A new cider festival is being launched in Edinburgh this month, aiming to tackle the category’s ‘perception problem’ and help craft producers get the credit they deserve for making some ‘incredible’ ciders.
Ubhal Cider Gathering will take place on March 28 at Custom Lane in Leith, bringing together 15 independent producers from Fife to Herefordshire, to offer two 100-capacity tasting sessions.
The event is being organised by Jaye and Grant Hutchinson, who opened Scotland’s first dedicated cider shop, Aeble, in Anstruther, five years ago.
The couple’s interest in craft ciders was fostered during Grant’s time as the drummer in Scots indie band Frightened Rabbit.
“When we were touring, especially in places like Bristol, I’d bring cases of cider back up with me because you just couldn’t get the good stuff in Glasgow,” recalled Grant.
“I’d see this whole world of small producers making incredible cider and then come home and find none of it on the shelves: it was always just the usual suspects like Strongbow and Bulmers. There was such a gap there. People didn’t know what they were missing.
“Music is precarious and I was always thinking ahead to what I’d do in my 40s. I probably would have opened some sort of cider shop or bar regardless, I just didn’t realise it would happen in quite the way it did.”
Following the death of his brother and bandmate Scott Hutchison, Craig stepped back from touring in 2018, and established a wholesale cider distribution business supplying bars and restaurants in Scotland.
When he and Jaye moved from Glasgow to the East Neuk fishing town of Anstruther during the pandemic, servicing the central belt became impractical and forced the couple to rethink.
Spotting a vacant shop with a for-rent sign in April 2021, they decided to ‘take a punt’ and open Aeble.
Grant explained: “With wholesale you drop the cases off and that’s it. I wasn’t getting to see who was actually drinking it.
“I love standing in the shop, talking to someone about what they normally drink, guiding them through the different styles and making sure they leave with something they’re going to enjoy.”
The Hutchinsons are clearly passionate about the cider category, and keen to see it taken more seriously
Grant said: “People think they know what it is because they drank it when they were 16 in the park. But what we’re talking about is something much closer to natural wine.
“The UK drinks more cider than anywhere else in the world, but culturally it’s not treated with the same respect as wine or whisky. That feels strange to me because the craftsmanship is absolutely there. It should be one of our national drinks. I hope this is the start of tackling cider’s perception problem.”
Jaye, with a background in events and hospitality, has worked to make Aeble a ‘welcoming space’ rather than a niche specialist shop, inspired by both her time working in Melbourne and the couple’s 2019 honeymoon to Japan.
She said: “You can walk into some wine shops and feel too intimidated to ask a question. We’re the opposite. We talk to every single customer one to one, we explain the different styles and producers, and we make sure it feels open and friendly.”
Five years into the Anstruther venture, the pair are experiencing anything but a slower pace of life, with two young daughters and a thriving shop and bar which has become a hotspot for tourists and locals alike.
“We are winning over the locals and get everyone from cider aficionados, to people who live round the corner and just want a chat, to Frightened Rabbit fans who’ve made the trip especially,” said Jaye.
“We love the idea of doing one thing really, really, well. Japan really made it clear in our minds that if you try to be everything to everyone, you’ll be nothing to anyone.
“Looking back, visiting the Golden Gai district and all its amazing specialist bars, meeting and talking to the owners who cared immensely about what they were doing, was when this idea really began to take shape.”
The Ubhal Cider Gathering, which is being supported by Food and Drink Scotland, is being held in Edinburgh rather than Anstruther to make it easier for people to attend.
Jaye explained: “We want this to grow and become something we can build on year after year, so people need to be able to jump on a train and come for the day.
“Guests will get to try a diverse range of ciders and hear about the blend of art and science that goes into creating a cider. The one thing that connects every cider available on the day is the fact they have all been made with care, patience, and a deep respect for tradition and the customs around the drink.
“We want to provide a platform for these brilliant makers – from Herefordshire to Fife and Kent to Ayrshire – who care deeply about the land and the process.”
She added: “As people are more environmentally conscious and interested in drinks that are more natural, and lower alcohol, cider is at a tipping point.”
The Hutchinson’s cider festival takes place on March 28 at Custom Lane in Leith, Edinburgh, with sessions running from 1pm to 3pm and 4pm to 6pm. Tickets are limited to 100 per session and are available here.
