Cider Australia unveiled the winners of the 2024 Australian Cider Awards during a gala lunch in Melbourne last week, celebrating excellence in cider production.
South Australian producer Hills Cider clinched the prestigious Best in Show award for its Pear cider, also taking home the trophy for Best Perry. The competition featured 190 entries from both local and international producers, assessed by a diverse panel of nine judges, led by Briony Liebich from consultancy Flavour Logic. A total of twenty gold medals and ten trophies were presented.
Briony Liebich noted a significant improvement in cider quality this year, highlighting the increasing standards within the industry. “The Traditional Cider and Fruit Cider categories particularly stood out, collectively winning almost half of the gold medals. The judges were especially impressed by the skill with which cider makers are incorporating various fruits into their products,” she stated.
The judges also expressed optimism for the emerging No/Low Alcohol Cider or Perry category, awarding a gold medal to New Zealand’s Peckham’s Cidery and Orchard for its Apple Zero.
In a touching tribute, a new perpetual trophy for Best Single Varietal Cider was awarded to The Apple Thief for its Kingston Black. This trophy honors the late David Pickering, a respected figure in the cider industry who passed away earlier this year.
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