Two English pubs are giving low-ABV cider equal footing alongside traditional cider, signaling a shift in how premium no- and low-alcohol cider is served.
For years, alcohol-free cider has lived in bottles and cans tucked away in refrigerators while traditional cider claimed the taps behind the bar. That may be starting to change.
Two pubs in Hampshire, England are taking a different approach by giving an independent producer two permanent draught lines: one for its flagship cider and another for its 0.5% alcohol counterpart.
Hydes Cyder, based in Hampshire, now has its cider available on keg at eleven pubs across Hampshire and England’s South Coast. Two of those venues, The Candover in Preston Candover and The Swan in Emery Down, have chosen to dedicate separate taps to both Hydes’ 5% cider and Hydes Lyte, its fully fermented 0.5% cider.
For pubs, every draught line represents valuable space. Choosing to devote two taps to a single independent producer signals confidence not only in the brand but also in growing customer demand for premium alcohol-free options served with the same presentation as traditional cider. The move reflects growing interest in no- and low-alcohol beverages that receive the same care in presentation as their full-strength counterparts.
Although alcohol-free cider is increasingly available in bottles and cans, seeing both an alcoholic and a 0.5% version from the same independent producer permanently installed on draught remains uncommon.
Unlike many alcohol-free ciders that begin as standard cider before having the alcohol removed, Hydes Lyte is fermented to finish at 0.5% ABV rather than being de-alcoholised afterward. According to Hydes, that production method helps preserve body, tannin structure and the character expected from traditional cider while making it particularly well suited for keg dispense.
Lucy Lundberg, co-founder of Hydes Cyder, believes the decision by the two pubs reflects changing expectations among drinkers. She said putting Hydes Lyte on tap next to the 5% cider is “genuinely forward-thinking.” Lundberg pointed to a growing customer expectation to know who makes their drink, an expectation she says now extends to no- and low-alcohol choices rather than treating them as an afterthought. Pouring both strengths side by side, with equal care, is where she believes the category is heading.
According to Hydes, feedback from blind tastings at festivals and consumer events has often surprised participants, with some mistaking Hydes Lyte for its alcoholic counterpart and, on occasion, preferring the lower-alcohol version.
Founded by husband-and-wife team Philip and Lucy Lundberg, Hydes Cyder produces wild-fermented cider using English apples sourced from orchards across southern England. The range is gluten-free, vegan-friendly and made without added yeast or sugar.
Hydes is not alone in helping redefine perceptions of low-alcohol cider. Earlier this month, eCiderNews reported that Oregon’s Heartland Ciderworks earned both a Gold medal in the Low Alcohol/Alcohol Removed category and Best of Show Runner-Up honors at the 2026 Northwest Cider Cup, highlighting growing recognition for thoughtfully crafted low-ABV cider.
Hydes’ growing draught footprint now spans eleven venues, with installations dating from autumn 2024 through summer 2026. The expansion suggests independent pubs are increasingly willing to dedicate permanent tap space to small cider producers rather than relying exclusively on national brands.
Why This Matters to Ciderville
The significance of this story extends beyond one producer.
For cider makers, securing a permanent tap handle is already difficult. Securing two, one alcoholic and one alcohol-free, is even rarer because every draught line represents limited bar space and potential revenue.
For consumers, the shift means alcohol-free cider may become as easy to order as traditional cider, without settling for a bottle pulled from the refrigerator. For producers, it represents something even bigger: recognition that low-ABV cider deserves permanent space on the bar.
Recent recognition at competitions such as the Northwest Cider Cup and growing visibility on draught in English pubs suggest alcohol-free cider is beginning to move beyond niche status. Beer may have led the no- and low-alcohol movement, but cider is beginning to make its own case, not as a substitute, but as a category worthy of equal footing behind the bar.
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