A year or so ago I had the Bilpin Archibald cider. It was pretty dry but it did have a little back sweetening. Now the guys at Bilpin Cider co have released a version with out the back sweetening fresh juice and it’s bottle conditioned. I have high hopes for this the Archibald Extra Brut Cider.

Although Bilpin is a pretty good neck of the woods for growing apples, the Bilpin Cider company is sourcing the apples from all over new south Wales.
While the regular edition is available all year round, this Extra Brut Cider is a limited release. Limited to just 2400 bottles. The other major difference is that this cider is crystal clear. The cloudy base cider is aged in the bottle. The trick is as it ages the bottles are stored upside-down so the sediment collects in the neck where it can be frozen and expelled using the methode traditionelle.

Update. Sean from Bilpin got in touch to say that the cider is in fact filtered to make it clear rather than the using methode traditionelle.

Archibald Extra Brut Cider Bottle

The Nose

As fresh as a Blue Mountains’ stream, with the crispness of a new seasons’ apple. It’s obvious that the Extra Brut Cider has spent some time in the bottle on lees with a pretty prominent toasted yeast scent.

The Taste

Dry but still very fruity, backed up by a long lingering acid tail. The acid here is an interesting juxtaposition against the round foamy bottle conditioned bubbles. There isn’t any tannin structure but that’s ok as the acid is that proud that it nearly… Nearly ticks all the boxes that a good old fashioned cider apple would do.

Final Thoughts on the Bilpin Archibald Extra Brut Cider

I like the dryness of the Extra Brut, I really think that for the cider industry to be more than a passing fad the average sugar content across the market needs to come down. And I fully acknowledge that this will not suit everyone’s tastes. But please don’t let that put you off this cider, try a slice of strawberry into your glass if you need a little more sweetness.
I think that this Extra Brut Cider more worthy of the name Archibald. It’s much more direct and to the point than the cloudy version. It knows what is wants to be and goes straight there. Just how I imagine it’s namesake, Archibald to be.
I’m drinking this while we have a few friends around. They have cracked open a bottle of Mumm champagne… we haven’t seen these friends in a long time. I’ve opened up the this bottle of Bilpin. Let’s just say that I have offered them all a little taste of the Extra Brut Cider and that was a major mistake. I think old Archy is leaving Mumm for dead.

 

Product Archibald Extra Brut Cider
Company Bilpin Cider Co
Sweetness Dry
Alc/Vol 9%
Website www.bilpincider.com
Country of Origin Australia
Region New South Wales

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