Merridale Ciderworks Corp., Cobble Hill, BC

Eat, Drink and Be Merridale! Here at Merridale, we use cider apple varieties that have been proven for centuries in England, France, and Germany to make the best cider . All of our ciders are made from 100% pure juice, and only the first pressing is used. Being purists, we do not use concentrates, chemicals at bottling, pasteurization, or fine filtration of juice. We ferment our juice slowly and naturally, to delicately bring out all of the flavour the fruit has to offer. The Cowichan Valley mirrors the optimum growing and climate conditions of the renowned cider regions in the UK and Europe. Merridale’s location was chosen, after years of research, as the perfect combination of climate, aspect and soil conditions (our terroire) to grow world-class fruit. As with fine wines, you need world-class fruit to make a world-class beverage! We have two rows of Jonagold apples, the only dessert apples in the orchard. The rest are cider-specific varieties like Tremlett’s Bitter, Michelin, Yarlington Mill, Dabinett, Chisel Jersey, Kermerien, Julienne, Judaine, Frequin Rouge, and Hauxapfel. At Merridale we take no shortcuts with our cider . We are passionate about following practices and procedures that do not ever compromise the quality. Greater care requires more labour and time, but the result is worth it. The way we handle our fruit, our fermentations, our packaging and our customers is consistent with this philosophy . We believe that consumers appreciate our passion. Some of our practices are important to know so that you can understand what is unique about Merridale. As cider makers, Merridale, our customers and our staff, continue to inspire us. We hope you can taste the passion of our producers and all of us at Merridale.