Bignose And Beardy’s Wassail

Ever heard of a wassail? If not, you’re not alone. But in Sussex, where apple orchards stretch back generations, this ancient winter tradition is quietly making a comeback — thanks in part to local cider makers Bignose & Beardy.

The Sussex-based cider company has built a reputation for crafting cider the traditional way: using locally grown apples, wild fermentation and small handcrafted batches. Alongside their cider, they’ve also cultivated something just as important — a community of orchard owners, volunteers and cider lovers who gather each winter to celebrate the old custom of wassailing.

For Steve, one half of Bignose & Beardy, the tradition grew naturally out of their work with apples and cider. “We were really enjoying learning about apples, cider making and the rich local heritage we’d stumbled into,” he explains. “Along the way we started connecting with a whole community of people who cared about the same things.”

A wassail is part ceremony, part celebration. Traditionally held in January, the event is intended to bless the orchard and encourage a healthy harvest for the coming year. The ritual involves music, singing, torchlight and plenty of cider, with participants gathering around the trees to drive away evil spirits and honour the “old man of the orchard” — the spirit believed to live in the oldest tree.

At Bignose & Beardy’s wassail, the ceremony includes howling, drumming, dedications and libations of cider poured around the orchard. A king and queen - or, in one memorable year, two queens - lead the procession as toasted bread is offered to the trees and traditional songs echo through the orchard.

While the roots of wassailing are centuries old, Bignose & Beardy’s version has taken on a modern, community-led feel. Alongside the ritual itself, the evening often features live music, open-fire cooking and local producers. Recent events have welcomed vendors such as Rowdy & Fancy’s Chocolate, The Traditional Cheese Dairy and Three Acre Brewery, turning the gathering into a lively winter celebration.

Over the years the event has grown steadily, drawing around 250 people to the orchard. For Steve, that sense of connection is what matters most.

“We’ve grown a community of kindred spirits,” he says. “We connect with orchard owners, gardeners, families who come together to pick apples, fellow cider makers and lots of local businesses we love collaborating with.”

After a pause during the pandemic, the wassail returned in 2023 for its fourth edition — a celebration filled with music, firelight and the unmistakable sense of shared tradition.

In a world where old customs can easily fade away, Bignose & Beardy are helping keep Sussex’s orchard traditions alive. Their wassail isn’t simply a historical reenactment; it’s a joyful gathering that brings people together to celebrate the land, the harvest and the community that grows around it.

If you find yourself in Sussex next January, it might just be worth joining the crowd under the orchard trees — cider in hand — for a wassail of your own.