Hills Cider

The Hills Cider Company was founded by winemaker Steve Dorman and Tobias Kline and launched on Australia Day, 26th January 2010. In September 2011 they launched a pear cider, which recently took out the best Australian made pear cider at the Australian cider awards for 2013. Produced from 100% fresh Adelaide Hills apples or pears the ciders are made without sugar addition, concentrate or flavours. This artisan approach has been a significant part of their success to date, producing ciders that are crisp, dry and very fruit driven, as well as being gluten free and vegan friendly- a fresh alternative for those who can’t or don’t like to drink beer.

The chosen one: The Hills Cider Co Apple cider

The chosen one: The Hills Cider Co Pear cider

In the press:

This week’s cider comes from The Hills Cider Company in the Adelaide Hills in South Australia. And before I tell you all about it, turn off your computer, head to your nearest stockist and get yourself a few bottles of this one. It’s brilliant!

Ok, welcome back…now I’m assuming you have returned to your computer and have cracked open a bottle of this pear cider. Isn’t it great?!
Not surprising, this pear cider won best pear cider at the 2011, Australia Cider Awards.

This golden cider is made solely with pears from the Adelaide Hills where the juice is extracted and the fermentation process begins the same day to ensure quality and freshness. It is made by The Hills Cider Company, a relative newcomer to the market – launching in 2010. The guys behind the name are Steve Dorman and Tobias Kline who spent several years perfecting their craft prior to launching it onto the Australian market.

The first thing you notice when you open a bottle of this cider is that it has an almost heavenly aroma – fresh pears and floral notes dominate. It has a lovely balanced sweetness and a drying finish. It has a very fine carbonation which I love and it’s incredibly moreish. I finished a bottle in no time.

I love the fact that this cider does not contain any concentrates, sugar, water or extra flavour – it remains 100% Australian pears.
This alluring cider is definitely one to watch. It is by far the best pear cider I have sampled. I can’t wait to get my hands on their apple variety – Erin from thefoodmentalist.com, April 2012.

A little about the craftsman Janoah van Kekem:

1. Why did you decide to make cider?

Steve and Toby, good mates from South Australia, saw a gap in the market for ‘real Australian Made and owned’ cider and set out to make Australia’s best.

2. How does your cider differ from your competitor’s.

Unlike a lot of competitive ciders, our cider’s are made from 100% fresh Adelaide Hills apples and pears, as opposed to using concentrate, sugar, water and flavours. The fruit is hand picked based on specifications given  by us to the pickers, which means we have total control of the product.  We are 100% Australian made and owned and support local farmers, all our skin and seed waste is re-used for mulch or animal feed.

3. What’s one thing everyone should know about making cider?

Sugar and acid balance is very important

4. Could you please give a brief description of the cider-making process?

The fruit is picked at optimal ripeness and put straight into a CO2 controlled cool room.  The fruit is then taken out and cold pressed to create the juice. The juice is then exposed to yeast in a cold ferment, by which the natural sugars are turned into alcohol.  Our kegs are totally un-pasteurised and our bottles only very lightly before being carbonated and kegged or bottled.

5. What are the best foods to match with your cider’s?

• Hills Apple Cider – pork, seafood
• Hills Pear – Cheese, pear tart, seafood
• Apple & Ginger – Beef, Asian foods