Welcome to CraftCon 2026!

Thursday 12th & Friday 13th March

THE UK’S ONLY CIDERMAKING & ORCHARDING TRADE CONFERENCE
ORGANISED BY THE THREE COUNTIES CIDER & PERRY ASSOCIATION
 
Two days of interactive workshops and seminars aimed at aspiring and existing cidermakers in the UK and beyond
Over 20 speakers and panelists presenting on a range of topics covering orcharding, cidermaking and business
Hosted at the Somerset County Cricket Club, Taunton
 

 

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Three Counties Cider & Perry Association

Three Counties Cider & Perry Association

The association represents, supports and promotes the interests of cider and perry producers primarily based in the Three Counties region of the UK (Herefordshire, Gloucestershire and Worcestershire).

Orchard

Techniques, ideas and discussion on growing cider apple and perry pears

Cidery

From crush to finished product, talks to inspire, inform and educate

BUSINESS

Presentations on the nitty gritty of the business side

2026 Conference Schedule All session times and speakers are subject to change!

THURSDAY

9.00AM

Registration, tea & coffee, meet the sponsors!

9.45AM
Welcome & Opening Remarks

Lydia Crimp, Chair, Three Counties Cider & Perry Association

10.00AM
KEYNOTE: Following the Fruit: A Cider Makers Journey

Eleanor Leger, Eden Speciality Ciders, USA

11.00AM

Trade & Sponsor Stands Time

12.00PM

cidermaking track:
Faults ANALYSIS and prevention
*TASTING*

Brighid O’Keane, Cider Institute
Christine Walter, Bauman’s Cider
Yann Gilles, Malus & Vitis
Steven Trussler, Cider Institute

business track:
Newsletters & Marketing

Rachel Hendry, Burum Collective

orchard track:
Old Apple Tree, We Wassail thee!

Martin Maudsley,

1.00PM

Lunch & Sponsor Stands – Cider Doctors

2.30PM

cidermaking track:
Fermentation Health

Sigrid Gertsen-Schibbye, Lallemand

business track: Branding and identity

Helen Anne Smith, Wilderness Brewery
 

Orchard track: Some Interesting Apples

James Ferguson, Vagrant Cider
Chava Richman, Welsh Mountain Cider

3.30PM

Visit our Trade Sponsors

4.00PM

cidermaking track:
Ice Ciders
*Tasting*

Eleanor Leger, Eden Specialty Ciders

CIDERMAKING TRACK: International Cider Symposium
*TASTING*

Brighid O’Keane, Cider Institute
Christine Walter, Bauman’s Cider

orcharding track: Regen Agriculture

Ross Mangles, North Down Farms
Sarah Whittick, Cider Apple Trees
John Whittick, Cider Apple Trees

5.00PM – 7.00PM

Cider Share

 7.00PM

Evening Dinner

Friday

9.00AM

Event Opens – Trade Stands & Sponsors

9.30AM

Orchard track:
Preserving Traditional Orchards; key features and management.

Geoff Newman, Natural England

business track:
All Things Labelling

Loraine Boddington, National Association of Cidermakers

business track: Exporting to the EU

Sam Nightingale, Nightingale Cider
Daniel Emerson, Stonewell Cider

10.30AM

Trade Stands & Sponsors

11.00AM

cidermaking track:

Blending 101
*TASTING*

Albert Johnson, Ross-on-Wye Cider & Perry
Christine Walter, Bauman’s Cider
 

Cidermaking track:
Blind Tasting
*TASTING*

Alison Taffs, The Hop Inn

cider culture track:
Terroir,  Typicity & Taste

Gabe Cook, The Ciderologist

12.00PM

Lunch & Sponsor Stands – Scion Exchange
Click here to participate in the Scion Exchange!

1.30PM

cidermaking track:
Cidermaker’s Question Time

cidermaking track: Keeving Deep Dive

*TASTING*

Phill Palmer, Palmer’s Upland Cyder
Yann Gilles, Malus & Vitis
Simon Rawlins, Rawlins Family Cider

Business track:
IAMCIDER: Twenty Years Outside the Glass

Bill Bradshaw,

2.30PM

Break

3.00PM

CLOSING KEYNOTE:
state of the market – Everything must come to a Trend

Gabe Cook, The Ciderologist
Jourdan Gabbini, Waitrose
Alison Taffs, The Hop Inn
Nicky Kong, The Cat in the Glass

4.00PM
Closing Address & Cider TOAST

Lydia Crimp, Chair, Three Counties Cider & Perry Association