Ross-on-Wye and Monmouthshire based cider-makers are set to speak at CraftCon 2024.

CraftCon, the Three Counties Cider & Perry Association’s (TCCPA) annual trade conference, will be taking place on April 5 and 6 at the Royal Agricultural University, in Cirencester.  

The UK’s leading craft cider producers gather at this highly anticipated conference, with 35 speakers presenting on topics covering recharging, cider making and business development. 

Amongst this year’s speakers are Martin Johnson representing Ross-on-Wye’s Cider & Perry Company and Young Cheesemonger of the Year, Lily Morris representing Morris’ of Usk and Sam Wilkin, known as Cellarman Sam. 

Lily Morris and Sam Wilkin will share their art of matching cider and cheese as everyone tastes through the three pairings they have chosen. 

Martin Johnson is among a panel of four discussing the challenges and opportunities on tannin and bittersweet apples. 

CraftCon is the only industry-facing educational conference for British cider makers and has helped attendees grow their businesses and raised the product quality of participating cider companies since it was founded in 2019. 

The Chair of TCCPA and Director of Ross-on-Wye Cider & Perry Company, Albert Johnson, said: “This brilliant event brings together the most ambitious and pioneering craft cider makers in the country to learn techniques, to share knowledge, to understand legislation, and to inspire each other.

“If we look back to the first CraftCon, the cider industry has taken a giant leap forward, and that is in large part the result of the professional development that happens at this wonderful conference.” 

The Deputy Chair of the TCCPA and co-founder of Atistraw Cider, Lydia Crimp, said: “This years Craftcon is more diverse than ever. There are talks on every topic from orcharding to the sustainability in the cider, right through to the latest in kegging.

“The wealth of talent and knowledge that this year’s roster of speakers will be providing us with is simply not to be missed.”

Other highlights of the conference will be talks from Adam Wells, co-founder and editor of the Cider Review and author of the forthcoming ‘Perry: A Drinker’s Guide’.

Adam said: “CraftCon has become simply the most important event in the calendar of aspirational British cider and Perry.

“The speakers and topics lined up for 2024 promise to make it the most exciting and ambitious edition yet.”

Also taking stage is the renewed poet and author of Cider country, James Crowden, when he gives his keynote speech covering the early history of sparkling fermented cider. 

This year’s CraftCon will also be the first time an international, in-person element has been added to CarftCon’s agenda, as Italian pommeliers, Andrea Bedini and Marco Manfrini showcase the rise of cider culture in Italy. 

A Max Nowell of Steilhead Cider and James Finch of Chapel Sider will hold a session aiming to help small producers turn their cidermaking hobby into a business. 

A new element to the conference is a fruit exchange where attendees are encouraged to bring along fruit from their apple and pear trees to share among the group. 

Pommelier Cate Potter, Dale Lord, Co-founder of That Beer Place, Alex Fitton from Pullo Bottle Shop and Susannah Mansfield, landlady of Station House Durham will all present a blind tasting of ciders, discuss faults and what’s natural and what’s not. 

The conference is being supported by lead sponsor, The National Association of Cidermakers, as well as, The Licensing Guys, The London Cider House and Pershore Press, with there sponsors to be confirmed. 

Tickets and further information about CraftCon 2024 is available on the TCCPA’s dedicated CraftCon website: https://craftcon.co.uk/.