Hitting the market this month is local Ceres farmstead Loxtonia’s first range of all-natural, premium cider. Loxtonia Cider is free of preservatives and additives, and is made using handpicked apples that are freshly pressed and naturally fermented.
Owned by the Whitfield family since 1990, Loxtonia Farm exports apples, pears and plums world-wide while also supplying a small percentage of fruit to the local South African market. Founder & Head Cider Maker of Loxtonia Cider, Larry Whitfield realised that he could turn this into a two-fold passion project by using the juice from the apples to become the first Cidery in Ceres.
The Cidery selects best apples, which are then picked, sorted and pressed, extracting the juices from the apples, all on the farm. During the cider ferment, Loxtonia farm uses techniques such as controlled cooling in specially designed stainless steel tanks, as well as carefully selected cross-flow filtration systems to clean the cider without hurting the flavours.
Loxtonia’s family heritage is to be conscious of the privilege and responsibility to produce a product that is not only delicious, but does not negatively impact the planet. With as little intervention as possible, the Whitfield family aim to produce New World ciders that use only the purest of ingredients. In addition, the farmstead uses minimal water as all the grey water is used for irrigation while the whole production process is run entirely off solar energy.
Larry adds, “Our natural ciders are testament to our family’s commitment to producing products that are high in quality and kind to the environment. We believe that everything you need to create the perfect cider can be found in the natural nutrients delivered by our soil, water and the Ceres Valley sunshine”.
The four varietals of Loxtonia Cider are:
- Crispy Apple Cider
- Sparkling Apple Cider
- Stone Fruit Flavoured Apple Cider
- Pale Amber Apple Cider
They retail for about R25 – R30 and for more information, visit the website.
