Cider Australia announced the winners of the 2024 Australian Cider Awards at a gala lunch in Melbourne today.

South Australian producer Hills Cider was awarded Best in Show with Pear along with the Best Perry trophy.

A field of 190 local and international entries was judged by a highly skilled and diverse panel of nine judges led by chair Briony Liebich of consultancy Flavour Logic. Twenty gold medals and ten trophies were awarded.

“One of the standout aspects of this year’s competition is the clear improvement in cider quality, speaking to the rising standards across the industry”, said Briony.

“This year the Traditional Cider and Fruit Cider classes punched above their weight, claiming almost half of the gold medals awarded. The judges were particularly impressed at how skilful cider makers are becoming at integrating other fruits into their ciders”.

Judges predict a bright future for the new No/Low Alcohol Cider or Perry class, awarding New Zealand’s Peckham’s Cidery and Orchard a Gold medal for its Apple Zero.

A new perpetual trophy for the Best Single Varietal Cider was awarded to The Apple Thief for its Kingston Black. The trophy is named in honour of industry champion David Pickering who passed away earlier this year.

2024 Trophy winners:

Best in Show: Hills Cider with Pear (SA)
Best New World Cider: Plenty Cider with Original (TAS)
Best Traditional Cider: LOBO with Lenswulf 2019 (SA)
Best Perry: Hills Cider with Pear (SA)
Best Specialty Cider or Perry: The Wild Beyond with Barrel-Aged Raspberry Sour Cider (WA)
Best Intensified / Distilled Cider or Perry: LOBO with Apple Brandy – Lobodos (SA)
Best Single Varietal Cider – David Pickering Memorial Trophy: The Apple Thief with Kingston Black (NSW)
Best International Cider: Peckham’s Cidery and Orchard with Chisel Jersey (NZ)
Most Successful Small Producer: Plenty Cider (TAS)
Most Successful Larger Producer: Hillbilly Cider (NSW)

For a full list of award and medal winners download the 2024 Australian Cider Awards Results Booklet.

2024 Best in Class Winners

Class	Class name	Producer	Product	Location
Class 1	Dry New World Cider	Incy Wincy Cyder	Huntsman 2019	NSW
Class 2	Medium New World Cider	Plenty Cider	Original	TAS
Class 3	Medium Sweet New World Cider	Hillbilly Cider	Apple	NSW
Class 4	Sweet New World Cider	Hillbilly Cider	Sweet Julie	NSW
Class 5	New World MT Cider	Sunshine Coast Cider	Brut + Cider Methode Traditonelle	QLD
Class 6	Dry Traditional Cider	LOBO	Lenswulf 2019	SA
Class 7	Medium Traditional Cider	Peckham’s Cidery and Orchard	Chisel Jersey 2023	New Zealand
Class 8	Medium Sweet Traditional Cider	The Apple Thief	Kingston Black	NSW
Class 9	Sweet Traditional Cider	Willie Smith’s Tasmanian	Yarlington Mill	TAS
Class 10	Traditional MT Cider	Plenty Cider	Vintage Sparkling 2020	TAS
Class 11	Apple and Pear Blends	Barossa Cider Co	Squashed Cloudy Cider	SA
Class 21	Dry New World Perry	No entries
Class 22	Medium New World Perry	Hills Cider	Pear	SA
Class 23	Medium Sweet New World Perry	Eddies Cider	Smooth Pear	VIC
Class 24	Sweet New World Perry	Frank’s Cider	Summer Pear	TAS
Class 25	New World MT Perry	Carmel Cider	Pear 21	WA
Class 26	Dry Traditional Perry	No entries
Class 27	Medium Traditional Perry	Daylesford Cider	Traditional Perry pear	VIC
Class 28	Medium Sweet Traditional Perry	No entries
Class 29	Sweet Traditional Perry	No entries
Class 30	Traditional MT Perry	No entries
Class 31	Experimental Cider or Perry	Pure Peninsula Honey	Sparkling HoneyMoon	VIC
Class 32	No-Low Alc Cider or Perry	Peckham’s Cidery and Orchard	Apple Zero	New Zealand
Class 33	Cider or Perry with Fruit	The Wild Beyond	Barrel-Aged Raspberry Sour Cider	WA
Class 34	Lighter Strength Cider or Perry	Barossa Cider Co	Mid Strength Apple Cider	SA
Class 35	Cider or Perry with Botanicals	Lenswood Cider Company	Apple/Ginger Cider	SA
Class 36	Wood Aged Cider or Perry	Hillbilly Cider	Vintage Apple	NSW
Class 41	Ice Cider or Perry	No entries
Class 42	Pommeau	Carmel Cider	Mistelle	WA
Class 43	Eau de Vie (Apple or Pear Spirit)	Carmel Cider	Eau De Vie	WA
Class 44	Aged Apple or Pear Spirit	LOBO	Apple Brandy – Lobodos	SA

– Ends –

 Media enquiries

Contact Cider Australia executive officer Jane Anderson on
0434 559 759 or office@cideraustralia.org.au or visit www.cideraustralia.org.au.

About Cider Australia 

Cider Australia is an independent, not-for-profit organisation funded by cider businesses and sponsors, established in 2012. It aims to build a sustainable cider category by undertaking activities that improve the quality of ciders produced and marketed in Australia. The organisation represents the interests of the cider industry to policy makers, calling for regulations and policies that support a diverse and evolving cider industry, and runs the national cider conference AusCider and the Australian Cider Awards.

About the Awards

The 13^th annual Australian Cider Awards was judged on 9&10 October 2024. The Awards is the largest cider competition in Australia and is leading the standardisation and improvement of cider judging across Australia.

The judging panel included expertise from across the alcoholic beverage industry:

• Briony Liebich (Flavour Logic) – chair
• Jody Scott (Peckham’s Cider, New Zealand) – international guest judge
• Max Allen (drinks journalist and author)
• Nyall Condon (Flying Brick Cider Co)
• Adam D’Arcy (Plenty Cider)
• Rob Hall (cider enthusiast/entrepreneur)
• Jeremy Halse (White Rabbit Brewery)
• Norman Lever (Summer Snow Juice)

Chair of Judges – Briony Liebich

Briony is a sensory analyst, Certified Cicerone, beer educator, writer and judge. She was Chair at the 2023 Australian Cider Awards and a judge in 2016, 2018 and 2019.

Briony has worked in the beer, wine, cider and food industries for 19 years and has extensive experience sampling, judging and consulting to large and small businesses.

Briony runs sensory consultancy Flavour Logic (www.flavourlogic.com) based in South Australia, working with the food and beverage industry and general consumers to improve tasting skills.

International guest judge – Jody Scott

Jody is co-owner of Peckham’s Cidery & Orchard in Upper Moutere, New Zealand (the top of the South Island). Prior to this, Jody was the Head of Beverage and Operations at Zeffer Cider Co.

With extensive experience in the production of cider, wine and other alcoholic beverages, Jody is now making a portfolio of traditional and modern ciders from more than 20 varieties of heritage apples.

Jody has been Chair of Fruit Wine & Cider Makers Association New Zealand since 2019. He was a judge at the
Australian Cider Awards in 2018 and 2019.

About David Pickering

David Pickering was a researcher and cider apple orchardist from Huntley, NSW. He was a highly regarded expert on cider apples with a passion for educating and connecting people.

The technical advice David generously provided to many current and prospective cider apple growers and the unique resources he created and shared through his website CiderOz have benefited the industry greatly.

David was instrumental in the establishment of Cider Australia and the Australian Cider Awards more than a decade ago, and was awarded Cider Australia’s Champion of the Industry Award in 2018 in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the Australian cider industry.

David passed away in July 2024.

Award Named in Honour of Industry Champion

Australia’s top scoring single varietal cider has been announced at the 2024 Australian Cider Awards presentation lunch in Melbourne today.

The David Pickering Memorial Trophy for Best Single Varietal Cider was awarded to Batlow producer The Apple Thief for its Kingston Black cider.

Single varietal ciders are made from a single varietal of apple or pear, as distinct from most ciders made from a blend of different apples. Gold medal winning entries that contain a minimum 85% of the named variety were eligible for the new trophy.

“Cider Australia decided to establish this trophy because of the increasing number of producers making and entering single varietal ciders in the Australian Cider Awards”, said Cider Australia President Warwick Billings.

“We have quite aptly named the new trophy in honour of industry champion David Pickering who passed away in July this year”.

“David was a true gentleman and cider pioneer whose expertise and generosity shaped Australian craft cider, especially with regards to the cultivation and use of purpose-grown cider apples”, said Warwick. 

The trophy was donated by two cider makers from Orange, NSW – Incy Wincy Cyder and Small Acres Cyder.

Nick Geoghegan from Small Acres Cyder said, “David was instrumental in the establishment of the Australian Cider Awards more than a decade ago and has helped countless producers and orchardists like us to develop and grow our craft”.

“This trophy is a perpetual mark of remembrance of this contribution”, he said.

Peter Ross from Incy Wincy Cyder said, “David helped us from day one of our cider making journey – always the first to congratulate us on a medal win, always offering encouragement and letting us know about opportunities”.

“When we moved to Orange, David offered to help us find suitable properties with our growing and cider making in mind. His support of fledgling cider makers has helped make Orange an important place for the Australian Craft Cider industry whilst advancing the industry itself”.

“We hope the perpetual trophy keeps Cider enthusiasts for generations asking us all about this generous gentleman”, said Peter.

The Australian Cider Awards is the largest cider show in Australia, attracting 190 local and international entries this year. Twenty gold medals and ten trophies were awarded.

2024 Trophies

Best in Show: Hills Cider with Pear (SA)
Best New World Cider: Plenty Cider with Original (TAS)
Best Traditional Cider: LOBO with Lenswulf 2019 (SA)
Best Perry: Hills Cider with Pear (SA)
Best Specialty Cider or Perry: The Wild Beyond with Barrel-Aged Raspberry Sour Cider (WA)
Best Intensified / Distilled Cider or Perry: LOBO with Apple Brandy – Lobodos (SA)
Best Single Varietal Cider – David Pickering Memorial Trophy: The Apple Thief with Kingston Black (NSW)
Best International Cider: Peckham’s Cidery and Orchard with Chisel Jersey (NZ)
Most Successful Small Producer: Plenty Cider (TAS)
Most Successful Larger Producer: Hillbilly Cider (NSW)

For a full list of award and medal winners download the 2024 Australian Cider Awards Results Booklet.

– Ends –

Media enquiries

Contact Cider Australia executive officer Jane Anderson on 0434 559 759 or office@cideraustralia.org.au or visit www.cideraustralia.org.au.

About David Pickering

David Pickering (below) was a researcher and cider apple orchardist from Huntley, NSW. He was a highly regarded expert on cider apples with a passion for educating and connecting people. The technical advice David generously provided to many current and prospective cider apple growers and the unique resources he created and shared through his website CiderOz have benefited the industry greatly. David was instrumental in the establishment of Cider Australia and the Australian Cider Awards more than a decade ago, and was awarded Cider Australia’s Champion of the Industry Award in 2018 in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the Australian cider industry. David passed away in July 2024.

About Cider Australia 

Cider Australia is an independent, not-for-profit organisation funded by cider businesses and sponsors, established in 2012. It aims to build a sustainable cider category by undertaking activities that improve the quality of ciders produced and marketed in Australia. The organisation represents the interests of the cider industry to policy makers, calling for regulations and policies that support a diverse and evolving cider industry, and runs the national cider conference AusCider and the Australian Cider Awards.

About the Awards

The 13th annual Australian Cider Awards was judged on 9 &10 October 2024. The Awards is the largest cider competition in Australia and is leading the standardisation and improvement of cider judging across Australia.

The judging panel included expertise from across the alcoholic beverage industry:

• Briony Liebich (Flavour Logic) – chair
• Jody Scott (Peckham’s Cider, New Zealand) – international guest judge
• Max Allen (drinks journalist and author)
• Nyall Condon (Flying Brick Cider Co)
• Adam D’Arcy (Plenty Cider)
• Rob Hall (cider enthusiast/entrepreneur)
• Jeremy Halse (White Rabbit Brewery)
• Norman Lever (Summer Snow Juice)

Cider Australia has announced the judging panel for this year’s Australian Cider Awards with award-winning New Zealand cider maker Jody Scott to visit as guest international judge.

“Jody will join the chair of judges sensory analyst Briony Liebich and a panel of drinks industry experts to assess entries in this year’s national cider show”, said Cider Australia President Warwick Billings.

“Jody will bring a well-rounded international perspective to the table with experience making cider across the spectrum of traditional to modern styles at varying scales of production.

“Showcasing commercially available products from Australia and overseas, the Australian Cider Awards promotes and rewards excellence in cider production. It helps producers to continue to make better cider, and helps cider drinkers find great examples of the cider styles they love”, he said.

“Cider producers and marketers are encouraged to register their entries now to take advantage of early-bird entry pricing which ends next Monday”, said Warwick.

Enter the 2024 Australian Cider Awards online via www.australianciderawards.wineshowpro.com.au/views/auth/login

Registrations close on Friday 13 September and the results announced at a gala industry lunch on Friday 25 October at The Kelvin Club in Melbourne. Tickets go on sale in August.

FULL DETAILS ON AWARD CLASSES AND RULES CAN BE FOUND HERE.

– Ends –

Key dates

Entries open	Tue 16 Jul 2024
Entries close	Fri 13 Sep 2024
Deliver entries	Mon 16 – Fri 27 Sep 2024
Judging (closed to the public)	Wed 9 & Thu 10 Oct 2024 (William Angliss Institute, Melbourne)
Awards presentation lunch	Fri 25 Oct 2024 (The Kelvin Club, Melbourne)

Media enquiries

Contact Cider Australia executive officer Jane Anderson on
0434 559 759 or office@cideraustralia.org.au or visit www.cideraustralia.org.au.

About Cider Australia 

Cider Australia is an independent, not-for-profit organisation funded by cider businesses and sponsors, established in 2012. It aims to build a sustainable cider category by undertaking activities that improve the quality of ciders produced and marketed in Australia. The organisation represents the interests of the cider industry to policy makers, calling for regulations and policies that support a diverse and evolving cider industry, and runs the national cider conference AusCider and the Australian Cider Awards.

About the Awards

The 13^th annual Australian Cider Awards will be held in October 2024. The Awards is the largest cider competition in Australia and is leading the standardisation and improvement of cider judging across Australia. The judging panel brings expertise from across the alcoholic beverage industry and includes:

• Briony Liebich (Flavour Logic) – chair
• Jody Scott (Peckham’s Cider, New Zealand) – international guest judge
• Max Allen (drinks journalist and author)
• Nyall Condon (Flying Brick Cider Co)
• Adam D’Arcy (Plenty Cider)
• Emma Penny (Certified Cicerone®)
• Jessica Locarnini (Honey Sommelier)
• Ben Gayfer (Crittenden Wines)

Chair of Judges – Briony Liebich 

Briony is a sensory analyst, Certified Cicerone, beer educator, writer and judge. She was Chair at the 2023 Australian Cider Awards and a judge in 2016, 2018 and 2019.

Briony has worked in the beer, wine, cider and food industries for 19 years and has extensive experience sampling, judging and consulting to large and small businesses.

Briony runs sensory consultancy Flavour Logic (www.flavourlogic.com) based in South Australia, working with the food and beverage industry and general consumers to improve tasting skills.

International guest judge – Jody Scott

Jody is co-owner of Peckham’s Cidery & Orchard in Upper Moutere, New Zealand (the top of the South Island). Prior to this, Jody was the Head of Beverage and Operations at Zeffer Cider Co.

With extensive experience in the production of cider, wine and other alcoholic beverages, Jody is now making a portfolio of traditional and modern ciders from more than 20 varieties of heritage apples.

Jody has been Chair of Fruit Wine & Cider Makers Association New Zealand since 2019. He was a judge at the Australian Cider Awards in 2018 and 2019.

National industry body Cider Australia today opened entries to Australia’s largest and most prestigious cider competition, the Australian Cider Awards.

Entrants will compete for accolades in 31 commercial classes when the expert judging panel comes together to blind taste hundreds of ciders, specialty ciders and apple & pear spirits.

President of Cider Australia and chair of the Awards organising committee Warwick Billings said the cider category in Australia is continuing to develop and mature with more and more ciders being produced locally from purpose-grown cider apples.

“To ensure the Awards reflects the range of cider products available commercially in Australia, we have introduced a new Trophy for the best Single Varietal Cider or Perry entered”, he said.

“We have also decided to establish a new class for the burgeoning group of no- and low-alcohol ciders covering non-fermented, lightly fermented and de-alcoholised apple and pear products with an alcohol content of less than 0.5 per cent.

“Entering the Awards is an excellent way to compare products against industry benchmarks in Australia, receive independent feedback from industry experts and potentially win a prize, and with early-bird entry fees applying for the next three weeks there is no better time to enter”, said Warwick. 

Enter the 2024 Australian Cider Awards online via www.australianciderawards.wineshowpro.com.au/views/auth/login

Registrations close on Friday 13 September and the results will be announced at a lunch event on Friday 25 October at The Kelvin Club in Melbourne. Tickets go on sale in August.

FULL DETAILS ON AWARD CLASSES AND RULES CAN BE FOUND HERE.

– Ends –

Key dates

Entries open	Tue 16 Jul 2024
Entries close	Fri 13 Sep 2024
Deliver entries	Mon 16 – Fri 27 Sep 2024
Judging (closed to the public)	Wed 9 & Thu 10 Oct 2024 (William Angliss Institute, Melbourne)
Awards presentation lunch	Fri 25 Oct 2024 (The Kelvin Club, Melbourne)

Media enquiries

Contact Cider Australia executive officer Jane Anderson on
0434 559 759 or office@cideraustralia.org.au or visit www.cideraustralia.org.au.

About Cider Australia 

Cider Australia is an independent, not-for-profit organisation funded by cider businesses and sponsors, established in 2012. It aims to build a sustainable cider category by undertaking activities that improve the quality of ciders produced and marketed in Australia. The organisation represents the interests of the cider industry to policy makers, calling for regulations and policies that support a diverse and evolving cider industry, and runs the national cider conference AusCider and the Australian Cider Awards.

About the Awards

The 13^th annual Australian Cider Awards will be held in October 2024. The Awards is the largest cider competition in Australia and is leading the standardisation and improvement of cider judging across Australia. Judging of the Awards is held at the William Angliss Institute in Melbourne. The panel comprises 7 full judges and 4 associates and brings together expertise from across the alcoholic beverage industry.

Cider makers and cider drinkers from across the country will join together to celebrate Australian Cider Day on Saturday 9^th March.

Held at the beginning of Autumn when orchards are heavy with fruit and cider makers prepare for their busiest time of the year, this day acknowledges and encourages appreciation of Australian craft cider and the community it creates.

Australian Cider Day is an annual event. It draws attention to Cider Australia’s 100% Australian Grown trust mark, an industry-owned and led initiative which raises awareness of product origin by identifying ciders made from Australian grown apples and pears.

By choosing ciders displaying the trust mark – consumers are supporting cider producers, orchardists and regional economic growth.

The Australian cider industry will mark this day by organising cider festivals, tastings and other fun activities to educate drinkers about quality Australian craft cider – for inspiration check out the Napoleone Cider Festival being held in the Yarra Valley and Flying Brick Cider Company’s annual scarecrow competition.

Cider Australia features Australian Cider Day events on its website and promotes use of the social media hashtag #drinkaustraliancider.

For more details visit www.cideraustralia.org.au/australianciderday or the Cider Australia Facebook page.

– Ends –

 

Media enquiries

Contact Cider Australia executive officer Jane Anderson on
0434 559 759 or office@cideraustralia.org.au or visit www.cideraustralia.org.au.

About Cider Australia 

Cider Australia is an independent, not-for-profit organisation funded by cider businesses and sponsors, established in 2012. It aims to build a sustainable cider category by undertaking activities that improve the quality of ciders produced and marketed in Australia. The organisation represents the interests of the cider industry to policy makers, calling for regulations and policies that support a diverse and evolving cider industry, and runs the national cider conference AusCider and the Australian Cider Awards.

About the trust mark and Australian Cider Day

The 100% Australian Grown trust mark and Australian Cider Day are industry-led initiative intended to reinforce the premium quality of Australian craft cider and drive integrity in the market.

The trust mark can only be displayed on ciders made from 100% Australian grown ingredients. It highlights what makes Australian craft ciders unique – the fact they are made with Australian grown fruit rather than imported juice concentrate which goes into an estimated 90% of the ciders sold in Australia. The trust mark was developed with the support of the Australian Government’s $50 million Export and Regional Wine Support Package, and levy funds from the Australian Apple Marketing Levy managed by Hort Innovation.

Cider Australia established Australian Cider Day to fall on the second Saturday of March each year. Launched four years ago, the purpose of day is to raise awareness of the 100% Australian Grown trust mark and create an occasion to educate drinkers and celebrate Australian Cider. 

Cider Australia announced the winners of the 2023 Australian Cider Awards at a gala dinner in Melbourne last night.

Tasmanian producer Plenty Cider was awarded Best in Show with Apple + Blueberry along with the Best Specialty Cider and Most Successful Small Producer trophies.

The quality of entries this year left the judges impressed with a record 75% of all ciders entered receiving a medal, showing how hard the industry is working to eliminate technical faults, meet style expectations and test the boundaries with new and exciting products.

A field of 219 local and international entries from 62 producers was judged by a highly skilled and diverse panel of nine judges led by chair Briony Liebich of consultancy Flavour Logic. Guest judge Darlene Hayes from the United States added valuable insight on global trends.

Thirteen gold medals and nine trophies were awarded. The Dry New World Cider class was a standout class with three gold medals awarded.

2023 Trophy winners:

Best in Show: Plenty Cider with Apple + Blueberry (TAS)

Best New World Cider: Hillbilly Cider with Apple (NSW)

Best Traditional Cider: Simple Cider with Wild Heritage Blend (TAS)

Best Perry: Napoleone Cider with Napoleone Pear Cider (VIC)

Best Specialty Cider or Perry: Plenty Cider with Apple + Blueberry (TAS)

Best Intensified / Distilled Cider or Perry: Carmel Cider Company with Apple Brandy (WA)

Best International Cider or Perry: Peckham’s with Stoke Red (NZ)

Most Successful Small Producer: Plenty Cider (TAS)

Most Successful Larger Producer: Hillbilly Cider (NSW)

Cider Australia also honours individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to the Australian cider industry over a prolonged period of time through its Champion of the Industry Award. This Award was presented to Max Allen.

For a full list of award and medal winners visit: cideraustralia.org.au/past-results/2023-results 

– Ends –

Media enquiries

Contact Cider Australia executive officer Jane Anderson on 0434 559 759 or
office@cideraustralia.org.au or visit www.cideraustralia.org.au.

About Cider Australia 

Cider Australia is an independent, not-for-profit organisation funded by cider businesses and sponsors, established in 2012. It aims to build a sustainable cider category by undertaking activities that improve the quality of ciders produced and marketed in Australia. The organisation represents the interests of the cider industry to policy makers, calling for regulations and policies that support a diverse and evolving cider industry, and runs the Australian Cider Awards and the national AusCider conference.

About the Awards

The Awards is the largest cider competition in Australia and is leading the standardisation and improvement of cider judging across Australia. The judging panel comprised:

• Briony Liebich (Flavour Logic) (chair)
• Darlene Hayes (Certified Pommelier™ educator and writer) (international guest judge)
• Max Allen (wine and drinks writer)
• Nyall Condon (Flying Brick Cider Co)
• Adam D’Arcy (Plenty Cider)
• Lindsy Greig (Certified Cicerone® The 5th Ingredient)
• Rob Hall (Napoleone Cider Bar) (associate)
• Emma Penny (Certified Cicerone® Stomping Ground Brewery) (associate)
• Jenny Polack (Bacchus Academy)

Chair of judges – Briony Liebich

Briony is a sensory analyst and tasting coach. Growing up in a winemaking family gave Briony a good grounding in the booze industry and developed her appreciation for good drinks. After working in winery laboratories, Briony became a sensory analyst running wine and food research projects and training sensory panellists. She side-stepped into the beer world and led the sensory program at Lion’s West End Brewery for 10 years working with beer, cider and RTD’s. During that time, she gained valuable judging experience at beer and cider awards and became a Certified Cicerone ®. Since West End’s closure, Briony has revamped her Flavour Logic brand to help drive a quality focus and improve tasting skills within the alcoholic beverage industry. She is a qualified trainer, writes regularly for Beer and Brewer, and runs educational workshops for consumers, hospitality staff and industry professionals.

Guest international judge – Darlene Hayes

Darlene Hayes, dipWEST and Certified Pommelier™, is a writer and educator living in Sonoma County, California. She’s been fascinated by apples and cider since she and her husband built a house next to a 100+ year old apple orchard. Ever curious, she has since been doing research, historical and otherwise, on numerous apple varieties and the ciders made from them. For the last six years Darlene has been working with the American Cider Association on their Certified Cider Professionals program developing content to educate beverage professionals and enthusiasts alike on the breadth and depth of what cider has to offer. She is a well-respected international cider judge and the editor of the cider and apple-themed zine, Malus as well as writing about cider and apples for a variety of publications and at www.allintocider.com. Her book, Cider Cocktails–Another Bite of the Apple, was the first book on the modern exploration of using cider in cocktails.

2023 Best in Class Winners

Class 1	Dry New World Cider	Bilpin Cider Co	Bilpin Archibald High N Dry	NSW
Class 2	Medium New World Cider	Hills Cider	Apple	SA
Class 3	Medium Sweet New World Cider	Hillbilly Cider	Apple	NSW
Class 4	Sweet New World Cider	Hillbilly Cider	Sweet Julie	NSW
Class 5	New World MT Cider	Bradys Lookout Cider	Cuvee 13 – Cox Orange Pippin Blend	TAS
Class 6	Dry Traditional Cider	Simple	Wild Heritage Blend	TAS
Class 7	Medium Traditional Cider	Plenty	2022 Cornucopia	TAS
Class 8	Medium Sweet Traditional Cider	Daylesford Cider	Organic Kingston Black	VIC
Class 9	Sweet Traditional Cider	Ecusson	Cidre Rosé	FRANCE
Class 10	Traditional MT Cider	St Ronans Cider	Methode Traditionelle Apple Cider	VIC
Class 11	Apple and Pear Blends	DV Cider	Pulp Friction	VIC
Class 21	Dry New World Perry	TWISTED SISTER	Twisted Sister Pear Cider	VIC
Class 22	Medium New World Perry	Napoleone Cider	Napoleone Pear Cider	VIC
Class 23	Medium Sweet New World Perry	Eddies Cider	Smooth Pear	VIC
Class 24	Sweet New World Perry	Frank’s Cider	Summer Pear	TAS
Class 25	New World MT Perry	St Ronans Cider	Methode Traditionelle Pear Cider	VIC
Class 26	Dry Traditional Perry	Hart’s Farm	Pear Cider	VIC
Class 27	Medium Traditional Perry		no entries
Class 28	Medium Sweet Traditional Perry		no entries
Class 29	Sweet Traditional Perry		no entries
Class 30	Traditional MT Perry		no entries
Class 31	Experimental Cider or Perry	Carmel Cider	Apple Pie Moonshine	WA
Class 31A	No-Low Alc Cider or Perry	Bilpin Cider Co	Bilpin Non Alc Apple & Ginger	NSW
Class 33	Cider or Perry with Fruit	Plenty	Apple + Blueberry	TAS
Class 34	Lighter Strength Cider or Perry	PRAH	Wild Red	TAS
Class 35	Cider or Perry with Botanicals	DV Cider	Roadknight	VIC
Class 36	Wood Aged Cider or Perry	Willie Smith’s Tasmanian	Brandy Barrel Aged Apple Cider	TAS
Class 41	Ice Cider or Perry		no entries
Class 42	Pommeau	Carmel Cider	Mistelle	WA
Class 43	Eau de Vie (Apple or Pear Spirit)	St Andrews Beach Brewery	Home Track Apple Vodka	VIC
Class 44	Aged Apple or Pear Spirit	Carmel Cider	Apple Brandy	WA

 

Cider Australia in collaboration with the American Cider Association will host a Level 1: Certified Cider Professional workshop in Melbourne on 18 October 2023.

(updated)

Cider Australia has announced Briony Liebich as Chair of Judges for this year’s Australian Cider Awards.

“Briony has served as a cider judge across many years and her wide ranging sensory expertise is respected in the industry”, said Cider Australia President Warwick Billings.

“As the Chair, Briony will be instrumental in ensuring the Awards maintains its strong reputation and continues to bring value to the Australian cider industry. She will be joined by a respected team of judges with expertise across beverage production, marketing, communication and education”, he said.

“The judges’ assessment is holistic and in-step with industry trends and innovations, with diversity of expertise ensuring a robust process as they make their way through the 30 different styles of cider.

“The Australian Cider Awards has been celebrating excellence in cider making since it was established in 2011, and we are proud that winning a medal remains a prestigious achievement”, said Warwick.

Enter the 2023 Australian Cider Awards online via https://australianciderawards.wineshowpro.com.au

The Award winners will be announced on Thursday 26 October at a gala industry dinner in Melbourne. Tickets are on sale now via Eventbrite.

Key dates

Awards entries close	Fri 22 Sep 2023
Deliver samples	Mon 25 Sep – Fri 6 Oct 2023
US cider master class hosted by guest international judge Darlene Hayes	Sun 15 Oct 2023 (6.00-7.30pm) Golden Gate Hotel, South Melbourne (Tickets)
Judging (closed to the public)	Mon 16 & Tue 17 Oct 2023 William Angliss Institute, Melbourne
Awards presentation dinner	Thu 26 Oct 2023 (6.00-10.00pm) The Victoria Hotel, Melbourne (Tickets)

FULL DETAILS ON AWARD CLASSES AND RULES CAN BE FOUND HERE.

– Ends –

Media enquiries

Contact Cider Australia executive officer Jane Anderson on
0434 559 759 or office@cideraustralia.org.au or visit www.cideraustralia.org.au.

About Cider Australia 

Cider Australia is an independent, not-for-profit organisation funded by cider businesses and sponsors, established in 2012. It aims to build a sustainable cider category by undertaking activities that improve the quality of ciders produced and marketed in Australia. The organisation represents the interests of the cider industry to policy makers, calling for regulations and policies that support a diverse and evolving cider industry, and runs the Australian Cider Awards and the national AusCider conference.

About the Awards

The 12^th annual Australian Cider Awards will be held in October 2023. The Awards is the largest cider competition in Australia and is leading the standardisation and improvement of cider judging across Australia. The judging panel brings expertise from across the alcoholic beverage industry and includes:

• chair Briony Liebich (Flavour Logic)
• international guest Darlene Hayes (writer and educator)
• Max Allen (drinks journalist and author)
• Nyall Condon (Flying Brick Cider Co)
• Adam D’Arcy (Plenty Cider)
• Jenny Polack (Bacchus Academy)
• Rob Hall (Napoleone Cider Bar)

Chair of Judges – Briony Liebich

Briony is a sensory analyst, Certified Cicerone, beer educator, writer and judge. She was a judge at the Australian Cider Awards in 2016, 2018 and 2019.

Briony has worked in the beer, wine and food industries for 18 years and has extensive experience sampling, judging and consulting to large and small businesses.

Briony runs sensory consultancy Flavour Logic (www.flavourlogic.com) based in South Australia, working with the food and beverage industry and general consumers to improve tasting skills.

—  US Pommelier to guest judge —

National industry body Cider Australia today opened entries to the 2023 Australian Cider Awards which will be held in Melbourne in October.

Entrants will compete for accolades in 30 commercial classes with the expert judging panel to blind tastes hundreds of ciders, specialty ciders and apple and pear spirits in Australia’s largest cider competition.

President of Cider Australia and chair of the organising committee Warwick Billings said ciders that are not sold in Australia can enter for the first time this year as part of a three year trial, giving international producers the opportunity to test products in the Australian market.

“We are excited to announce this year’s guest judge, Darlene Hayes from the United States, a highly respected educator, judge and writer with a true passion for cider”, said Warwick.

“Darlene is a Certified Pommelier™ – a course of study akin to the Wine and Spirits Education Trust and the Court of Master Sommeliers but for cider rather than wine –bringing a well-rounded technical and international perspective to the judging table”.

Enter the 2023 Australian Cider Awards online via australianciderawards.wineshowpro.com.au

Registrations close on Friday 22 September and the results will be announced on Thursday 26 October at a gala industry dinner in central Melbourne. Tickets will go on sale in August.

FULL DETAILS ON AWARD CLASSES AND RULES CAN BE FOUND HERE.

– Ends –

Key dates

Entries close	Fri 22 Sep 2023
Deliver entries	Mon 25 Sep – Fri 6 Oct 2023
Cider master class hosted by Darlene Hayes	Sun 15 Oct 2023 (Melbourne, venue TBA)
Judging (closed to the public)	Mon 16 & Tue 17 Oct 2023 (William Angliss Institute, Melbourne)
Awards presentation dinner	Thu 26 Oct 2023 (Melbourne, venue TBA)

Media enquiries

Contact Cider Australia executive officer Jane Anderson on
0434 559 759 or office@cideraustralia.org.au or visit www.cideraustralia.org.au.

About Cider Australia 

Cider Australia is an independent, not-for-profit organisation funded by cider businesses and sponsors, established in 2012. It aims to build a sustainable cider category by undertaking activities that improve the quality of ciders produced and marketed in Australia. The organisation represents the interests of the cider industry to policy makers, calling for regulations and policies that support a diverse and evolving cider industry, and runs the national cider conference AusCider and the Australian Cider Awards.

About the Awards

The 12^th annual Australian Cider Awards will be held in October 2023. The Awards is the largest cider competition in Australia and is leading the standardisation and improvement of cider judging across Australia. Judging of the Awards will be held on 16 & 17 October 2023 at the William Angliss Institute in Melbourne. The panel comprises 7 full judges and 4 associates and brings expertise from across the alcoholic beverage industry.

Guest international judge – Darlene Hayes

Darlene Hayes, dipWEST and Certified Pommelier™, is a writer and educator living in Sonoma County, California. She’s been fascinated by apples and cider since she and her husband built a house next to a 100+ year old apple orchard. Ever curious, she has since been doing research, historical and otherwise, on numerous apple varieties and the ciders made from them. For the last six years Darlene has been working with the American Cider Association on their Certified Cider Professionals program developing content to educate beverage professionals and enthusiasts alike on the breadth and depth of what cider has to offer. She is a well-respected international cider judge and the editor of the cider and apple-themed zine, Malus as well as writing about cider and apples for a variety of publications and at www.allintocider.com. Her book, Cider Cocktails–Another Bite of the Apple, was the first book on the modern exploration of using cider in cocktails.

Image below: Darlene Hayes, guest international judge at the 2023 Australian Cider Awards

The Australian cider industry is securing its future by checking the identity of cider apple varieties grown across Australia after research reveals some may be incorrectly named.

Cider Australia is collaborating with geneticists at Washington State University and the University of Queensland to compare the genetic fingerprints of cider apples in Australian commercial production with global datasets to establish if the varieties are true to type.

Samples are being collected from the extensive cider apple collection at Grove in Tasmania, together with private and publicly-owned orchards in Orange, New South Wales and other sites. Grove has been a primary source of materials for apple propagation and breeding in Australia and overseas for decades.

Cider Australia President Warwick Billings said confirming the identity of cider apples is important for the industry as it expands its plantings of purpose-grown cider fruit which are used to make premium styles of cider.

‘Different cider apple varieties can have wildly different properties and cider makers select and blend varieties to achieve many different styles of cider, said Warwick.

‘This is a fantastic opportunity to connect with global resources – the collaborative worldwide dataset is now at more than 6,000 apple cultivars (i.e. officially named varieties in cultivation) and selections – and to build an appreciation for the wealth of genetic materials held in Australia’, Warwick said.

Samples will be DNA-profiled by the MyFruitTree research lab located at Washington State University’s Department of Horticulture, using SNP genotyping technologies developed for use in US apple breeding programs.  

The Grove apple collection has global importance both historically and for current research on apple variety genetics being led by Professor Cameron Peace of Washington State University.

‘Grove is the only known source of several ancestors of worldwide significance and has been very influential in my research in establishing the pedigree relationships and origins of old and new cultivars’, said Cameron.

‘The materials must be preserved so they can be used in breeding of new and improved varieties to address future production needs, and the trees are also critical in genomics research to understand the valuable genetic factors they carry’, Cameron said.

‘As more of the uniqueness and identity of Grove cultivars are revealed, Grove will continue to supply collections and orchards with stock material of valuable Australian heirloom cultivars’, said Cameron

Dr Craig Hardner at the University of Queensland also uses materials from Grove in his genomic research, and is developing a new project that will use the collection as a vital resource for understanding climate changes adaptation and biosecurity resilience.

Cameron noted that some of the rare genetic factors of Australian heirloom cultivars in Grove are in descendant cultivars such as the Granny Smith, Cripps Pink, and Braeburn, while others have not yet been tapped.

‘There are several hundred more cultivars in the Grove collection still to be DNA-profiled and I expect more exciting discoveries when these are tested’, Cameron said.

– Ends –

Media enquiries

Contact Cider Australia executive officer Jane Anderson on
0434 559 759 or office@cideraustralia.org.au or visit www.cideraustralia.org.au.

About Cider Australia 

Cider Australia is an independent, not-for-profit organisation funded by cider businesses and sponsors, established in 2012. It aims to build a sustainable cider category by undertaking activities that improve the quality of ciders produced and marketed in Australia. The organisation represents the interests of the cider industry to policy makers, calling for regulations and policies that support a diverse and evolving cider industry, and runs the national cider conference AusCider and the Australian Cider Awards.

About DNA-profiling

Samples are being tested by the MyFruitTree research lab located at Washington State University’s Department of Horticulture. MyFruitTree employs the SNP array and KASP genotyping techniques and draws upon data gathered from thousands of apple and sweet cherry cultivars, and their descendants, that have been growing across the United States and other regions. This is a publicly accessible, fee-for-service facility provided through Washington State University.

About the Grove Apple Collection

The Grove apple collection is located near Hobart, Tasmania and contains over 400 apple varieties including around 40 cider-specific apple varieties.

Historically, the addition of Grove collection DNA profiles to the worldwide collaborative dataset has revealed ancestors that help connect pedigrees of cultivars, revealed ancestors of current commercially important cultivars, provided reference DNA profiles for verifying identity and revealing parentage of cultivars and selections in other regions of the world, and provided many new DNA profiles of cultivars not present in any other of the dozens of collections examined worldwide. 

Grove serves a key international role in conserving, understanding, and supplying the diversity of cultivated apple. It has supplied other collections and orchards with cultivars not obtainable anywhere else (often such cultivars are not Australian-bred but those that arose and once existed in Europe or North America hundreds of years ago). It has been used to restock the largest apple cultivar collection in the world, the Brogdale collection in the UK. The USDA collection holds many cultivars that came from the Grove collection. Other apple collections around the world have also obtained old cultivars sourced from Grove that were otherwise functionally extinct.

Historical information on the Grove collection can be found at: https://www.horticulture.com.au/globalassets/hort-innovation/historic-reports/the-reconditioning-of-the-pome-fruit-varietal-collection-at-grove-tasmania-ap10024.pdf

About Cameron Peace

Cameron Peace (Professor of Horticulture at Washington State University) is a long-time member of the international apple genetics community and a fruit enthusiast with family ties to Australia and the Tasmanian apple industry. Cameron’s research focuses on connecting pedigrees of apple cultivars, genetically dissecting traits of interest, tracking origins of valuable genetic factors, and determining which cultivars have inherited those factors and could pass them on. His research highlights the historical significance and connections of cultivars worldwide, predicts performance of cultivars in commercial settings, and encourages and provides useful information for breeding the next generations of improved cultivars.

Cameron has conducted extensive historical research on the Tasmanian apple germplasm. In 2019, Cameron DNA-profiled approximately 200 cultivars from the Grove collection that he and local researcher and apple industry expert Gordon Brown identified as important for collection management purposes and/or historical significance for Tasmania and Australia. The profiling revealed some interesting discoveries. The Grove collection contains both parents of the Granny Smith, which is a grandparent of the Cripps Pink (and its full sibling, Cripps Red, aka Sundowner®). It also contains ancestors of the popular commercial cultivar Braeburn and the cider apple cultivar, once also popular for fresh eating, Sturmer Pippin. He also found a significant proportion of the Grove cultivars tested to be incorrectly identified – some were determined to be a different cultivar than labelled, some had their correct identity determined, and some turned out to be the rootstock rather than the intended scion.