Cidermakers from around the world descend on Somerset to attend CraftCon, the Three Counties Cider and Perry Association's flagship conference

15th March 2026

Cider makers, orchardists, writers, wassailers and anyone who is anyone with any connection to the world of apples flocked to Taunton, Somerset last week to attend the UK’s only cider making conference, CraftCon.

Organised by the Three Counties Cider and Perry Association (TCCPA) and hosted at the Somerset County Cricket Club on 12th–13th March, the sixth instalment of the increasingly popular conference saw the largest number of attendees yet and welcomed nearly 200 visitors, some travelling from fewer than five miles away whilst others came from as far afield as the USA, Canada, Germany, France, Sweden and Hungary.

Chair of the TCCPA, Lydia Crimp of Artistraw Cider said “Craft cider is continuing to grow in popularity, as proven by the huge number of makers, including many new entrants as well as old hands, gathering from around the world at Craftcon. The drinks our delegates produce are steeped in history and culture, made by human hands from fruit gathered from some of the world’s most precious habitats. Cider is a truly unique offering, rich in stories and deserving of recognition.”

She added, “Being a cider maker can be a pretty solitary pursuit sometimes but events like this are wonderful at reminding us that we’re part of the most inspiring global community. The passion and energy within the cider community is truly unquenchable!”

With over twenty talks and workshops to attend on subjects as far ranging as the science of fermentation health right through to the history of Wassailing, delegates were delighted not only by the unrivalled networking opportunities but also by the chance to learn from industry experts, further aiding development of their craft.

The highlights were numerous but included a key note speech from the world renowned Eleanor Leger of Eden Ciders in Vermont as well as a panel led by Gabe Cook, AKA The Ciderologist, (as seen regularly on Channel 4’s Sunday Brunch) looking at future cider retail trends, with fascinating input from Waitrose’s head cider and beer buyer, Jourdan Gabbini, the esteemed drinks educator, Alison Taffs and online bottle shop owner Nicky Kong of the ‘Cat in the Glass’.

Steven Trussler of Brock University’s Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute (USA) led a technical tasting session exploring faults in cider whilst Geoff Newman, the national specialist on traditional orchards responsible for advising government on this priority habitat, gave an incredibly detailed presentation on ways of preserving these precious places.

During the breaks delegates were invited to visit the CraftCon trade show situated within the main conference hall, featuring lead sponsors The Bag in Box Company alongside The NACM, Somerset Cider Solutions, Sheppy’s Cider, Vigo, Enartis & Itasca wines, Lallemand, Stainless Steel Products, Murphy and Son and The London Cider House.

Other notable moments included the awarding of the ‘Susanna Forbes award for outstanding contribution to cider culture’ which the TCCPA launched in 2025 to pay tribute to the amazing legacy of Susanna Forbes (Little Pomona, Imbibe) who very sadly passed away in 2024. This year’s winner, esteemed author of the book ‘Cider Country’, James Crowden was announced at the opening ceremony of the conference to rapturous applause.

James said “I was bowled over when I heard that I had won the 2026 Susanna Forbes [award] … Cider culture is so important and being able to research and articulate that culture and history for others to appreciate is what it is all about.”

Planning for CraftCon 2027 is already underway and the team are excited for it to be even bigger and better than ever!

Notes to Editors:

1. TCCPA website: https://tccpa.co.uk/

2. Craftcon website: https://craftcon.co.uk/

3. What is the TCCPA?

The Three Counties Cider and Perry association was set up in 1993 with the original intention of improving the image and quality of farmhouse cider and perry. Since those early days the association has grown both in members and aspiration and as well as being responsible for Craftcon, the association hosts talks, member meet up days and even its own cider and perry competition at the Three Counties Show in Malvern. Currently the association has 161 members from around the UK and beyond.

4. Who runs Craftcon?

Craftcon is organised by:

Lydia Crimp (Artistraw Cider / TCCPA chair)

Rachel Hendry (Burum Collective / TCCPA executive assistant)

Tom Tibbits (Artistraw Cider / TCCPA treasurer)

Albert Johnson (The Ross-on-Wye Cider and Perry Company / TCCPA committee)

Emma Jordan (Blue Barrel Cider / TCCPA committee)

Neil MacDonald (Orchard Park Farms)

5. Photo Credit: Dylan Byrne

Images:

Photo gallery: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/10C2IEznPPBSe0wX1K2Ke6g-0jpjvVh0f?usp=drive_link

For more information:

Lydia Crimp

Email: cider@artistraw.co.uk

Rachel Hendry

Email: info@tccpa.co.uk

Third-party news items are published as received for informational purposes. Publication does not imply endorsement by the Guild. Please use the contact details within the post for any enquiries.