Friends and colleagues have paid tribute to Susanna Forbes, the celebrated writer and producer who made up one half of the Little Pomona cidery, after she passed away last month.
Known as of the most influential drinks writers in the UK, and in the most recent part of her career, as a champion of craft cider production, Forbes dedicated herself to bringing people together to reshaping both the public and the trade’s perception of cider.
Forbes studied Physics at the University of Exeter and, after working as a branch manager at Oddbins, enjoyed a 23-year career as a writer for Wine International, Imbibe, and her own website, Drink Britain, where she covered the production of artisanal British drinks and promoted drinks tourism.
Her interest in cider and perry grew to the point of buying up land in Herefordshire with her husband, James Forbes (pictured with her above), to produce their own, in 2015. Together they crafted innovative artisan ciders, pioneering a gastronomic approach; they were among the first to sell cider in 750ml bottles, thus far the reserve of wine.
In 2018, Forbes wrote The Cider Insider, a guide to ciders from around the world. In 2019, she co-founded and became the editor of Full Juice magazine. Her involvement in Ciderlands helped promote cider tourism, and she helped create networks within female cider makers through her work with Cider Women.
As the news hit of her death following a four-year battle with cancer, many took to their publications and social media feeds to share stories of how she had touched their lives.
Drinks writer Fiona Beckett described her as “an amazing woman, fizzing with ideas – one of the very nicest people in the industry”.
Tom Oliver, founder of Oliver’s Cider, said: “Susanna was a powerhouse of energy and determination which, coupled with an ability to see the potential in everyone and everything, made her the perfect champion for her chosen cause, cider.”
Lauding her many contributions to the industry, he added: “We have lost a truly beautiful person but we are all so much the better for all she did.”
This article first appeared in the October-November edition of Fine Food Digest.
