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Gregg Wallace visits the world鈥檚 biggest cider factory, which produces more than 350 million litres each year.

Gregg Wallace visits the biggest cider factory in the world, which produces more than 350 million litres each year. The scale of production blows his mind as at each turn he鈥檚 confronted with huge machinery and incredible processes. He visits Birchley Farm in Herefordshire, at the heart of cider country, before heading to the mill at Ledbury to help sort the apples. At the factory itself, he learns about the fermentation process and the critical role of yeast, before being shown the vast scale of the bottling process, which sees 833 bottles cleaned and filled every minute.

Meanwhile, Cherry Healey explores how the factory is creating new orchards of a sweet apple variety called Scrumptious through the ancient technique of grafting, as well as revealing how a by-product from the brewing industry, CO2, is vital in the manufacture of fire extinguishers.

Historian Ruth Goodman traces a Victorian apple-breeding boom with Dr Annie Gray, recreating one of Queen Victoria鈥檚 favourite baked apple desserts. And she learns how it was British scientists and cider makers - not French champagne makers - who were the first to put fizz in a bottle.

59 minutes

Last on

Tue 7 Feb 2023 19:00
主播大秀 Two

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Music Played

Timings (where shown) are from the start of the programme in hours and minutes

  • 00:15

    Marco Carlucci

    How To Dream (Original Mix)

  • 00:21

    The Organ At First Congregational Church, Los Angeles: Michel Murray

    Bach: Toccata And Fugue in D Minor: Toccata

  • 00:22

    Space Noyse

    Under Your Skin

  • 00:34

    Chumbawamba

    Tubthumping

  • 00:44

    Foreigner

    Cold As Ice

Credits

Presenter Gregg Wallace
Presenter Cherry Healey
Presenter Ruth Goodman
Director Gavin Ahern
Series Producer Nicola Lafferty
Executive Producer Lucy Carter

Broadcasts

Learn more about the history of the factory and how it has evolved with an interactive from The Open University.

The fascinating stories behind the production of some of our favourite products.