From Branch to Bottle - an Introduction to Cider Making

From Branch to Bottle — A Day in the Orchard

September 19th and October 17th

1000-1600

Early  Bird ends June 30th

There is a moment — when a freshly pressed apple releases its first rush of juice — that feels a bit like magic. This is a day for that moment.

Join us in the orchard at harvest time for a hands-on introduction to cider making. You’ll collect fruit straight from the trees, press it yourself, explore the cidery, and discover what really happens between branch and bottle.

This isn’t a classroom course. It’s an orchard experience.

What the day includes:

🍏 Fruit Selection & Harvesting

We’ll walk the orchard together and talk varieties, ripeness, tannins, sugars, and why blending matters. You’ll pick and sort fruit ready for pressing.

🍎 Processing & Pressing

Mill it. Press it. Taste it.

You’ll work with traditional and modern equipment and see how small choices shape the final cider.

🧪 Fermentation Fundamentals

Wild vs cultured yeast. Sugar levels and alcohol potential. Temperature control (or not). What can go wrong — and how to guide it right.

🍾 Cidery Tour & Equipment Play

Explore tanks, pumps, bottling kit and more. We’ll demonstrate bottling, labelling and packaging — sharing all the fundamentals of the craft of cider making.

🏡 Take Home & Make Your Own

You’ll leave with fresh apple juice and clear instructions and the basic equipment (container and airlock included) that you need to ferment your own cider at home.

🧀 A Hearty Appetite

We'll provide a simple, delicious communal lunch plus all the apples you can eat.

🍺 Cider Tasting

You can sample a range of ciders and other products and buy samples to take home from our shop

Who it’s for:

• Curious beginners

• Aspiring home cider makers

• Orchard lovers

• Food & drink enthusiasts

• Anyone who wants to understand cider from the ground up

No prior experience needed — just sturdy shoes and a willingness to get sticky.

The Feel of the Day

Expect laughter.

Expect muddy boots.

Expect stories from the orchard.

Expect to taste widely.

We believe cider is about community — and this day is as much about gathering as it is about fermenting.

Come spend a harvest day with us!

Location and Timing

From Branch to Bottle runs from 1000 to 1600 arrive from 0930 for a prompt start. 

The Cidery is at: Upper Brookhouse Farmhouse, Brookhouse Lane, Framfield, TN22 5QJ.

Our What/Three/Words location is: acute.fermented.begin.

All the event details are given on this page.

You will be able to access your tickets via the link in the order confirmation email sent to you, and from the order confirmation page.

You can save tickets to your device wallet, print off a copy or just show us the QR code on your device when you arrive. You can forward your ticket on to other guests too.

We also have your details on our list so we can register you on arrival without a QR code - don't worry if you can't print it off or have no signal when you arrive, just tell us your name.

We will issue a refund for event tickets on request up to one week before an event. After that it is hard for us to resell a ticket and we may already have incurred expenses on your behalf.

Refunds will be for the full amount minus the ticketing fee we will have paid for each ticket (£1 per ticket) and a £5 admin fee. 

Ideally we'd prefer to reschedule your ticket to another date or event where an equivalent is available, there is no fee for this.

Obviously, not everyone lives near us. If you are tempted to visit us or join one of our events and you don't live locally, why not make a trip of it?

There is so much to do around here, from walks in the Sussex Weald, Ashdown Forest and South Downs National Park to visits to the beaches of the Sussex Coast. We are swamped with National Trust sites, and have three steam train lines nearby. Plus there are wild swimming sites, ancient villages, pubs, breweries, amazing places to eat…

Here are some places to stay really nearby:

Beautiful, serene, low frills and in the village 

Very cool glamping option within walking distance

Caravan site in Framfield

Air bnb’s near Framfield plus The Stables

Pubs with rooms: Buxted and Blackboys

Hotels: Premier Inn, East Sussex National, Horsted Place