Today, June 3, is World Cider Day, symbolising the beginning of the cider season all over the world.
Launched by the members of the Association of Apple Wine and Fruit Juice Press Houses in Hesse, Germany, World Cider Day aims to “generate publicity for the wide variety and characteristics of cider, to whet people’s appetite for cider, to provide information about cider and its meaning for nature conservation and to be a festival for the numerous cider lovers”.
According to www.worldciderday.com, cider is a favourite beverage in more than 20 countries including Finland, Slovenia, France, Argentina and, of course, New Zealand.
“It is called Siidera, Jabolčnik, Cidre, Cider or Sidra,” says the website.
“All apple ciders have their regional characteristics: they are sour or sweet, carbonated or not, clear or opaque, they are available fresh from the barrel, in bottles or in cans.”
In New Zealand, cider has a rich heritage in the Nelson/Tasman Region.
According to the NZ Cider Festival website, Redwood Cellars (1947) and Rochdale Cider (1945) (McCashins) are the two longest established cider producers.
“In recent times they have been joined by Peckhams Cider – specialising in traditional English style cider, and a number of breweries complementing their beer range with a cider.”
Nelson produces around 60% of all the cider produced in New Zealand.
From 2010 to 2020, the total volume in the cider category in this country increased by 11.7 million litres. The increase in locally produced cider over the same period was estimated to be 12.2 million litres, nearly four times the estimated volume in 2010.*
Send your cheers to the world today, by posting on World Cider Day’s Facebook page.
*Alcohol available for consumption: Year ended December 2020. Stats NZ.
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