We strongly believe that British Columbia has an incredible source of small producers that make outstanding ingredients for the food and drink we serve at Battle Abbey. We are honoured and excited to be carrying Cambium Cider Co Ciders as part of our drinks menu at the lodge. 

Cambium Cider is a small family owned and operated producer located in the Okanagan Valley that produces some of the finest ciders in Canada. They have a great multigenerational story that we're thrilled to share! 

A Shared Passion for Agriculture

Born into an orcharding family, apples have been at the center of Dave Dobernigg’s life for as long as he can remember.The perfect Extra Fancy Red Delicious, tractor rides in big red apple bins, and the clank of an orchard ladder while navigating big old apple trees are part of the fabric of his being.

Missy, a farm girl from the prairies, held fond childhood memories of her Saskatchewan ‘orchard’ that consisted of gooseberries, chokecherries, and one other mystery fruit that was jam-worthy but otherwise sour, but never in her wildest dreams would she have imagined that one day she would call 40 acres of heritage apple trees home.

Perhaps it was their shared childhoods in agriculture or passion for the land, but they met, soon married, and continued the generational family orchard together.

From Dream to Reality: The Birth of a Cidery

The apple industry has been a tumultuous one, and with many pressures facing its existence, Dave and Missy started to consider ways to add value to their crop in order to keep the farm viable. In 2011, with three toddlers in tow, Missy sparked the dream of transforming some of their apples into hard cider. Fast-forward fourteen years, and that dream has blossomed into a flourishing cidery with award-winning ciders, a wood-fired restaurant, and acres of heritage apple trees that remain standing thanks to cider. 

Cultivating Heritage: The Organic Orchard

At the heart of their operation is the Orchard, now Certified Organic and home to nearly two dozen apple varieties that Dave and Missy have grafted over the years. These apples, many of which are obscure or bitter, are grown for their tannin and aromatic qualities rather than for a sweet crunch like the popular Honeycrisp or Ambrosia. With poetic names like Bulmers Norman, Porters Perfection, or Kingston Black, these European varieties offer complex flavors when fermented, making their farm-crafted ciders a worthy addition to any table.

The Growth of Cambium

Driven by a desire to connect their customers to the land, Dave and Missy embarked on an exhilarating journey of growth and development in the early years of bootstrapping the cidery. It was a time of constant equipment upgrades, moving from homemade versions to “real” winery gear. Since their first 6,000-liter vintage in 2013, production has increased to approximately 50,000 liters per year, using around 250,000 pounds of their own organic apples. With nearly two dozen ciders on the shelf now, they support other BC growers through purchasing additional ingredients like berries, cranberries, hops, or rhubarb to include in their innovative and delicious ciders.

A Community Experience

The guest experience has evolved alongside the cidery. Initially offering simple weekend tastings, they expanded to host live music and wood-fired pizza events in their gravel parking lot. Getting tired of serving only pizza and being constrained by weather or the seasons, in 2022, they partnered with an Irish-turned-British Columbian chef Christian Scott to add a full restaurant with a wood-fired grille at its center. Today they offer a from-scratch menu sourced from local and seasonal suppliers whenever possible, and yes..you can still get wood-fired pizza!

A Commitment to Sustainability

The orchard remains at the heart of their operation, embodying the "why" behind it all. With all cider apples grown organically on the same land, the ecological footprint per bottle is minimal. Apples go straight from the trees to pressing, fermentation, maturation, bottling, and are often enjoyed by guests seated in the orchard. All pressing and fermentation waste is returned to the orchard as compost, and even the apple wood burnt in their grill is used to nourish the soil, creating a full-circle. See more at https://www.cambiumcider.com