TWO brothers have managed the impossible by making alcohol for free.

Dani and Adam Davies have produced their first bottles of cider – without owning any orchards.

Instead the inventive pair called on friends, neighbours and complete strangers to find their apples.

“We do not own our own orchards, but did not have trouble finding fruit,” explained Dani, who lives between Presteigne and Knighton.

“We took a bike ride around all the local villages and put notices up in the entrances to churches and town halls and within a couple weeks we had loads of calls from people with orchards willing to give to us for free, or in return for the cider when it is ready.”

The 26-year-old was one of the few to return back to the county after moving to London to study.

He decided against staying on in the capital to start the Skyborry cider and perry enterprise with his brother.

The pair have travelled to France and Somerset as part of their research and have now hand picked the fruit and pressed more than 1,000 litres of juice.

Adam built the cider press out of green oak sleepers and the first drinks have now been bottled.

The cider and perry has met the approval of friends and family with many commenting on the clean and balanced tastes.

The brothers admit they are at the start of a long journey – but believe the fact they are getting their core product for free stands them in good stead for a successful future in the cider trade.

“Cider feels like a very romantic business to be getting into, but when starting you quickly realise the experience it would take to produce a consistent marketable product,” added Dani.

He said his experience has only given him greater respect for those that have been making quality ciders and perry's such as Martin Harris, of Butford farm, and Mike Johnson, of Ross-on-Wye Cider and Perry.

Dani said they understand that in order to expand they will need to buy in fruit as a business could probably not be sustained on free fruit alone.

But added that receiving the apples in exchange for cider instead of cash was a “good way to start”.

à The two brothers run a blog with progress on their cidermaking at skyborrycider.tumblr.

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