Category Archives: Cider

French cider makers target Australia

Posted on 2 May 2012 by Chris Shanahan

On 28 March, ubifrance.com – the French trade commission’s Australian website – highlighted the phenomenal growth of cider sales in Australia.

According to the site, Australia’s cider market totalled $300 million in 2011–12. The market grew at a compound growth rate averaging 19.1 per cent per annum over the previous five years and at an astonishing 35 per cent in 2011.

The article attributes much of the growth to the sheer diversity of cider styles, the growing number of brands and widespread advertising and event sponsorship.

The article points out the difference between “industrialised ciders with flavourings and added sugars to hide their defects” and suggests “real cider lovers ask for a real Australian legislation defining what cider actually is”.

The French take the opportunity to highlight the pure and natural traditional styles from Brittany and Normandy and the formation of Cider Australia to give a voice to Australian producers.

Posted in Cider | Comments Off

Grappling with cider

Posted on 18 January 2012 by Chris Shanahan

Here’s something for would-be marketers to grapple with – what to call a drink made from grapes and apples? Grapple cider, of course, say the Scarpantoni brothers of McLaren Vale.

They’ve been making wine since 1979, but just before vintage in 2011 bought apples from a producer in the Adelaide Hills. The producer wanted them to make apple vinegar for him and the Scarpantonis agreed – but decided to produce something of their own as well.

With the apple supply lined up, they picked chardonnay and gamay grapes, extracted and chilled the juice and waited for the apple crop. A month later the orchardist shipped fresh, chilled apple juice to the winery.

The resulting white and red grapple ciders (70 per cent grape juice, 30 per cent apple juice) are available online.

Oxenberry McLaren Vale Adelaide Hills White Grapple Cider 12X500ml $90 Oxenberry’s blend of early-picked McLaren Vale chardonnay and Adelaide Hills apples, offers a pleasantly tart flavour, reminiscent of a barely-ripe granny smith apple. Although there’s some sweetness underlying the flavour, the tangy tartness cuts through, leaving a fresh, dry finish. At eight per cent alcohol, it’s strong than beer, weaker than wine.

Oxenberry McLaren Vale Adelaide Hills Red Grapple Cider 12X500ml $90 The colour’s a vivid, light, bright pink rather than red and the aroma could easily pass for a rose wine. Those fresh, simple raspberry/strawberry aromas are challenged on the palate by apple-like flavours and a tangy, tart acidity – probably derived from both early picked gamay and the apples.

Posted in Cider | Comments Off

Cider and beer review — Comte Louis de Lauriston and Samuel Adams

Posted on 21 December 2011 by Chris Shanahan

Comte Louis de Lauriston Poire 750ml $23 This Norman cider, made from 10 different pear varieties, provides dazzling acidity, pure, delicate pear flavours and pleasingly, teasingly, bone-dry finish. It has all the racy freshness of the just-ripe fruit itself. The maker captures the fruitiness through a cold fermentation, followed by a secondary fermentation in bottle to produce the bubbles.

Samuel Adams Noble Pils 355ml $3.70 This is a distinctive American interpretation of the classic Bohemian style pilsener, using Bohemian malted barley and hops originating in Bavaria and the Czech Republic. A pungent, seductive hops aroma lures us into the rich, smooth, malty palate, cut by the pungent flavours and lingering, clean bitterness of the hops.

Posted in Beer review, Cider | Comments Off

Growlers seen in Fyshwick

Posted on 30 November 2011 by Chris Shanahan

Plonk, at Fyshwick markets, now offers “growlers” – two-litre bottles filled on demand from 30-litre kegs. Growlers became a big part of America’s craft beer scene years ago, but made their Australian debut only last year in Melbourne.

Growlers give drinkers access to fresh, take-home draft beer from small brewers. For small brewers they mean a new route to market. Or, for those reluctant to take on the expense of bottling their product, growlers could be their only take-home offering.

Plonk owner, Anthony Young, says he sells the empty growlers for $10 each. Staff fill the bottles and buyers return with washed bottles for refills.

In late November, Plonk offered growlers of Bridge Road Brewers Galaxy IPA at $20 (compared to $4.90 for a 330-ml bottle – equivalent to $29.70 per two litres). Young intends to expand the range of beers available.

Bridge Road Brewers Galaxy Single Hop IPA 330ml $4.90 India Pale Ale (IPA) – originally a robust, generously hopped ale built for the journey, in cask, from England to India – remains a favourite and widely interpreted style. Brewer Ben Kraus’s version leads with the pleasantly pungent, resiny aroma of galaxy hops. The hops flavour cut through the smooth, rich, intensely palate.

Henney’s Vintage 2010 Still Cider 500ml $7.50 As cider’s popularity grows, we’re seeing many more high-quality versions made entirely from apples – in this case from cider varieties grown in Herefordshire, England. Made in autumn and stored over the winter, Henney’s delivers the full, ripe, mellow slightly rustic flavour of apples with a firm, dry finish.

Posted in Beer, Beer review, Cider | Comments Off

Ciders go for glory

Posted on 9 November 2011 by Chris Shanahan

Results of the Australian Cider Awards 2011 (www.cideroz.com) provide a glimpse of the diversity now available in our exploding market for apple and pear (perry) ciders.

The competition pits imports against local products, freely mixing perry and ciders from craft and large-scale producers. It even provides separate classes for products “using water and/or sugar in production”.

Surprisingly, the judges found but one gold medallist among the hundred-odd entrants. The gold medal winner, Henney’s Dry Cider (UK), just pipped its cellar mate, Henney’s Vintage Cider (silver medal) for top spot in its class.

The other silver medallists were: Henney’s Sweet Cider, Domaine Dupont bottle fermented Bouche Fermier and Reserve (Normandy, France), The Hills Cider Company Dry Perry (Adelaide Hills), Napoleone Pear Cider Traditionelle (Yarra Valley) and Matilda Bay Dirty Granny (Australia).

Phoenix Beers imports and distributes Henney’s and Domaine Dupont.

Posted in Cider | Comments Off

Cider review — Old Mout

Posted on 2 November 2011 by Chris Shanahan

Old Mout Pear Scrumpy Cider 330ml $4.99 This is one of five imports from Old Mout Cider, Nelson, New Zealand. The range includes classic apple, apple scrumpy, feijoa and cider and boysenberry and cider. This full-bodied, high alcohol cider (eight per cent), though pale in colour, delivers full, ripe pear flavour and a delicate, fresh finish.

Posted in Cider | Comments Off

Cider and beer review — The Kingston Cider Company and Moa Brewing Company

Posted on 25 May 2011 by Chris Shanahan

The Kingston Cider Company Hawkes Bay Perry 500ml $9.50 As a cider novice, I’ve sort of come to the belief that pear ciders aren’t as “peary” as apple ciders are “appley”, unless they’re from Normandy. Like the Norman versions, This New Zealand perry, starts delicate and clean with terrific, brisk acidity. The palate, though “pairy” thrills more for that vibrant acidity.

Moa Brewing Company Harvest Beer 2009 375ml $5.90 The subtitle reads, “A very rare beer from Aotearoa”. And what a wonderful beer it is, made from malted wheat, Nelson hops and cherries. The pale lemon colour and luxurious head are typical wheat ale, as is the heady, fruity aroma and zesty, fresh palate. The cherries add an exotic touch in the background.

Posted in Beer review, Cider | Comments Off

Kendell’s estate-grown cider from Orange

Posted on 18 May 2011 by Chris Shanahan

The rapidly growing cider market includes a proliferation of niche brands and an increased demand for products made from fresh apples and pears – not juice and sugar.

At nearby Orange, Gail and James Kendell, adopted a winery-like approach, growing and making all of their product on site.

James Kendell says they’ve planted a wide range of English heritage cider apple varieties, including Kingston Blacks. The special varieties, he says, produce better cider than eating varieties partly because of their distinctive flavours but also because they contain skin tannins and high natural acidity – important components in cider’s flavour and structure.

The diversity, he says, allows him to produce a range of ciders (see www.smallacrescyder.com.au) based on traditional English styles. The still Somerset style reviewed today, for example, combines 13 apple varieties in the full and delicious west-country style.

Posted in Cider, People | Comments Off

Beer and cider review — Small Acres, Daleside and Westons,

Posted on 18 May 2011 by Chris Shanahan

Small Acres Somerset Still Cyder (Orange, New South Wales) 750ml $16 This delicious cider comes from Gail and James Kendall’s property at Orange. James says they grow traditional English heritage cider varieties on the property and make the cider on site from fresh-picked apples. Somerset Still, says James, approximates England’s west country style. It’s made from 13 different varieties, pulped, pressed through cloth into stainless steel vats and fermented dry using an aromatic white wine yeast. The result is just lovely – a still, earthy, slightly grippy cider, unquestionably made from apples, and finishing with fresh, natural acidity.

Daleside Old Leg Over Yorkshire Beer 500ml $8.20 Gentle sweet fruity, malt aroma leads the away into Daleside – flavours that continue on the lively, rich, balanced palate. A touch of malted wheat injects its own briskness, independent of the hops bitterness and bite that that subtly finish off this delicious, one-more-glass Yorkshire ale.

Westons Premium Organic Pear Cider 500ml $7.60 The cliché-riddled website reveals little about cider growing or making. The cider, however, is wet and refreshing – not as crystal clear in its peariness, nor as delicate, as the best Norman versions across the Channel, but solid, rich, refreshingly low on gas and finishing with keen, tart acidity.

Posted in Beer review, Cider | Comments Off

Gundaroo’s crunchy cider

Posted on 27 April 2011 by Chris Shanahan

If you find the popular apple ciders on tap in bars too sweet, a couple of outlets around town offer the zippier, drier Jolly Miller – made at Gundaroo by Ron Miller.

Miller’s cider making started as a retirement hobby but quickly became a very busy business. He now struggles to meet demand for kegs at Zierholz (Fyshwick), Phoenix (Civic) and at the Wine Bar and Grazing Restaurant in Gundaroo.

Seeking a take-away package, Miller ruled out bottles as impracticable on a small scale. Instead, he opted for five-litre kegs, due for release this week at around $50 retail.

Miller currently uses granny smiths, pink ladies and “whatever else is available”. But an experimental batch made from Kingston Blacks, a specialist cider variety, points to the future. He expects an increased supply next year from Borry Gartrell’s Borrodell orchard at Orange. From these he’ll make a new, top-shelf cider.

Posted in Cider | Comments Off

Category Archives: Cider

Categories

Archives