There will be an international flavour at this year’s Cider Industry Conference to be held at Batlow on May 18 when Peter Mitchell from the UK will present two papers.
Conference convenor Kevin Dodds said Peter Mitchell, a cider authority and educator is well known in the UK where he has over thirty years experience in the industry.
“The NSW craft cider industry is expanding and this is creating new demand as most craft cider producers have a preference for 100 per cent Australian grown fruit,” he said.
“This year’s guest speaker is internationally acclaimed Peter Mitchell based in Gloucestershire, UK.
“Through his company, The Cider and Perry Academy, he provides advance cider and perry production courses as well as a range of advisory and support services for producers.”
Although this is his first trip to Australia, Mr Mitchell said many Australians have studied at his academy, and he is looking forward to finding out more about the ‘cider scene’ in Australia.
“There is currently a great opportunity to develop a robust and sustainable market and industry for cider in Australia, underpinned by transparency and product integrity,” he said.
“Although cider will never be an alternative to a 'high-end' fine wine and should not be viewed as such, it certainly is a product of true value; refreshing with wide range of its own unique & intrinsic flavours for many occasions, great with food (for example, cheese was designed for cider, not for wine or beer!) and made from the world's most iconic fruit - the apple.”
As with the Wine Industry in Australia, where a widely recognised world lead was taken with the application of science in the fermentation of grape juice, the country is well placed to do the same for cider in the 21st century, according to Mr Mitchell.
“Having observed the ups and downs of the UK's cider market and industry over 30 plus years, it is my carefully considered view that if the product is kept simple, so as to just reflect and emphasise the apple from which it is made, you don't go far wrong,” he said.