A SOUTH Somerset company is celebrating after taking home six prizes from this year’s Taste of the West awards.

Perry’s Cider, based in Dowlish Wake, picked up three golden gongs for their Somerset drinks as well as three silver medals.

The company’s redstreak and dabinett single variety ciders secured two of the golds, with their farmhouse style barn owl cider taking home the other top award.

Cider making started in Dowlish Wake in 1920 when William Churchill acquired the family farm and started making cider as a sideline to his blacksmith business.

The company then passed to his nephew Henry, before being passed down through the generation to George Perry who runs the business today.

George, managing director of Perry’s Cider, said “We’re really pleased to have been awarded so many awards from such a strong competition.

“With consumers looking more and more at the provenance and quality of what they drink regional awards really help us to shout about how great our ciders are.

“All our ciders are naturally fermented using 100 per cent apple juice, from apples from our own orchards, and surrounding growers, all within 10 miles. Pressing, fermentation, maturation and bottling all takes place at the family farm in Somerset.

“As craft cider makers we strive to create the most interesting and exciting ciders we can. By thinking a little differently, and by attempting to combine the traditions of farmhouse ciders with a modern approach to craft cider fermentation and ageing’.

For more information, call 01460 55195 or visit www.perryscider.co.uk.