West Country Drinkers Make Cider Their Favourite Pint

For the very first time since records began, cider has jumped to the top spot in the South-West as the region's best-selling draught pint.

Thatchers Gold, carefully crafted at Myrtle Farm in Somerset, has overtaken all draught beer and draught lagers to become the best-selling pint across the entire South-West. 

An incredible 15.2 million pints of Gold were poured in 2022.

Whilst many might find it surprising cider wasn't already the number one choice given the well-known cider loving nature of the West Country, analyst CGA has revealed that until now, no cider has ever sold enough to overtake a beer or lager into the number one position in any region in the UK. Now Thatchers Gold can take the accolade for the first time, here in the South-West!

The family run cider maker, Thatchers,  actually has two of its best-selling ciders in the top ten LAD (long alcoholic drinks) in the South-West with its cloudy apple cider, Thatchers Haze, at number 8.

The brand at number 2 in the South-West is Carling.

So how has Thatchers Gold succeeded in becoming the West Country's favourite pint?

Martin Thatcher is the fourth generation of the Thatcher family to lead the cider making business, which now sells its flagship brand Thatchers Gold, to countries all over the world.

“Drinkers across the globe love Thatchers Gold – but there's absolutely no doubt that here in the West Country it's extra special! One in every two pints of apple cider poured in the West Country is a Gold.”

Thatchers Gold was first produced at Myrtle Farm some twenty years ago, and since then has seen consistent growth not just in the South-West but across the UK, sold on draught in pubs and bars, as well as glass bottles and cans with high street retailers. In fact, it has grown more than any other apple cider over the last three years helping Thatchers become the UK's second largest cider maker.  

“Its appeal starts right here at Myrtle Farm,” says Martin, “where we craft Gold with the very best tasting apples. We have a saying that the best cider starts in the orchard, and that's exactly the case with Gold.

“The recipe hasn't changed at all over the years – when we first produced Gold we knew that we had struck on the perfect balance of fruitiness, tannin, sweetness and acidity. So our cider makers continue to make Gold in the same way as we did 20 years ago, and with a brilliant team effort from everyone at Myrtle Farm, we continue to reach new audiences who love a beautifully refreshing pint.”