Little Pomona - From Bud To Bottle
Working with its home orchard and some of the most talented orchardists in its environs, Little Pomona crafts ciders and perries and other fermented beverages that speak of the land, that taste of the harvest, that illustrate the wonderful cidermaking heritage the region is built on, and that look to the future.
First launched onto the market in 2017, Susanna and James Forbes' story started a few years earlier, when they found their dream orchard in Thornbury, North Herefordshire: 120 trees with four classic cider apple varieties. Inspired by the tastes and vision of notable producers, their quest was to work with the best possible fruit using natural methods to fashion ciders and perries with true flavours. Ciders with the character and structure to match with food. Ciders to enjoy, to share and to celebrate with.
Little Pomona was the first to create dry, keg-conditioned cider on a commercial basis, and its Root & Branch instantly won fans. The future will see more dry kegged ciders alongside a fascinating barrel fermentation and maturation programme.
Moving into its new home on Brook House Farm just south of Bromyard just before harvest 2019, the Tasting Room and Cider Garden opened through 2020 and 2021.
Aided and abetted between the 2019 and 2021 harvest by talented Canadian, Blair Côté, the team continued to adopt a progressive and experimental approach to the fermentation of fruit.
In 2022, we were lucky enough to be joined by Laurence Cocking, super-qualified winemaker (formerly with premium Kent winery, Gusbourne) who has fallen in love with the apple, and the creations – and creativity that is possible.
Add to that the warm welcome, seamless efficiency and ever-enquiring foodie mind of Edina Cseterki in the Tasting Room and Cidery, and you have our full team.
Lucky enough to have the support of some wonderful friends, family, customers and advocates, together we have shared experiences, learned more, and enjoyed exploring further the possibilities offered by the amazing fruit in the region.
Thrilled to be named the 2019 Cider Producer of the Year by the Hereford Times, always the vision has been to share this journey, in particular via our Cider House, complete with Tasting Room and Cider Garden.
More recently, in 2022 we were delighted to be a finalist in the Best Drinks Producer category of the BBC Food & Farming Awards. A wonderful compliment which we were truly humbled by. Here you can see us enjoying the Awards evening, aided and abetted by our 2023 harvest intern, Sean Lord.
Nestling between the apples and the hops on Brook House Farm, come and visit for your own Little Pomona experience. Sign up for our newsletter, follow us on social media, and join the Little Pomona Club for exclusive offers on special releases and a chance to join us for harvest.
📷 initial team photo: with thanks to Pete Niedzielski @apartphotography