Craft brewing, cider making and distilling

Northern Ireland has a long history of cider making. Armagh in particular is well known as an orchard county, and has grown apples for over 3,000 years. There are currently around 250 commercial apple growers in Armagh.

Several independent craft cider producers operate in Northern Ireland. Many of these have opened in recent years, as interest in local artisan drinks is on the rise.

What is craft cider?

Cider is an alcoholic drink made from fermented apples. Perry is a similar drink, made from fermented pears. To be defined as cider or perry for tax purposes, the drink must have 1.2-8.5% alcohol by volume (ABV). At a higher ABV, the drink is classed as a made-wine or spirit.

There are certain limitations on the ingredients that you can add to cider and perry, such as sugar, flavourings and other materials.

The terms 'craft cider' and 'real cider' are not defined in law but usually refer to cider that:

• is produced in small batches
• is made using traditional methods of pressing and fermenting
• is made with fresh apple juice (rather than from concentrate)
• is not heavily pasteurised, filtered or artificially carbonated
• has no added colours, preservatives or flavourings (except natural flavourings such as fruit and spices)
• has no or minimal added sugar
• has no or less than 10% added water

Many craft ciders are made on small or family farms to diversify the business, using the producer's own apples.

Craft cider vs keg cider

Craft cider is usually closely linked to local orchards and seasonal production. It often varies from batch to batch, reflecting the varieties of apple used, the growing season and the fermentation process. Keg cider is a commonly used term for mass-produced version of cider that is stored in kegs and served under pressure, usually in pubs and bars. It is typically made using fruit concentrates and pasteurised and carbonated artificially.

Licensing and regulations for cideries

You need several licences and registrations to start a craft cidery in Northern Ireland. You must:

• apply to HMRC for approval to produce alcoholic products before you start making cider or other alcoholic drinks in the UK
• register as a food business with your local council, if you produce, handle or sell cider as a food product
• apply to a local county court for a local producer's licence, if you want to sell your own cider directly to consumers in Northern Ireland

A local producer's licence in Northern Ireland, under the Licensing (NI) Order 1996, allows you to sell your own products for off‑site consumption from your production premises and, in limited circumstances, from other premises that are not otherwise licensed, subject to strict conditions. Once you have this licence, you can apply for a suitability order to permit sales for consumption on the premises in defined situations (for example, in a taproom or during tastings), enabling you to offer on‑site customer experiences where the court is satisfied the premises are suitable.

You may also need additional authorisation if you intend to supply alcoholic drinks to other businesses for resale – for example, to pubs, restaurants or shops.