Maiden Mill are based in Evercreech, near Shepton Mallet, and describe themselves as the world's first dedicated alcohol-free cider maker. That's a bold claim, but the Chance Cider suggests they're serious about the craft. Rather than stripping back to apple juice sweetness, which is what too many low-alcohol ciders do, Maiden Mill uses a traditional bittersweet cider base built from proper cider apple varieties — Dabinett, Somerset Redstreak, Yarlington Mill, Harry Masters Jersey, and Jonagold. The result keeps the tannin structure and acidity that makes cider interesting. In the glass it pours clear gold with a gentle sparkle. There's a genuine orchard apple aroma, clean and slightly floral. On the palate the sweetness leads but doesn't dominate: tannic bitterness from the bittersweet apples holds it in check, and crisp malic acidity ties it together at the finish. At 25 kcal per 100ml and 6.4g sugar, it's lower in calories than most regular ciders and significantly lower than a lot of AF ciders that lean on added sugar for body. Vegan and gluten-free. Worth seeking out if you find most AF ciders disappointingly thin.