When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. And when nature gives you an abundance of irresistible natural ingredients, Belvoir Farm makes the most delicious drinks you can imagine. From sweet Elderflower Cordial to spicy Ginger Beer, we’ve been sipping Belvoir Farm’s sensational summer drinks all season long.
Here at Joules, we’re delighted to have partnered with Belvoir Farm to give you a chance to WIN a British getaway with holidaycottages.co.uk worth £3,000! 100 runners up will also receive a Joules voucher and a special Belvoir Farm hamper.
Head to joules.com/win to enter!
To celebrate this exciting partnership and to find out how their amazing drinks are made, we took a trip to Belvoir Farm in Bottesford, Leicestershire.
“Refreshingly real and reassuringly delicious, there’s artistry in our still cordials and lightly sparkling soft drinks. Each are made using simple ingredients, carefully selected – including our own organic elderflower – with natural fruits, hand-picked flowers, fresh juices and spices. We’re true to nature and let the ingredients do the talking.
We choose natural, over artificial, every time. There are no artificial preservatives, flavourings, colourings or sweeteners in our premium soft drinks. That’s our promise. Ours is a light touch, using traditional methods and working with nature’s flavours to craft proper, premium soft drinks that taste delicious.”
“Our first bottle of Belvoir Farm elderflower cordial was made in the Vale of Belvoir – almost 40 years ago, in the farmhouse kitchen of our owner, Peverel Manners.
Wild elderflower spilled into Pev’s family garden and, together, they transformed it into cordial. Selling it to local farm shops was a simple business idea that took root and grew – and we use that original elderflower cordial recipe to this day.”
“We are known for our 60 acres of organic elderflower plantations, and every year we call upon the local community to help us pick as many elderflowers as possible from our fields and from wild hedgerows.
Observing the Countryside Code, they hit the hedgerows and our own organic plantation with gusto. Within 24 hours of harvesting, the flower heads are poured into a vat and hand-stirred gently – and so begins our decades old tradition of making Belvoir Farm’s much-loved elderflower cordial, from Mary Manner’s original recipe. As a soft drink, a recipe ingredient or a delicious splash to cocktails and mocktails, it stands the test of time!
With harvest gathered in, our manager Keith gets busy giving back to the land with gentle tilling, aeration and organic fertilising of the plantation, being sure to protect the established nature corridors around it – for wildflowers, butterflies, pollinators and fallow deer. It’s all part of doing the right thing by the land and the wider eco-system, as nature’s cycle begins again.”
“Despite its spelling, Belvoir is correctly pronounced “beever”.
Ready for a quick history lesson? Here we go… When the castle was built, it was named “Bel voir”, French for “beautiful view”. Following the Norman Conquest in 1066, the ruling classes changed and Norman French was introduced. New settlements such as Belvoir, Beaulieu (“bewley”) and Alnwich (“anick”) were established, but their names became anglicised as only the nobility spoke and understood medieval French. Either way, whether you prefer to call our drinks “bel voir” or “beever”, our main concern is that you enjoy them.”
We had a fantastic time visiting the farm and seeing the elderflower harvest first-hand! Don’t forget to enter our competition to WIN a British getaway with holidaycottages.co.uk worth £3,000, or one of 100 Joules gift cards and Belvoir Farm hampers for runners up!
Head to joules.com/win to enter!
Jane Woodcock
31.08.2022 at 07:31I really enjoy the Belvoir drinks particularly the elderflower cordial and elderflower presse . They are my favourites . Fruity and flowery flavours, they remind me of harvest time . My auntie Phylis use to make it for us all to enjoy with our picnics down the fields. Yummy.
Joanna Kenny
31.08.2022 at 07:33Love your cordials… my favourite is the ginger cordial!
Shellie Kirby
31.08.2022 at 08:31Belvoir Lime cordial with ice cold soda and a sprig of mint is the perfect Summer cooler – delicious!
Violet Coates
31.08.2022 at 08:46Fabulous and very interesting to read and follow Belvoir history. I am already a drinker of this famous cordial. Thank you.
Linda keenan
31.08.2022 at 10:01So interesting!! Love Elderflower Cordial. It’s a ni
a nice edition to red wine too.
Linda keenan
31.08.2022 at 10:03So interesting!! Love Elderflower Cordial. It’s
a nice edition to red wine too.