CIDER firm Sheppy’s, based at Bradford-on-Tone, has won Cider of the Year at the Cider Awards 2018, hosted by cider restaurant group The Stable.

Cider-makers across the country entered the competition and the entries were whittled down to a shortlist of eight by cider experts from Crafty Nectar, The Stable, The Cider Box and the Ciderologist.

The final eight went on sale for five months throughout The Stable’s 17 locations, allowing customers to select the overall winner.

On the night of the awards, the cider-makers were invited to hold tastings and final votes were cast. Sheppy’s 200 Special Edition was crowned the winner, with David Sheppy, Master of Cider, collecting the award.

Ross Hunt, judge and host from The Stable, said: “Sheppy’s 200 Special Edition produces such a well-balanced flavour, and that traditional undertone of tannin just coming through at the end, makes it a brilliant and enjoyable cider for all.”

The Stable restaurant chain served more than 500,000 pints of cider during the five months of voting.

Sheppy’s 200 Special Edition was created in 2016 to commemorate 200 years and six generations of craft cider-making in the Sheppy family. The 200 Special Edition is Sheppy’s biggest growing draught cider, with keg sales increasing 86 per cent year on year.