Nohoval Drinks Company Ltd., trading as Stonewell Cider, is a craft brewery founded in either 2009[1] or 2010[2] [3] in Nohoval, Ireland by husband and wife Daniel and Géraldine Emerson. Stonewell also trades internationally as Finbarra Cider.[4] Daniel Emerson is the chief cider maker.[5] In Ireland, Stonewell is distributed by Classic Drinks.[6] Though their share of the Irish cider market is small (0.5%),[7] Ireland is the biggest cider-consuming nation per capita,[8] [9] and Stonewell is the largest artisan drinks maker in the country. Stonewell distributes to many countries within Europe, as well as to Canada and Australia.
Inspired by Géraldine's father, a wine-maker from the Orleanais province in France, the couple decided to pursue full time traditional cider-making in 2010. In their first year, Stonewell produced 6,000 litres of cider. By 2011, Emerson had tripled production, and tripled it again in 2012. In 2012, Daniel Emerson announced a deal to distribute in Italy via Qualitá Club.[10]
In 2015, Stonewell pressed over 750 tonnes of apples,[11] resulting in the production of 350,000 litres of cider. In 2016, Stonewell secured a five-year distribution contract in France through Carlsberg. The total volume ordered equates in the deal's first three years to Stonewell's entire 2015 production.[12] [13]
For many years, Stonewell experienced triple-digit growth.[14] However, in 2020, due to lockdowns caused by the Coronavirus pandemic, Stonewell sales dropped by 80%, and as a result, half of its staff were made redundant. The company employs five staff members full-time. [15]
Stonewell has won over 20 awards since its foundation., including Supreme Champion of the 2016 Blas na hÉireann awards.[16]