Iford

From the outset, the cidery's ethos has been uncomplicated: press fresh fruit, ferment with wild yeast, leave out the concentrates and additives. The Iford estate sits in a corner of west Wiltshire that has grown fruit for centuries, and the ciders reflect that provenance. Their range leans into the character of the apples rather than papering over it with sweetness or forced carbonation.

Most of what Iford produces is alcoholic, ranging from dry, slow-fermented traditional styles to fruit-forward session ciders. The alcohol-free entry in their lineup is Wild + Free, a 0.0% ABV fresh juice cider that goes through the same wild fermentation process as its boozy siblings before the alcohol is removed. The result is still recognisably cider: there's fruit weight, a natural tartness, and none of the thin, watery quality that plagues many AF cider attempts. It comes in 440ml cans and is both gluten-free and vegan.

The cidery describes itself as first-generation cidermakers, which matters as context. This isn't a heritage brand leaning on generations of orchard tradition; it's a relatively recent venture that has built a considered range from scratch. That shows in the product quality but also in the relatively modest scale: Iford remains a specialist producer, available through their own site and a handful of independent drinks retailers rather than supermarket shelves.

Wild + Free is one of the more genuine AF ciders in the UK market, produced by people who clearly care about cider as a craft rather than as a category extension. If you're specifically after an AF option, the limited distribution means you may need to seek it out.