Tricky Cider

Cidery in Taunton, Somerset, England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

Established in 2004

Contact
Higher Willand Farm, Churchstanton, Taunton, TA37RL, England
Description
Tricky Cider was founded in 2004 by Steve Watkins and Alistair Brice. With a lifetime of hobby cider making behind them, the pair started Tricky to preserve the art of traditional cider, refining the authentic taste over several years with a perfect blend of local cider apples. Tricky takes its name from nearby Trickey Warren; a flat open area with a reputation as a hard place to shoot rabbits!

Nowadays Tricky Cider is run by Matt Gillett, a life long lover of cider and Somerset. Matt grew up in nearby Taunton and after 10 years working as an automotive engineer in Essex, he decided to change direction and move back to his home county.

His passion for fermenting started in the mid 2000’s with 'Genghis Ales' his home brew label, and small batch cider making using fruit from neighbours’ trees. This background led to a micro-brewery installation project with friend Freddie Farnworth in the back garden of the Holman Clavel pub on the Blackdown hills, at that time owned by Tricky founder Steve Watkins. The pair purchased Tricky from Steve in 2018 and Matt is now the sole owner of the business.

Operating out of Higher Willand Farm on the Blackdowns, his aim is to produce and promote high quality traditional farmhouse cider and work to regenerate forgotten orchards. Matt is proud to be part of the tradition of Somerset cider making and the exciting revival of this fabulous natural drink.

     Show


6.9
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 7 | Overall - 7

(Cask at Craft Beer Co Covent Garden, London, 20 Nov 2025) Golden colour, slightly hazy, with foamy white head. Fruity nose with apples, hay and a touch of glue. Fruity, tart taste with notes of yellow apples, apple skin, hay, citrus and a generous acidity in the finish. Medium body, dry. Fresh and tart, with a certain astringency. Nice one.

Tried from Cask at Craft Beer Co - Covent Garden on 21 Feb 2026 at 22:07


7.1
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7.5 | Flavor - 7.5 | Texture - 7 | Overall - 7

Draught at the Apple, Bristol. Mid-gold and cloudy with an uneven and very loose ring of white head. Aroma of bitter apple skins,TCP, booze. Taste is bittersweet, quickly turning to an extremely drying finish. It ain't complex but it's very well-made. Very boozy and full of proper cider character.

Tried from Draft at The Apple (Cider Boat) on 17 Jan 2026 at 16:58


6.6
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6.5

Tried on 07 Dec 2025 at 12:54


7.1
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7.5 | Flavor - 7.5 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7.5

31/10/2025. Taster. From BIAB at Norwich Beer Festival (Castle Social).

Tried on 31 Oct 2025 at 14:47


6.6
Appearance - 7 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7

BIAB at Newcastle Beer and Cider Festival 10Apr2025. Hazy golden colour, bubbly rim and aroma of misty apple, funk. Taste is mellow, appley, straw, musty with funk and soft tannins. Medium bodied, low carbonation, medium dry finish. Quite drinkable

Tried from Draft on 11 Apr 2025 at 18:05


7

Tried on 12 Jan 2025 at 09:36


7.4
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5

Growler from LCB. Murky amber, no head. Aroma has a nice deep fruitiness with plenty of funk. Medium bodied, slightly oily, low carbonation. Quite sweet and tangy, nice fruitiness, funk, medium dry. Good.

Tried from Growler on 02 Jan 2025 at 03:09


7.6
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5

Growler from LCB at 7.5%. Hazy gold with no head. Funky barnyard apple aroma with light floral and decent fruitiness. Taste has a nice balance of fleshy apple fruitiness with the funk and moderate sourness. Drying finish with an increasing acidity. Very good. My 100th Somerset cider and 23rd Somerset cidery.

Tried from Growler on 02 Jan 2025 at 03:09


7.4
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5

Bladder box at the Chesham Arms, Hackney, 02/11/24. Golden blonde with a decent enough white cap as it goes for a cider ... fades in time. Nose is tangy apples, hedgerow, herb, bitter sweet, orchard wood. Taste comprises bitter sweet apples, funk, light acidic tickle, hedgerow. Medium bodied, fine carbonation, drying close. Decent.

Tried on 21 Nov 2024 at 16:40


6.4
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6.5

Hazy orange gold with no head and tart, funky apples on the nose. Dry apple taste with acidity and a dry finish. I imagine the sweet-dry barometer on this varies from batch to batch, this was pretty damn dry!

Tried on 01 Oct 2024 at 09:07