TASMANIA’S Willie Smith’s Kingston Black Cider took out the Best in Show title at last week’s 2018 Australian Cider Awards.
The cider’s creator, William Smith & Sons, also won Best Traditional Cider and Best Australian Cider with a score of 93 in the Traditional Medium Sweet Cider class.
Of the 13 gold medals awarded this year, nine were won by Australian cider producers.
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Cider Australia has announced the winners of its indicating a very strong future for the local craft cider movement.
Cider Australia.executive officer, Jane Anderson, said it was an exciting time for the cider industry in Australia.
“It’s great to see more Australian producers and their ciders scoring higher than ever before in this year’s judging,” Ms Anderson said.
“While fewer entries scored medals, the cider making profession in Australia is becoming more skilled and competitive with more gold medals awarded.
“With the quality of cider produced in Australia constantly improving, our Australian producers have also been winning medals at international shows in the US, UK and the World Cider Awards.”
A field of 260 Australian and international entries were judged across 25 classes by a panel of local industry professionals and visiting experts from the US and New Zealand.
Within each class, bronze, silver or gold medals were awarded based on points achieved, with the highest score winning best in class and the overall category trophy.
Prior to the awards dinner held in Sydney, cider producers from around the country and international guests were invited to attend an industry forum where a world-first Australian craft cider trust mark was unveiled by Cider Australia.
Designed to identify ciders made with 100 Australian grown fruit, the trust mark will help consumers to make more informed choices when buying cider.
Current labelling laws make it difficult to identify from where fruit in a cider has been sourced. Less than 15 per cent of Australia’s cider market comprises craft ciders made with 100% Australian grown fruit.
2018 Australian Cider Award Winners
- Best in Show: William Smith & Sons – Willie Smith’s Kingston Black Cider
- Best Traditional Cider: William Smith & Sons – Willie Smith’s Kingston Black Cider
- Best New World Cider: Westons – Caple Road
- Best Perry: Fils De Pømme – L’Épatant
- Best Intensified / Distilled Cider or Perry: Small Acres Syder – Small Acres Cyder 2010 Pommeau
- Best Australian Cider or Perry: William Smith & Sons – Willie Smith’s Kingston Black Cider
- Best International Cider or Perry: Westons – Caple Road
- Most Successful Small Producer (less than 50,000L per year): Small Acres Cyder
- Most Successful Larger Producer (more than 50,000L per year): William Smith & Sons
- Champion of the Industry Award: David Pickering, researcher and apple orchardist, NSW
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- For more information and a full list of award and medal winners visit: http://www.cideraustralia.org.au/2018-cider-awards-announced/