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The rise of cider

Ashton Rigg

Knockabout drop: A glass of Johnno cider at Newstead Brewing Co. in Brisbane.
Knockabout drop: A glass of Johnno cider at Newstead Brewing Co. in Brisbane.Bradley Kanaris

If an apple a day keeps the doctor away, surely a bottle of the good stuff will see you through to your next check-up? Fizzy, cloudy, sweet or tart, cider continues to hit Australia's sweet spot.

The fruity thirst-quencher made its way from England to our sunburnt shores many years ago, but now, with dedicated festivals and pride of place in many a craft beer bar, cider is putting the squeeze on ales and lagers that rule the land.

Michael Conrad, co-founder of Newstead Brewing Co. in Brisbane, says there was never really a question when it came to brewing cider. "Having a cider is an integral part of a balanced beer diet," Conrad says. "Cider used to be an afterthought, whereas now you wouldn't consider not putting a cider on the menu."

Bottles of Batlow cider and its namesake fruit.
Bottles of Batlow cider and its namesake fruit.Supplied
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These days, you're guaranteed to find cider on tap in any good watering hole. Too often it's a mass-produced syrupy concoction, but as more bars come to the craft side, more artisan brewers are being draughted.

When it comes to Newstead's Johnno cider, Conrad says it's a bit of a novelty to craft using fresh apple juice. But wait – aren't apples the heart and soul of cider? Conrad says many mass-market ciders are made using sugary apple concentrate from China.

"I don't think many people know that," he says. "It's not until you get down to the [producers] Willie Smiths, the Hills, Batlow and Sutton's that they actually use whole apples."

Fourth generation cider maker Martin Thatcher.
Fourth generation cider maker Martin Thatcher.Supplied

Newstead's knockabout Johnno cider hails from Queensland's Granite Belt region. Apples are freshly squeezed at Sutton's Farm near Stanthorpe and fermented at nearby Ravens Croft vineyard. The brew is driven back to Brisbane, where it is lightly filtered, carbonated, given a quick hit of sugar and kegged for consumption.

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Sutton's were Queensland's first commercial cider makers, a business born 11 years ago when apple growers David and Ros Sutton decided to make cider from the less perfect apples they couldn't sell. They use their own apples and traditional English and French cider techniques to make their own semi-sweet and dry cider.

While cider purists such as the Suttons and Conrad are rallying behind this paddock-to-pint approach, four years ago in the Snowy Mountains, Rich Coombes was carving the same niche.

The co-founder and managing director of Batlow Cider Co. says there was no contest when it came to choosing a cider source. "We grew up with Batlow apples," Coombes says. "It's a brand you find in your local greengrocer and that's the sort of brand we wanted aligned with Batlow Cider."

Coombes has noticed a surge in the tipple's popularity. "Once upon a time at your local bottle shop, you might have found a row of cider, where now there are [fridge] doors and doors of it. The quality and diversity has grown over the past five years, too."

Coombes says it comes down to people becoming more focused on what they are drinking. It's part of a larger movement towards conscious consumption – supporting local growers and valuing freshness.

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In England, fourth-generation cider maker Martin Thatcher echoes this sentiment, saying the current revival of cider has everything to do with people's increased awareness of the origins of their preferred pint.

"People want to know what they are buying, is it authentic and what's in it," Thatcher says.

The Thatcher family has been making cider in Somerset in England's west since the turn of the 20th century, whenThatcher's great-grandfather gave home-made cider to his workers as part of their weekly wages.

"It's the commitment to quality, crafting ciders that people want to drink that stands us apart," Thatcher says. "That commitment starts in the orchards ... Harvesting the best quality apples allows our cider makers to craft the tastiest cider."

Brands such as Batlow and Newstead will likely keep our whistles wet long after generic ciders go down the drain, and we say cheers to that.

Enjoy a cider at the Night Noodle Markets (July 22–August 2) at the Thatchers garden at Cultural Forecourt, South Bank; or match it with a slider at selected venues during Brisbane Good Food Month, presented by Citi (July 9-August 9), brisbane.goodfoodmonth.com

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