Australian Cider Awards judges announced

1 Aug 2024

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.

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Key dates

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.