PASSENGERS on one of Reading’s oldest bus routes can now toast their driver before getting on board.
For Tim Wale is not only a familiar face behind the wheel – he’s also the man who makes award-winning ciders.
Now Tim’s company, Tutts Clump Cider, is about to launch a new flavour, Route 17, named after the service he has driven for more than 40 years.
The purple double decker runs between Tilehurst and the Three Tuns, stopping at Cemetery Junction and the town centre, and is known as the backbone of Reading.
Tim started making cider as a hobby 16 years ago and production has moved from his kitchen table to a nearby farm.
The family-run business sells 28 ciders and perries across Berkshire from pubs to supermarkets
“I thought I’d name our new cider after the route I drive,” explained Tim.
“It is one of the oldest routes and very busy, almost like a London one. I have been driving part-time for 40 years and really love it. I’ve got to know a lot of the regular passengers and we have a good chat.”
Tim was inspired to launch his own company after a visit to a food festival in Dorset.
“I was fascinated to learn how cider was made. It is a very sustainable business because producers prefer to use local apples. I was shocked at how many apples in Berkshire go to waste so now we use tonnes of them which otherwise would maybe just rot,” he said.
Tim’s started making just 25 litres of cider in the family kitchen, but that figure has soared to over 71,000.
“Tutts Clump Cider is very much a family business with two of my daughters, Lucy and Rachel, working full-time doing everything from making the cider to delivering it.”
“Many of the large commercially mass-produced ciders on supermarket shelves can typically contain 70% water. They are made in factories all through the year from a concentrate rather than fresh fruit.
“We do not filter, pasteurise or carbonate our products and the only additives are sucralose and sulphites in small quantities. We do everything inhouse and package in bottles, cans, bag in box, pouches, casks and kegs. We are also SALSA – the authority in food standards – approved.”
Asked how he finds the time to drive a bus and run a highly successful cider business, Tim said: “I love what I do and I like to keep busy.
“I’ve also run a garage mainly repairing tractors but I’m not doing that as much now.”
While Route 17 is available on draught in local pubs, the bottled version will be available in April – and Tim’s passengers will say cheers to that.
For more details, log on to: https://www.tuttsclumpcider.co.uk/
