Monteith's Cider

[nzbrewer]

Brewer Monteith's is turning its hand from hops to fermented apples as it looks to tap into New Zealand's growing $4.5 million cider market.

The DB Breweries-owned West Coast brewery expects to have its 100 per cent pure New Zealand sourced Crushed Apple Cider on tap and in bottles in bars nationwide from September.

Monteith's brand manager Russell Browne says cider is becoming increasing popular in New Zealand with annual sales growing at 13 per cent.

"Kiwis are keen on natural products that have a great taste - not products made from concentrates. And currently there's a flow of New Zealanders returning from their OEs and bringing with them the tastes they have developed in the old country."

In Britain the cider market is worth a massive 1.8 billion a year (NZ$4.42 billion) and is the fastest growing category within the Beers, Wines & Spirits sector (BWS). Even in the on-trade, where the recession has hammered the pub industry, cider is one of only two categories in growth.

Cider has continued to grow in popularity over the last few years, which has largely been driven by consumption for over ice brands such as Magners.

Pear cider is also a contributing factor behind the resurgence in the drink. It is credited with bringing in new consumers to the sector, and in particular female drinkers, who tend to prefer it to the more traditional apple cider.

Here the drink has suffered image damage caused in part by the use of low-rent PET bottles a plastic which has the more formal name of polyethylene teraphthalate and in part by low quality raw materials where concentrate has been used in the production process.

"Specifically, people are looking for a premium cider and we have been developing a 100 per cent New Zealand apple sourced cider to meet this growing consumer demand," said Mr Browne.

"This summer we're picking people will enjoy it poured over ice for the ultimate refreshment hit.''

Monteith's 4.5 per cent alcohol by volume (ABV) offering will also be available from supermarkets and liquor stores with a recommended retail price of $14.99 per four pack.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/2749143/Monteith-s-eyes-cider-market

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SO "not products made from concentrates."
Does this mean Monteith's are getting apples and freshly crushing them?

[nzbrewer]

Is the cider being made at the Monteith's Brewery in Greymouth?

[Soren]

I don't know where its made but it seems everybody is making cider these days, saw Moa had one out too.


"Specifically, people are looking for a premium cider and we have been developing a 100 per cent New Zealand apple sourced cider to meet this growing consumer demand,"

Read: its made from 100% apple concentrate....

[josh scott]

Yep Moa did have one out, but now being pulled from Market.(in fact never been fully released to market as not where we wanted the Moa brand to be)

It was a 9.2% beast, off-dry, very clean and crisp (if anybody wants to buy we are selling cheap only 400 4 packs left, contact brewery [e-mail]). It was made from Granny smith and Pear cloudy Concentrate and fermented and lees stired in old chardonnay Barrels

However we are bringing one out in Weka range.

I have read all the Trade release on Monteiths cider and it is, from memory, made from 100% real, crushed apples from Nelson

[Sinykill]

I'm sure they will be sourcing premium cider vintage apples and not using reject export fruit to produce a over carbonated over sweet "light" flavoured product with the obligatory amount of ARA.

[nzbrewer]

Will it be fermented apple juice or apple juice with ethanol added and apple flavour?

[Doublehoppy]

Something else to boycott as far as I'm concerned

[vdog]

Agreed - not least because for that money, I can get an equivalent amount of Epic!

[Stu McKinlay]

turning it's hand from hops

what the fuck? did they use one somewhere?

[Soren]

rumor has it they did, but its many many years ago...

[Sinykill]

I hear they are still using that original hop to this very day

[Horace]

So will it be Cider or Perry that is trademarked next than?

[Greig McGill]

Oh zing!