It all began in 2003 with the grafting of select heritage cider apple varieties onto dwarf rootstock. Now our orchards are well established, mostly netted (to keep those pesky birds off) and proudly Australian Certified Organic (ACO). It is these apples, predominantly English-heritage cider varieties, which make our ciders so tasty. Across our orchards we have a fantastic mix of bittersharp, sharp, sweet and bittersweet apples bringing with them plenty of tannins, sugars and acidity to enable us to produce a broad and very interesting range of craft ciders.
In 2015 we officially took over the business and premises, which included a recently built English-style tavern cellar-door set in amongst landscaped gardens. It has been a labour of love over the years, growing our small business to where it is today, and a journey we are so grateful for. With the help of a fantastic team behind us, our cellar-door is now open 7 days a week offering casual dining, tastings, drinks and take-home cider sales.
In the early days we produced 4 different ciders, which has now grown to over 12 cider styles including small batch seasonal releases. Along the way we have always ensured we stay true to our values, producing authentic craft cider that leans more towards traditionally made ciders found in England and Europe. We pride ourselves on using only 100% fresh juice, which means no apple concentrates or flavouring, nor do we add sugar or dilute, and we try to use as little, or no, sulphites where possible. We embrace the seasonality of traditional cider making; one harvest, one vintage, one chance, once a year. Therefore each year’s production is slightly different to the last and wonderfully unique!
We have received great recognition each year across our range of ciders, picking up a number of medals at the Australian International Cider Awards as well as Best Cider In Show at the 2020 Royal Adelaide Show. We are so grateful to be able to share our space and our ciders with our many visitors throughout the year & look forward to welcoming you soon.
Cheers!
https://daylesfordcider.com.au/o