Tutts Clump cider wins award but heatwave threatens 2022 apples

Judges gave one gold star to the Tutts Clumper, which is a whopping 8.5 per cent; the maximum alcohol level before a beverage becomes classed as a wine.

Tim Wale, from Bradfield just outside of Reading, has been winning awards since her started Tutts Clump Cider from his kitchen table in 2006.

“I started making cider as a hobby on the kitchen table and it’s just gone from there. I never planned anything,” said the former engineer.

Credit: Tutts Clump Cider

He turned his garage Hungerford Lane, where he had been working for 30 years, into the company’s base of operations.

READ MORE: Blaze which scorched Reading fields caught on video

“We mainly use apples that would otherwise be wasted, that’s one of the reasons I started,” said Mr Wale.

“We encourage people to bring their apples to us rather than taking them up the dump.”

He continued: “We make them from real apples and not concentrate like all the commercial ones – all of them use concentrate with added water, additives and colourings – but ours are just pure apple juice and that makes a difference to the flavour.”

Tutts cider offers more than 20 different types of cider, often blending unwanted culinary apples with cider apples, which are stronger in tannin and colour.

“This particular one is a blend of each, which gives it a nice balance.”

Mr Wale said: “It’s a passion of mine. I like to everything as well as I possibly can. I often say to people I don’t profess to make the best cider, but I make the best cider I can.

READ MORE: Reading man on hunger strike over cost of energy bills

“The van has just left now, we get two vans every day, and that was has gone packed to the roof with orders for farm shops and home deliveries and everything.”

The unusually hot summer has boosted sales, but the lack of rain has created other obstacles.

“We’re a little bit worried about the fruit because with the lack of rain, the fruit is starting to drop already and it’s not ready yet.

“Plus the fact they need rain to swell them up, because they’re only small at the moment.”

He said that as a result he will have to start pressing apples earlier this year.

In 2021, Tutts cider won two Great Taste Awards for the Traditional Farmhouse and The Legend editions.

These are available in Waitrose, Co-op and many farm shops and pubs around Reading, but Tutt’s clumper is available exclusively from Travellers’ Rest Farm or the Tutts Clump website.

The Great Taste Awards, run by the Guild of Fine Food, uses a panel of 500 experts to accredit chefs, buyers and retailers with one, two or three-star accolades.

Tutt’s cider has won numerous awards, including recognition from the Campaign for Real Ale, Burghfest, Newbury Racecourse Beer and Cider Festival and the Berkshire and Buckinghamshire Life Food and Drink Awards.