Gold for Northern Ireland in International Cider Awards 2015
Mac Ivor's Cider from Northern Ireland struck gold in the latest International Cider Awards at Burton on Trent. The family-owned apple growing and cider business came top in the Open Apple with 2.5-7.5% ABV Class with its Traditional Dry Cider in the prestigious event in the National Brewing Centre.
Greg MacNeice, brew master at Mac Ivor's Cider, commenting on the award, says: "What a marvellous boost for our business from the panel of expert judges. It will be tremendously important as we seek to grow our sales particularly in target markets such as Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland."
The award is the most recent won by Mac Ivor's Cider. Others include National Trust Fine Food Produce Awards and Great Taste Awards. It produces bottle conditioned and cask cider. The bottle ciders, launched in 2011, are already on sale in Britain, Ireland, Germany, Sweden and Finland.
It is handcrafted from apples from the family orchards in county Armagh including bramleys and Cox's Orange Pippins
Ruth Evans, director of organisers Bredwing Technology Services, adds: "Entries to the 2015 competition were received from all five continents, including a number of countries without a long brewing tradition, and from new entrants to the market as well as long-established brewers and cider makers. Beers and ciders from over 50 countries were judged.
Evans added, "We're particularly pleased with the response from cider makers. We reintroduced cider at the last awards, in 2013, and it is now a standalone event, the International Cider Awards, with 10 cider categories and one championship. The fact that cider makers from around the world want to benchmark their product at this competition speaks volumes for the reputation it has established in just two years."
The International Brewing Awards and International Cider Awards are unique in requiring that all judges are commercially active brewers or cider makers. A panel of around 40 judges from around the world was recruited to assess the beers and ciders in Burton-upon-Trent. Judging took place from 10-12 February, with medal winners were announced on Friday 13.
The competition is supported by a number of international brewing organisations. Leading packaging and filling technology manufacturer Krones and Barth-Haas, leading supplier of hop products and services, have both signed up as headline sponsors, while brewing process aid manufacturer AB Vickers is again an industry sponsor.