Drop Of The Week
Best Cider
Cider dates back to Roman times but really took off in the 1300s in England. In the 1700s it became quite common for worker to be paid by cider where the average wage was 3-4 pints a day. Not a bad incentive to work hard.
Cider in Australia has come a long way from when Strongbow was the only option. Now there is a multitude of choice from local to imported brands and we see it marketed very well. It's hard to believe but cider is the fastest growing alcoholic beverage amongst consumers. Surprisingly, the over 35 age bracket are now preferring cider to beer and wine.
Real cider is made from crushing apples and fermenting them. But recently there has been an influx of ciders made from imported apple concentrate.
Concentrate is the apple juice with the water removed. This allows for a more consistent product which is why large companies can produce large quantities and cheaply. These concentrates are coming predominately from China with some from New Zealand. Brands out there using concentrate, despite their claims of being real cider are 5 seeds, Strongbow, Somersby to name few. These ciders are very appealing to the consumers as they are not expensive, and they give an alternative option to those who don't want to drink a wine or beer. All of a sudden it's trendy to drink cider. In many cases these ciders are sweet as extra sugar is added during the production process. Over 50% of the cider available in Australia is made from such concentrates.
How do they get away with it?
The catch is that the cider industry is not very well regulated at all and producers are jumping through loop holes. Many big producers are enticing consumers with branding such as, “Hand picked”, or “fresh springwater”. There are also drinks with all sorts of fruits infused, and I use the word infused lightly.
So what's a real cider?
Real cider is made from apples or pears fermented without any additions of sugar, flavour or water. If having a cider, why not support the little guys making cider the way it is supposed to be.
Napoleone Cider – it's made at the Punt Road winery in the Yarra Valley. Fresh with crisp apples at the right price around $15. Independent stores have the single varieties of apple and pear. Larger chains have an apple/pear blend. I suggest go with the single varieties, a much better drink.
St Ronan’s Pear Cider – it comes in a 750mL bottle and is made in the traditional method just like champagne. That means it's been fermented in the bottle. This is a treat and shoots for around $28 per bottle. Welcome to pleasure country! A perfect aperitif. Head to Craft Wine Store.
While there, check out Willie Smiths from Tasmania. This is a very different type to others out there. It’s got depth and is textural.
by Steve from Qwine
