April 1st, 2022Win for Daylesford Cider

DAYLESFORD Cider Company has won Australia Award’s 2021 Regional Development Victoria Business Achievement Award.
Daylesford Cider Company was bought by Jon and Clare Mackie in 2015 as a small-scale cider producer.
Jon aka Mackie is self-taught and has refined their cider styles while also developing new innovative styles to distinguish their brand. He’s obviously doing something right because they keep winning awards at the Australian Cider Awards.

Clare, who has proudly just become an Australian citizen, runs the on-site cellar door and restaurant with help from cellar door and events manager Andrew Rumble.
Both Clare and Andrew made us feel very welcome when we popped in for lunch on Friday with a couple of friends. There is plenty of seating either alfresco or indoors and lots of room to wander around an immaculately kept lawn area. Did I mention dogs are very welcome too.
Our friends chose wine while Kyle had a beer, brewed for the cidery, and I opted to try the cider tasting paddle. The paddle is a really great idea for people who either like cider and want to try more styles, or are not sure if they like cider, and just want to give them a go. They are all great but I found the dry vintage was my favourite, followed by the watermelon, perfect for a summer’s day.
Food. Woodfired pizzas are the go-to here, after starting with a really great share plate. We ordered three between the four of us, ham, a veggie dreamin’ and pepperoni. Plenty of toppings, great flavours and a nice thin crust. I thought we might have over ordered but by the time we finished up they were all gone.
The meal done, our friends headed off and Andrew took Kyle and me over to the cidery to say g’day to Mackie. He is hard at work at the moment, juicing up apples before they are put into barrels to ferment. The barrel time depends on how complex he wants the cider to be. Australians, he says, are moving from sweeter ciders to a more dry finish (I am obviously ahead of the pack here) but they are also not into too much complexity. I guess the majority of us are like Goldilocks and want it “just right”. Making cider here is a non-waste production with all of the leftover crushed apple going off to local pig farms.
If, like us, you have been spending too much time at home, head to the Daylesford Cider, and enjoy an award winning drop and a great pizza. Say hi to Clare, Mackie and Andrew.

Words: Donna Kelly