Britain's cider makers say the long and hot summer has led to bumper apple crops this year - but it's producing booze so strong they are unable to sell to pubs.

Back-to-back sunshine for most of the summer months has led to a higher sugar levels in fruit, which then leads to a higher alcohol content.

As a result, cider makers have been left unable to sell their super-strength booze to the pub industry - despite bumper apple harvests in 2025.

Rob Clough, owner of Charnwood Cider in Ulverscroft, Leics., said his apples and pears were proving sweeter than ever when harvested.

But he admitted it wasn't "necessarily a good thing" as it had led to a higher alcohol content than normal."

Rob, who has been brewing cider for 20 years, said this year's crops were unlike any other in recent times, with record levels of sugar in the apples.

Rob, 45, said: "It has really been a vintage bumper crop this year thanks to the hot summer months."

"But some pubs don't really want to have 8.5% cider. You can only sell it if it's up to 8.4% anyway because we're a small-scale cider producer. "

"Most pubs really want stuff that's about 6% or 6.5% and I've got one coming out at 10.5% this year."

"I'm going to keep that one for personal consumption though."

Rob produces 5,000 litres of cider a year as well as perry from his two-and-a-half acre orchard which has more than 500 trees.

Around 300 of them were planted around 15 years ago and he says he is now seeing those trees reach full maturity.

Rob, originally from Rutland, added: "The hot weather has led to richer, bolder flavours than in previous years. "

"But as so many of the trees are reaching peak maturity, that has also helped with the crop. "

"The back-to-back sunshine has caused there to be a lot of sugar in the fruit, which means that the cider's going to be stronger."

"The fruit can produce more sugars the sunnier it is and there have been no late frosts either."

"I'll be pressing well into November now before I will leave them to ferment and mature over the winter months - I won't be selling them until next year."

"The pubs won't take cider over 8.4% but this gives me the opportunity to take them to markets and sell them as specialist and premium 750ml bottles."

"So more as an alternative to wine with a meal really - they are great for sharing with friends and will go with lots of different foods."

"These are artisan craft ciders from a really vintage year so they are going to be very flavoursome and a fantastic drink."

"I never water down my cider either - it is a proper traditional British drink and I like to keep it that way."

Rob was previously a park ranger before he got into the cider business around 15 years ago and has since won several awards.

He said:" I've been selling cider commercially for 15 years and making cider for 20 years."

"A few of us started by making a bit of cider out of local fruit, because we noticed apple trees where the fruit was just falling to the ground and being wasted."

"We rented a press from a home brew shop and then I never looked back and it grew from there. "

"And it's a sustainable business. There's hardly any power or electric that's used although the seasons can be very unpredictable these days."

"Now I'm making around 5,000 litres a year. I have around 500 trees with 25 varieties of cider apples which is also great for biodiversity"."

The National Association of Cider Makers (NACM) also said the warm spring and summer have produced apples "full of rich flavours and natural sweetness"."

This summer was the UK's hottest on record and other cider makers elsewhere have also reported bumper crops.

James Pearce runs Kicking Goat Cider in Stoke Row, Oxon, and said the production and fermentation process has been brought forward because apples are dropping earlier.

And Barny Butterfield, owner of Sandford Orchards, near Exeter, joked "I think God's a cider maker" and said it could be an "incredibly special year."

Showerings Cider, in Shepton Mallet, Somerset, said it was expecting a harvest of up to 3,000 tonnes of apples, compared to the 1,000 tonnes collected last year.

Director Nick Showering said: "I think the unprecedented sun is going to create a vintage like I've never seen before."