Cider with a backstory

Small Acres Cyder of Orange, NSW, claims its recently released fortified apple cider, Pommeau, to be the first of its kind in Australia. Cider maker James Kendall said: "Pommeau, which is a little like a softer, more approachable style of Calvados [apple brandy from Normandy], has been around in France for years."

He says the fortified product took four years to make, as it required lengthy maturation in French oak barrels following fortification with a spirit.

The new product adds to a long list of apple and pear ciders produced by James and wife Gail since 2009. The Kendalls grow a range of English heritage cider apple varieties on the site, 892 metres above sea level.

I'll be visiting the Kendalls for Food and Wine shortly, to learn what it takes to grow apples and pears in Orange, and make fine cider from them.

Murray's Moon Boy Golden Ale ★★★★
330ml 4-pack $15.99

Nelson Bay brewer Murray's offers a bottle-conditioned ale based on a light pilsner malt and dry hopping with the New Zealand-grown variety Pacifica. The golden, cloudy ale leads with fruity hops aromas, a character that washes through the pleasantly malty palate. The finish is fresh, with a mildly bitter hops finish.

Cooper's Pale Ale ★★★★ ½
375ml 6-pack $16

Judges at last year's International Beer Awards rated Cooper's Sparkling Ale the best Australian sparkling ale style. But Sparkling Ale's lighter-bodied, less- alcoholic sibling, Pale Ale, also shows class. It's a beautifully balanced session beer of pleasing complexity and refreshing, dry bitterness.