Sam Reid is based in Tasmania, a state of Australia. He is a partner at Willie Smith’s Cider and President of Cider Australia.
Cider in Australia
Tasmania is what Sam calls the smallest state of Australia…which by the way mainland Australia is equal in size to the continental United States. It was colonized by the English who used it in the 1700’s as a penal colony. It is also in the southern hemisphere so the apple growing region is found in the south on both Australia and Tasmania. It use to be well known as the Apple Isle a claim to fame that I suspect will in time return full on.
Apples and Cider Making in Australia
There are 30 apple growers in Tasmania.
When asked what would best describe Australian cider, Sam said the overall cider style for the country is a New World commercial style, with fresh apples, filtered (crossed flowed filtered), carbonated and a bit sweet to please the current customer palate – with an overall ph of 3.6. Whereas for Tasmania ciders Sam says, “There isn’t one specific style”. Willie Smith’s where Sam is the CoFounder/Managing Director they tend towards the French Style of cidermaking, with less emphasis on the acid. Willie Smith’s ciders are also unfiltered and oak aged and note that they do have special release ciders in 750 ML bottles which makes a visit to their Tasting Room (The Apple Shed) even more worthwhile.
How to get to Tasmania?
- Take an hour and half flight from Melbourne
- Take an overnight ferry from Melbourne to the port in Devon. You can take car on the ferry.
- Spreyton Cider is the first cidery that you can get to once off the ferry.
- Head south into Cole Valley and look for Red Brick Road Cider and Two Metre Tall Farmhouse Ale and Cider in Launceston.
- Lost Pippin cider, Pagan Cider, Frank’s Cider and so much more
- Click on the link to Tasmania Cider Trail and put it on your plans for a perfect cider holiday
- Huon Valley Mid Winter Festival July 15-17, 2016
The Apple Shed at Willie Smith’s
All of Willie Smith’s ciders are produced on site. The farm itself is 150 acres (40 hectares).
Willie Smith’s is 30 minutes south of Hobart, Tasmania. Hobart is the capital of this Australian state. The actual region where Willie Smith’s is located is the Huon Valley.
