By Peter Holmstrom
On a recent trip to the grocery store, I met an Australian couple who opened my eyes to the world of Australian cider. I had never thought Australia to be a major apple growing country, but evidently I was wrong. Australia is ripe with apple and pear production. During the 2012-2013 growing season, the sixth largest country in the world produced nearly 300 million tons of apples, and more than 100 million tons of pears. Making for the Australia cider scene as something much worth the exploration. All this investigation and insight happened to coincide with my brother taking a trip to Australia, and on his way back, he happened to bring me a bottle of Australian hard cider.
Located in the Southwestern section of Western Australia, Custard & Co. Cider is in the heart of Australian apple country. Utilizing only wild yeast and open-top fermenters, Custard & Co. seeks to limit the usage of preservatives and human intervention in their cider to produce a more natural product. Letting the cider do its own thing whenever possible. The result is an unfiltered, non carbonated cider more in the style of the scrumpy cyders of old.
Custard & Co. currently produces five different hard ciders, for which their Scrumpy Apple Cider represents the ediphus of their company. An unfiltered, slightly cloudy appearance encapsulates a semi-sweet cider coupled with a dry, earthy quality. Moderate in mouthfeel, the cider lingers on the tongue long after sipping with a bread-like flavor coming from the wild yeast.
Track on Twitter: @CustardCo
