'Labour of love': West Sussex cidery produces special sloe brew
A West Sussex cidery has launched a limited edition sloe cider following a bumper sloe berry harvest this year – and ‘a labour of love.’
Silly Moo cidery at Trenchmore Farm in Burnthouse Lane near Horsham has announced the launch of Thorny Issue Sloe Cider.
The new release marks an ambitious departure for the artisan producer who took on the painstaking process of hand foraging and pressing sloe berries during the busy apple harvest season.
Cider maker Rachel Knowles said: “2025 has been a ‘mast year’ where trees and bushes coordinate a boom in the production of nuts, seeds and fruit. The hedgerows were heavily decorated with sloe berries and we thought – wouldn't that make a lovely cider?”
And the journey from hedgerow to glass proved to be a labour of love. The team quickly discovered why sloe cider remains so rare, battling thorny branches and the physical demands of processing the berries, all while managing the peak apple harvest period to ensure the cider would be ready for the festive season. The result is a distinctive ‘blushing cider’ with subtle almond notes and rich fruity tannin.
“This is proper field to glass stuff, a real labour of love,” said Rachel. “It connects Silly Moo cider with this season of hedgerow beauty and abundance, and we are very proud of the final result.”
Thorny Issue Sloe Cider is available now at Trenchmore Farm, Kinsbrook Vineyard, Middle Farm, Leonardslee, Wayfield Farm Shop and Pallant of Arundel, or online at www.trenchmore.co.uk.
As a limited release tied to the 2025 mast year harvest, quantities are finite.