Essex
The Big Bear Cider Mill
Essex
Based in Stisted, The Big Bear Cider Mill is nestled in the North Essex countryside. Making quality cider that’s sustainable, modern and vibrant they are challenging the perceptions of both Essex and cider!
The Big Bear has regenerated a disused gravel pit into a flourishing Orchard with over 3000 trees of 20 different varieties; their bees naturally propagate the pesticide free Orchard.
In 2020 Essex Gold Rush was launched; a single variety clear, golden, vegan, sparkling craft cider with a clean and fresh apple taste. Essex Gold Bullion joined their range in 2021, blended from heritage cider apples it’s clear, deep golden, vegan, sparkling craft cider with a complex and bold apple taste.
Drinking apples, sourced locally, packaged in cans makes their cider one of the most sustainable alcoholic drinks you can consume.
Why Big Bear? That’s our founder, his nickname is ‘Big Bear’. The distinctive bear on the can also wears Marks dungarees and his fathers-in-law’s jumper!
Why Essex Gold? Named after the gravel pits where our orchard now flourishes, the gravel was known as Essex Gold.
More about our mission and purpose
Essex was once an extensive producer of apples, many orchards were ripped up for gravel. We have regenerated an old gravel pit into a flourishing orchard which we encourage nature to naturally propagate, we do not use pesticides and encourage biodiversity. We have invested in worm beds to feed the soil, worms eat waste food, so we use coffee grounds, naturally high in nitrogen, from local coffee shops to feed them. Pulp left over from apple pressings is enjoyed by the worms and put goodness back into the soil. Bat boxes and bird boxes are used to encourage wildlife to control pests naturally. A symbiotic process that works to produce a sustainable, delicious, exciting product.
We’ve chosen to sell our sparkling craft cider in cans because they are environmentally friendly. The metal used to make them is infinitely recyclable, with no loss of quality. Anyone who has seen a can of Big Bear Cider can vouch that they look darn good too. Being lighter than glass, they leave less of a carbon footprint, plus seven out of every 10 cans are now recycled.
Why Essex Gold? Named after the gravel pits where our orchard now flourishes, the gravel was known as Essex Gold.
More about our mission and purpose
Essex was once an extensive producer of apples, many orchards were ripped up for gravel. We have regenerated an old gravel pit into a flourishing orchard which we encourage nature to naturally propagate, we do not use pesticides and encourage biodiversity. We have invested in worm beds to feed the soil, worms eat waste food, so we use coffee grounds, naturally high in nitrogen, from local coffee shops to feed them. Pulp left over from apple pressings is enjoyed by the worms and put goodness back into the soil. Bat boxes and bird boxes are used to encourage wildlife to control pests naturally. A symbiotic process that works to produce a sustainable, delicious, exciting product.
We’ve chosen to sell our sparkling craft cider in cans because they are environmentally friendly. The metal used to make them is infinitely recyclable, with no loss of quality. Anyone who has seen a can of Big Bear Cider can vouch that they look darn good too. Being lighter than glass, they leave less of a carbon footprint, plus seven out of every 10 cans are now recycled.