Cider Australia announced the winners of the 2023 Australian Cider Awards at a gala dinner in Melbourne on Thursday Night.Tasmanian producer Plenty Cider was awarded Best in Show with Apple + Blueberry along with the Best Specialty Cider and Most Successful Small Producer trophies.The quality of entries this year left the judges impressed with a record 75% of all ciders entered receiving a medal, showing how hard the industry is working to eliminate technical faults, meet style expectations and test the boundaries with new and exciting products.A field of 219 local and international entries from 62 producers was judged by a highly skilled and diverse panel of nine judges led by chair Briony Liebich of consultancy Flavour Logic. Guest judge Darlene Hayes from the United States added valuable insight on global trends.Thirteen gold medals and nine trophies were awarded. The Dry New World Cider class was a standout class with three gold medals awarded. 2023 Trophy winners: Best in Show: Plenty Cider with Apple + Blueberry (TAS)Best New World Cider: Hillbilly Cider with Apple (NSW)Best Traditional Cider: Simple Cider with Wild Heritage Blend (TAS)Best Perry: Napoleone Cider with Napoleone Pear Cider (VIC)Best Specialty Cider or Perry: Plenty Cider with Apple + Blueberry (TAS)Best Intensified / Distilled Cider or Perry: Carmel Cider Company with Apple Brandy (WA)Best International Cider or Perry: Peckham’s with Stoke Red (NZ)Most Successful Small Producer: Plenty Cider (TAS)Most Successful Larger Producer: Hillbilly Cider (NSW) Cider Australia also honours individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to the Australian cider industry over a prolonged period of time through its Champion of the Industry Award. This Award was presented to Max Allen. For a full list of award and medal winners visit: cideraustralia.org.au/past-results/2023-results

About the Awards The Awards is the largest cider competition in Australia and is leading the standardisation and improvement of cider judging across Australia. The judging panel comprised:

  • Briony Liebich (Flavour Logic) (chair)
  • Darlene Hayes (Certified Pommelier™ educator and writer) (international guest judge)
  • Max Allen (wine and drinks writer)
  • Nyall Condon (Flying Brick Cider Co)
  • Adam D’Arcy (Plenty Cider)
  • Lindsy Greig (Certified Cicerone® The 5th Ingredient)
  • Rob Hall (Napoleone Cider Bar) (associate)
  • Emma Penny (Certified Cicerone® Stomping Ground Brewery) (associate)
  • Jenny Polack (Bacchus Academy)

Chair of judges – Briony LiebichBriony is a sensory analyst and tasting coach. Growing up in a winemaking family gave Briony a good grounding in the booze industry and developed her appreciation for good drinks. After working in winery laboratories, Briony became a sensory analyst running wine and food research projects and training sensory panellists. She side-stepped into the beer world and led the sensory program at Lion’s West End Brewery for 10 years working with beer, cider and RTD’s. During that time, she gained valuable judging experience at beer and cider awards and became a Certified Cicerone ®. Since West End’s closure, Briony has revamped her Flavour Logic brand to help drive a quality focus and improve tasting skills within the alcoholic beverage industry. She is a qualified trainer, writes regularly for Beer and Brewer, and runs educational workshops for consumers, hospitality staff and industry professionals. Guest international judge – Darlene HayesDarlene Hayes, dipWEST and Certified Pommelier™, is a writer and educator living in Sonoma County, California. She’s been fascinated by apples and cider since she and her husband built a house next to a 100+ year old apple orchard. Ever curious, she has since been doing research, historical and otherwise, on numerous apple varieties and the ciders made from them. For the last six years Darlene has been working with the American Cider Association on their Certified Cider Professionals program developing content to educate beverage professionals and enthusiasts alike on the breadth and depth of what cider has to offer. She is a well-respected international cider judge and the editor of the cider and apple-themed zine, Malus as well as writing about cider and apples for a variety of publications and at www.allintocider.com. Her book, Cider Cocktails–Another Bite of the Apple, was the first book on the modern exploration of using cider in cocktails. 2023 Best in Class Winners

Class 1 Dry New World Cider Bilpin Cider Co Bilpin ArchibaldHigh N Dry NSW
Class 2 Medium New WorldCider Hills Cider Apple SA
Class 3 Medium Sweet New World Cider Hillbilly Cider Apple NSW
Class 4 Sweet New World Cider Hillbilly Cider Sweet Julie NSW
Class 5 New World MT Cider Bradys Lookout Cider Cuvee 13 – Cox Orange Pippin Blend TAS
Class 6 Dry Traditional Cider Simple Wild Heritage Blend TAS
Class 7 Medium TraditionalCider Plenty 2022 Cornucopia TAS
Class 8 Medium Sweet Traditional Cider Daylesford Cider Organic Kingston Black VIC
Class 9 Sweet Traditional Cider Ecusson Cidre Rosé FRANCE
Class 10 Traditional MT Cider St Ronans Cider Methode TraditionelleApple Cider VIC
Class 11 Apple and Pear Blends DV Cider Pulp Friction VIC
Class 21 Dry New World Perry TWISTED SISTER Twisted Sister Pear Cider VIC
Class 22 Medium New World Perry Napoleone Cider Napoleone Pear Cider VIC
Class 23 Medium Sweet New World Perry Eddies Cider Smooth Pear VIC
Class 24 Sweet New World Perry Frank’s Cider Summer Pear TAS
Class 25 New World MT Perry St Ronans Cider Methode Traditionelle Pear Cider VIC
Class 26 Dry Traditional Perry Hart’s Farm Pear Cider VIC
Class 27 Medium Traditional Perry no entries
Class 28 Medium SweetTraditional Perry no entries
Class 29 Sweet Traditional Perry no entries
Class 30 Traditional MT Perry no entries
Class 31 Experimental Cider or Perry Carmel Cider Apple Pie Moonshine WA
Class 31A No-Low Alc Cider or Perry Bilpin Cider Co Bilpin Non Alc Apple & Ginger NSW
Class 33 Cider or Perry with Fruit Plenty Apple + Blueberry TAS
Class 34 Lighter Strength Cider or Perry PRAH Wild Red TAS
Class 35 Cider or Perry withBotanicals DV Cider Roadknight VIC
Class 36 Wood Aged Cider or Perry Willie Smith’s Tasmanian Brandy Barrel Aged Apple Cider TAS
Class 41 Ice Cider or Perry no entries
Class 42 Pommeau Carmel Cider Mistelle WA
Class 43 Eau de Vie (Apple or Pear Spirit) St Andrews Beach Brewery Home Track Apple Vodka VIC
Class 44 Aged Apple or Pear Spirit Carmel Cider Apple Brandy WA

Don’t forget to get your Real Cider Reviews merch