An up close and personal visit to The Cider Mill offers a unique backstage pass into the world of traditional farmhouse cider making and home of the multi award winning Cockagee Irish Keeved Cider. Situated on an old Georgian farmhouse and orchards in Stackallan, Slane, right in the heart of Irelands Ancient East, with magnificent vistas of the Rathkenny hills and glens as backdrop.
Learn about the rich history and heritage of our native apples and cider making in Ireland together with the fascinating story of the once famous Irish Cockagee apple tree. This tree, its apples, and the cider made from it were all known as Cockagee and first mentioned in written records in 1664 indicating its existence in the 1500’s or before. Visit the cider barn and see first hand the apple washing, milling, pressing and fermenting process and how it has been done for centuries on a traditional Rack & Cloth Press and delve into the mysterious art of Keeved Cider, an ancient Irish fermentation method long abandoned but revived again here with Ireland’s only Keeved Cider.
This is followed by a visit to our museum display and tasting room where a tutored tasting of five different cider styles will open your eyes and taste buds to a world of unique and elegant ciders that excite, surprise and transcend peoples understanding of what real cider truly is. Our ultimate goal here is to return cider to its rightful position as Ireland’s national beverage and original wine of the land, as it once was for over a thousand years of Irish history.
The Cider Mill Tour with Mark Jenkinson (www.cockagee.ie)