Canada's Wineries

Left Field Cider Company

Established in the heart BC's interior, Left Field Cider Co. is a family owned business, making traditional cider in small batches. Proprietors are Gordon and Debbie Garthwaite, Kate Garthwaite, Theresa Pedersen two sister and their parents. Kate left her family home for the big city but the urge to return was their. So was the desire to make cider. She began in her Vanouver kitchen. Kate signed up for a week long cidermaking course at the University of Washington taught by renowned English cidermaker Peter Mitchell. She was hooked and ready to return to her home on the Ranch and make cider.

Her parents Gord and Debbie Garthwaite, her parents and ranchers in Mamette Lake, B.C. provided the suport she needed. Her sister Theresa quickly came on board. Mamatte Lake is located on Hwy 97C between Merritt and Logan Lake. If you Google Mamatte you find google first list Left Field Cider and after that nothing. It is Cattle country and the fishing is good.

Theresa and Gord now enrolled in Peter Mitchell’s cidermaking course and Kate headed to England. Kate decided that if she wanted to learn how to make traditional English-style cider, it only made sense to go to the source to see how it was done. Kate was lucky enough to get the opportunity to apprentice with master cidermaker Mike Johnson at Ross-On-Wye Cider and Perry.

With help from their friends and family, Theresa, Kate, Gord and Deb began commercial cider production at Left Field Cider Co. in 2011. The idea of producing Cider came to Kate out of no where thus the name Left Field from the expression Out of Left Field.

Their Dry Sparkling Cider will attract those looking for a more traditional style cider. The blend is dominated by bittersweet cider apples whose rich tannins are balanced by the fruity aromatics of Okanagan dessert apples. Also produced is a Little Dry Cider

Left Field Cider Wassail is held in January. 2017 will be the third year for this event Wassail is an English tradition. Wassailing refers to drinking and singing to the health of an orchard. It is an ancient practice from southern England and is still performed in the cider making areas of the West Country (Devon, Somerset and Dorset) and the Three Counties (Herefordshire, Gloucestershire and Worcestershire). The purpose of wassailing is to awaken the cider apple trees and scare away evil spirits ensuring a good harvest.

Cider-maker: Kate Garthwaite
Philosophy: Real cider is made from apples. We don't capitalize and pride ourselves on making a full-juice cider