
- And here on site by appointment
What events can visitors look forward to this year?
We can arrange brewery tours – please call to book.
We do also host an annual Beer Day – the date is TBC until we have a clear view on when restrictions will fully be lifted.
Click here for Exe Valley Brewery’s full listing.
Meet Simon from Wellhayes Vineyard
Tell us about yourself and the wine you make?
Set in the rolling hills of Mid Devon on the edge of Exmoor, between Wiveliscombe and Bampton, Wellhayes Vineyard is a small family-run vineyard which produces quality sparkling wine on site from grapes grown in the vineyard.
The vineyard is located just outside the small village of Clayhanger and has 2,500 vines over 1 hectare on a sheltered south-facing slope. The vines consist of the classic ‘Champagne’ varieties, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, together with Reichensteiner, which is also particularly suited to making sparkling wine. The red Devonian soil over shillet is deep and free-draining, which suits the vines perfectly. Unusually, for vineyards of this size, the owners, Simon and Alison Routh, make the wine themselves on site in an old converted stone barn, the upper storey of which has been made into a Tasting Room that doubles as a concert hall.
Where can visitors sample your wine in Mid Devon?
- Corks & Cru, Bampton
- The Swan, Bampton
- And here on site by appointment!
What experiences do you offer visitors?
Visits to the vineyard take place on Wednesdays and Sundays at 3pm between May and September. Visitors have the opportunity to understand the laborious process of producing quality sparkling wine, with a visit to the winery as well as the vineyard, and to finish with a glass of the 2018 Wellhayes Sparkling Wine together with a tasting of the luxury handmade chocolates, made with Wellhayes spirit, in the Tasting Room overlooking the vineyard. Traditional cream teas are available as an optional extra, as is the opportunity to taste the brandy Wellhayes Vineyard also produ
ces.
Tours are only available (from £15pp) by appointment and places are limited. Tours can be booked online at www.wellhayesvineyard.rezgo.com/details/145530/vineyard-tou . Parking is available on site and visitors are advised to wear stout shoes for the walk through the vineyard.
We also puts on musical events through the Summer months. These are an opportunity to hear excellent performances by professional musicians of classical music in an intimate setting, as well as to enjoy a glass of Wellhayes Sparkling Wine in a convivial atmosphere! Details of this year’s concerts, as well as information on how to book tickets, can be found here www.wellhayes.uk/concerts-2021/
Click here for Wellhayes Vineyard’s full listing.
Meet Julie from Ridgeway Cider
Welcome to Ridgeway Cider in Holcombe Rogus where we traditionally-craft award-winning farmhouse cider using tried and tested methods. We press specific varieties of home grown apples in their prime and allow the natural yeasts in the apples to convert the sugar in the juice to alcohol. Once fermentation is complete the blending and samp
ling begins. There are around two hundred cider apple trees in our orchards on our farm – some over fifty years old and others planted more recently ensuring a rosy future for thirsty cider.
Where can visitors can go to taste it / purchase your cider?
- Halberton Court Farm Shop,
- The Old Well, The Strand Stores,
- Culmstock Cafe,
- Fordmore Farm Shop
Have you won any awards for your cider?
Yes, we have won Taste of the West Gold awards for Hooty Owl and Vintage Dry bottled ciders and for unpasteurised cider vinegar with the mother.
Do you hold any events or tours?
Cider tasting evenings for up to 15 people can be arranged please contact us to book your visit.
Click here for Ridgeway Cider’s full listing.
Meet Sarah from Bloomberry Juice
Bloomberry Juice is a family run business which was set up to provide fresh juice cocktails and smoothies at various events throughout the country. Within a year of starting people were asking to take home our juices, which launched the juice cocktails in glass bottles with a twist of bloom in our berry drinks. Since then, Bloomberry has produced a diverse range of drinks using local ingredients where possible. We press our own apples and freeze until required for production, enabling us to maintain freshness.
Our guiding principles are, we don’t use added sugar [only local honey in 2 products], we don’t add preservatives or any other additive, and no concentrated juices, just pressed. So our products are as natural as they can be. We collect our own floral extracts in season, fuse and freeze until required. We introduce new recipes when new fruit become available, like our Apple & Blackcurrant. We try to give those not drinking alcohol a satisfying experience whether drunk in a wine glass or high glass with ice or even with sparkling water for a more refreshing drink.
Where can visitors can go to taste / purchase Bloomberry Juice?
- Cullompton Farmer’s Market – we are there every 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month come for a free tasting in the High Street, EX15 1AA between 9.30-12.30. For more information visit: www.cullomptonfarmersmaerket.com.
- Mrs Gill’s , Market Walk, Tiverton
- Halberton Court Farm Shop
- The Bakehouse, Cullompton
Do you hold any awards for your juice?
In 2018 we were awarded best brand in Food & Drink Devon.
We have had gold awards for our Mull’dberry & Rhuberry juices plus silver awards for our Cloud Lime & Abbey Rose.
Click here for Bloomberry Juice’s full listing.
Meet Billy from Spreyton Press Cider
Spreyton Press is a Cullompton based Cider Maker using Apples Sourced from our own Orchards in Spreyton plus a few other excellent Orchards. Our Cider is made from 100% Apple juice and is handmade in Cullompton. Our mobile cider bar is also available for hire for Events and Parties.
Where can your cider be sampled?
You can buy our cider direct from us or visit Porters Bar & Grill – Cullompton, JB’s Café – Tiverton and the Spar Shop in Sampford Peverell.
Do you offer any drinks experiences?
Not at the moment…………
Click here for Spreyton Press Cider’s full listing.