It’s World Cider Day, an international declaration of love for the popular drink.
Held on June 3, it symbolises the beginning of the apple cider season and is celebrated with various events around the globe.
In Australia it’s being celebrated with AusCider 2019 in Hobart. The cider industry’s annual information exchange and networking event connects cider producers, fruit growers, researchers, suppliers and other industry representatives from Australia and overseas.
According to Roy Morgan’s ‘Alcohol Consumption Currency Report March 2019’, cider is the only major category of alcoholic drinks to show increased consumption.
Cider is now consumed by 11.4% of adult Australians, up from 11.1% five years ago. The incidence of cider drinkers is now ahead of RTD (10.8%), Liqueurs (6.5%) and Fortified Wine (4.9%).
For punters, World Cider Day is a great excuse to raise a glass on a Monday, perhaps one of the trophy winners from the 2018 Australian Cider Awards:
- 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
Or the winner of Champion Cider at the 2018 Sydney Royal Beer and Cider awards, Flying Brick Original Cider.
100% Australian grown cider trust mark hits the stores
Craft cider bottles across Australia are appearing in stores featuring Cider Australia’s world-first craft cider trust mark.
The trust mark is an industry- led initiative – backed by the Australian Government’s $50 million Export and Regional Wine Support Package – and part of Cider Australia’s campaign to build a sustainable cider industry in Australia and establish an export market for local brands.
According to Cider Australia, the ‘back-to-earth’ cider trust mark has been well received within the industry since launching in October 2018 , with 47 cider producers already signed up.
This means the trust mark will feature on the producer’s cans and bottles, allowing consumers to easily identify the quality and origin of ingredients and make an informed decision when buying cider.
“The trust mark is going well and has really unified the cider community,” comments Sam Reid, president, Cider Australia.
“The trust mark gives producers and orchardists a way to unite behind and take to market Australian grown craft cider, and I’m really proud of the work the team and industry have done to get the trust mark off the ground.”
“We have existing producers lining up to put the trust mark on their product, as well as new producers joining Cider Australia. We’re also starting to see excitement with consumers, showing really strong, functional and emotional reasons to support Australian producers and orchardists.
“The trust mark appearing on cider bottles at this time of year is very timely from an export perspective. We’re seeing an increase in a consumer trend globally and in Australia with more and more interest of the style of ciderfrom different markets, providing a different perspective of what traditional cider has been from the UK and France.”
Cider Australia is hosting the National Cider Conference in Hobart, Tasmania to coincide with World Cider Day on June 3.
