Definition of cider

[Greg.L]

This came up on the cider workshop, I thought I would post it here. According to the ATO -







Cider or perry is a beverage that:


·

is the product of the complete or partial fermentation of the juice or must of apples or pears;

·

has not had added to it any ethyl alcohol from any other source; and

·

has not had added to it any liquor or substance (other than water or the juice or must of apples or pears) that gives colour or flavour.






A lot of the cider made on this forum wouldn't qualify as cider, not that it matters.

The definition of mead is a lot looser, I guess the market for mead is pretty tiny -







From 9 June 2005, mead is a beverage that :


·

is the product of the complete or partial fermentation of honey ; and

·

has not had added any ethyl alcohol from any other source, except grape spirit or neutral spirit ; and

·

has not had added to it any liquor or substance that gives colour or flavour other than :


-

grape spirit or neutral spirit ;

-

honey, herbs and spices, all of which can be added at any time ;

-

caramel, provided it is added after the fermentation process is complete ; or

-

fruit or product derived entirely from fruit, provided :


·

the fruit or product has not been fermented ;

·

the fruit or product is added to the mead before fermentation of the mead; and

·

after the addition of the fruit or product and before fermentation the mead contains not less than 14% by volume of honey and not more than 30 %by volume of the fruit or product ;and





·

if fruit or product is added the mead contains between 8 %and 22 % ( inclusive) of ethyl alcohol by volume, and

·

if grape spirit or neutral spirit has been added contains between 15 % and 22 % ( inclusive) of ethyl alcohol by volume. However, grape spirit or neutral spirit can only be added if the beverage meets the definition of mead before the grape spirit or neutral spirit is added .

Note : If fruit or product derived from fruit is added and it contains concentrated fruit juice or fruit pulp, the proportion of fruit or product in the mead is worked out by assuming that it has been reconstituted according to the recommendations of the manufacturer of the concentrated fruit juice or pulp .

 

[Bribie G]

What about sugar? I spoke to a cider salesman who said that a lot of the cheaper brands, especially some of the high gravity "bum wine" ciders from Europe or NZ are hit up with da sugaz to increase the alcohol content.

 

[Greg.L]

It is pretty vague about adding sugar before fermenting, so I think a lot of that happens. You can't add sugar after fermenting, you have to sweeten with juice or concentrate.

We don't get the worst of the European ciders which are flavoured and have very little juice.

 

[Greg.L]

It seems to me that malic acid would also be considered a flavouring. I wonder how many of the commercial ciders add mailc because the acidity is too low.

 

[pk.sax]

So, technically, if a juice concentrate manufacturer put on the packaging to add the malic acid in order to 'reconstitute' the juice, then it would be legal? That way you could use a portion of concentrate with acid addition to add complexity to a cider based on eating apples?!
I ask because the only micro in oz I got the insight on how they brewed their cider confirmed it is made from concentrate. Their cider was gross.

 

[Greg.L]

I am sure makers get away with adding malic because of lax enforcement, but a strict reading of the rules would say that a flavouring added before fermentation is still a flavouring.