A POPULAR brewery has launched its annual cider offering.

Nearly five tonnes of apples have been used to make the 3,600 litres of Stonehouse Brewery’s Sweeney Mountain Cider, which launched with an event at the brewery’s bar in Weston, near Oswestry.

But you better be quick because once it’s gone, it’s gone.

Shane Parr, who owns the brewery with his wife Alison, said: “This is the second year we have made cider and last year’s 2,000 litres disappeared within six weeks, so we’re hoping this will last a little longer.

“It’s proving very popular and it’s quite strong – 6.2 per cent – but we haven’t done anything to it, just a little bit of sweetening.”

Some of the apples used in the cider come from the brewery’s own orchard, though with the majority being bought in it is hoped the orchard can be made bigger.

“Although we do all the juicing and fermenting on site, we would like to be using all our own apples within the next two or three years,” said Shane.

“But we are a micro-brewery and we don’t want to cross that line."

The cider is currently available in the Stonehouse bar, as well as local pubs.