Northern Irish Cider success in top US competition

Armagh Cider Company, one of Northern Ireland's leading cider and apple juice processors, has been successful in a major US competition.

The company, based in Armagh, Northern Ireland's apple growing and processing region, gained two medals in the recent Great Lakes International Cider and Perry Competition, held annually at St John's, Michigan.

Armagh Cider gained separate bronze medals in the New World Ciders category for its bottle-conditioned Carson's Premium and Madden's Mellow products. There were over 100 entries in this category.

Maddens Mellow was launched early 2010 and has since developed into the company's biggest seller and key export product. Other products include 'AJ' pure apple juice and apple punch.

The company, which sources apples from its own orchards in county Armagh, launched its first cider, Carson's Crisp, in 2006. It grows apples on 100 acres on a farm owned by the Troughton family since 1898.

Helen Troughton, who now runs the business with husband Philip, says: " We are delighted to have won such important recognition and endorsement from experts in a market which we see as offering tremendous export potential for our handcrafted ciders. It will certainly raise our profile there."

Armagh has long been the home of the apple business in Northern Ireland and among the most important in the UK and Ireland.

The apples are pressed and processed using traditional handcrafted techniques and bottled in its own plant. Armagh bramley apples have also gained EU protected name status.

Armagh Cider last year announced a major expansion in its production and bottling capacity as part of an initiative to boost export sales.

The international competition, now in its ninth year, is run by The Great Lakes Cider & Perry Association, a not-for-profit organisation, which aims to showcase and promote fermented apple and pear beverages throughout the US. Armagh Cider was the only Northern Ireland winner.

This unique competition welcomes a range of fermented products made with apples and/or pears: cider, ice cider, perry, mead, beer, and spirits.

There were two divisions: one for commercially licensed producers and one for noncommercial enthusiasts.

Each entry in the competition was evaluated in blind tasting by a panel of two to four judges. There were 19 categories in the competition.

Judges were a combination of cider industry professionals, experienced Beer Judge Certification Programme (BJCP) judges, experienced non-BJCP judges, food and drink professionals, academics in relevant fields, and members of the media.