Drink! It is a word I cannot contemplate without being reminded of the irascible old priest in the TV comedy series, Father Ted.  Yes, the wild-eyed Father Jack did have an obvious problem on the alcohol front - but it was the way in which he savoured the idea of drink to the point where he would explode with violent enthusiasm when uttering that single word. Drink! I can never hear it spoken without thinking of him. 

Drink! That wondrous, delicious, intriguing, constantly-improving liquid with which we humans quench our thirsts… I add the term ‘constantly-improving’ because it really is very much the case, especially here in the West Country. When I look back to the drinks on offer when I was young, I recall a liquid world which was very limited indeed.

As Gabriel David, founder of the excellent Devon-based Luscombe Drinks, once told me: “If you visited a local pub when I was in my late-teens and you were, wisely, being careful about your driving licence, there was lemonade-and-lime or Britvic orange, and not a lot else. In rural Devon you had to travel miles to meet your friends in some local watering hole, so you were acutely aware of how important your driving licence was. You were not exactly rewarded by the choice on offer.  The lack of interesting and delicious non-alcoholic drinks was part of the reason we started Luscombe.”

And what a fantastic job Gabriel and his team have done. The company produces an award-winning range of premium soft drinks, including organic fruit juices, crushes, bubblies and sparkling fruit waters, plus a traditional organic Devon cider, and has recently launched a range of Devon tonic waters. 

But the West Country revolution featuring both interesting non-alcohol and alcoholic beverages flows in a river far wider than just one pioneering company, which is why - in the middle of what looks to be a fairly warm dry summer - we have put together a listing of some of delicious drinks being made across the region.

When it comes to Cornwall, the first person I contact when it comes to any question of this kind is Ruth Huxley, of the Great Cornish Food Store, that unique and wonderful emporium situated on the hill above Truro. 

“Starting with soft drinks and no/low alcohol, I’d recommend Cornish Country Cordials who make a delicious range - all natural, so no cloying aftertaste, really refreshing…” says Ruth. “You dilute with tap water or sparkling spring water. Sally who makes them calls it ‘proper squash’, but they’re also a great cocktail ingredient.  

“Then there’s Firebrand Shorebreak alcohol-free beer. It’s really good. One of our crew who is a bit of a craft brew fiend said ‘you could even drink a couple of these and not feel cheated’! Comes in a 330ml can, pale ale style,” said Ruth before going on to recommend the High Point Ruby Aperitif … “Fermented for depth and complexity of flavour but without the alcohol, this one brings sophistication to the ‘no and low’ category…

“Now the alcoholic recommendations… Caspyn Summer Cup is Cornwall’s answer to Pimms. Try it with Navas ginger ale or ginger beer, which are great mixers but equally good on their own too.

“Skinner’s HellUp lager is a typical Skinner’s-style play on words for this Helles style crystal clear lager. Can’t think why they didn’t do one before now, it’s been a real winner with us since its launch in spring. The there’s Harbour Hop Box - a neat box of 10 x 330ml easy drinking craft beers from Cornwall’s hipster brewery.”

Ruth continued:  “I really rate Rosemullion Summer Gin, a from-scratch distillery, run by husband and wife team Andrew and Liz Bradbury who changed course after careers as scientists, which shows in their meticulous attention to detail.  The Summer gin is very refreshing.

“Haywood Farm Cider is one for the purists - and who can beat a traditional still cider on a hot summer’s day?” asks Ruth, adding Trevibban Mill Pet Nat cider to her list. “It is bottled before the primary fermentation has finished to create the bubbles, an ancient cider-making technique recently revived. Trevibban Mill make a white version with 100% organic apples, and a pink version which gets its colour from red grape skins added during fermentation.  

“I’ve saved the best ’til last with Aprez Spritz from Knightor winery. It launches officially this weekend, so very timely for this article. Knightor’s winemaker David Brocklehurst has created a drink that really captures the essence of summer and current trends in relaxed drinking. It’s a rosé wine cocktail, ready to drink in a 250ml can, so great for the BBQ, beach, festivals, or just chilling in the garden!  I love the flavour, which is reminiscent of vermouth and really well balanced. We will have plenty of stock for this weekend.”

Moving across the Tamar, our next summer drinks listing has been put together by my colleagues at RAW Food and Drink PR, and it begins with Luscombe’s Strawberry Bubbly…

“One for popping in a picnic hamper or as a seaside refresher, this new bubbly brims with a blend of the finest organic strawberries, organic Sicilian lemons, Madagascan vanilla and soft Dartmoor spring water.  Free from additives and nasties, Luscombe was recently awarded a Royal Warrant, a sure sign of Devon quality.”

Next comes Sandridge Barton’s Sharpham ‘Summer Sparkling’ 2020. “This delicious sparkling rosé is packed with delicate red berry, crunchy red apple and pink grapefruit characters. (£22.00 - sandridgebarton.com).

Now for a tot of Devon’s world famous gin… “Since its launch in 2016, Salcombe Gin’s Start Point has become one of the most internationally recognised gins - winning all the most prestigious prizes in the international world of spirits, including ‘Gold’ at the World Gin Awards and ‘Double Gold’ at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition (known as the World Drink Oscars). The signature flavour is inspired by the voyages of the Salcombe Fruit Schooners, which carried exotic goods, fruits and spices.

For those looking for a non-alcohol tipple with the same kind of hit as a real gin, New London Light ‘Midnight Sun’ is also distilled in Salcombe… “Inspired by Nordic regions where daylight ventures through the night, ‘Midnight Sun’ combines hand-picked seaberries and elderberries with the creative use of kelp and pine to give a new perspective on complex flavour combinations.”  

Hattiers Egremont Premium Reserve Rum is also distilled in the South Hams, this time at Mothecombe. “Give your cocktail a Caribbean spin with Hattiers Rum’s Premium Reserve Rum, ‘Egremont’.  Sourced from the world’s finest distillers and blended with pure soft water, fresh from the hills of Dartmoor.”

Devon Cove Vodka is made from potatoes grown and harvested on a family farm in Hope Cove. “We’re talking lime and cream on the nose and sweet apple finish. It’s also as low-calorie as alcohol can be, as the carbs in the potatoes don’t translate, and, unlike much vodka on the market, it’s grain-free so gluten-free, to boot.”

Sandford Orchards’ Devon Red Cider is named after the colour of the county’s distinctive red soils. “Crafted with cider apples from local orchards, you can’t get more Devon than this medium cider from Sandford. No surprise it’s their number one best-seller, thanks to its light, pure taste - creamy, ripe apples with just a hint of refreshing sparkle. No artificial flavours are used, just the best natural ingredients.”

Salcombe Brewery’s Shingle Bay featured in these pages recently - a fruity golden ale, one of the company’s five core heritage beers. “Shingle Bay has been joined by the Discovery range of lager, pale ale, porter, cider and Salcombe Pilsner which has just snaffled a Gold in the Taste of the West Awards 2022.”

Boo Chi Kombucha’s Fresh Mint to Revive is brewed in the heart of the Devon countryside and is packed full of good healthy things. “The company uses only the freshest organic and locally sourced ingredients to flavour their original kombucha. The mint cuts through the acidity of the kombucha to give it a slightly sweet, bright, refreshing taste.”

Devon based company Wickhams was recently named Specialist Merchant of the Year England 2022 at the International Wine Challenge (IWC) Merchant Awards. One Devon wine the company has been highlighting recently is Huxbear winery’s Classic Sparkling 2018, which it says is “as good as anything you'll get from the Champagne region - and at a great price”. (£25.54 for one bottle or £22.99 for any mix of six bottles - Wickhamwine.co.uk

We must not forget coffee, because this region does have some really good blenders. Bantham is one of five house-blends from award-winning Owens Coffee, which has a state-of-the-art ‘roastery’ near Ivybridge.  “This smooth and chocolatey blend is a medium roasted blend of Arabica coffee beans from South America and Indonesia. It’s ideal for espresso and filter as whole beans, perfect for cafetière and filter as medium ground and it’s also available as fine ground for espresso.”

Plenty there, then, even for the likes of Father Jack to be getting on with - and lots of lovely liquids for those of us who simply want to refresh ourselves during a long, hot, dry summer…

Whisky and Apples

As you’ll see in the main article, new things are happening in the world of drinks. But one development you’d perhaps never expect to witness is a joint venture between a Somerset cider maker and a Scottish whisky distillery. 

Many readers will know all about the famous Somerset Cider Brandy, which is made by the Temperley family from their own traditional cider on the Somerset Levels - but they may not know that the famous Glenfiddich distillery has been developing what it calls The Experimental Series. 

Now the two have got together to create to create a remarkable first - a single malt whisky finished in Somerset pomona spirit casks. Described as a “distillation of art, tradition, and philosophy”, The Orchard Experiment combines “the depth and intensity of Glenfiddich with the delicate sweetness of Somerset apples”. 

The sales blurb states: “This unique liquid was created using select Glenfiddich liquid that had matured in American Oak while held in Glenfiddich’s Experimental Warehouse. It was then finished for approximately four months in sweet Somerset Pomona Spirit Casks, an exquisite apple spirit which graces the tables of top-ranked restaurants throughout the world, to a distinctive and fruity effect.”

I reckon the old drink enthusiast in Father Ted would definitely approve…