Cider Sunday - Dr Pilkington's Miracle Cider

It's raining and humid here in Sydney at the moment. Yesterday Pete and I celebrated Australia Day by having a relaxed Vietnamese lunch in Marrickville and for dinner we indulged in the more traditional BBQ with sausages in rolls with all the trimmings. Thankfully, with our National day falling on a Saturday this year we can all look forward to a sleep in tomorrow morning with Monday being the default public holiday. 

This week's cider Sunday brings you Dr Pilkington's Miracle Cider. Made in South Australia by Bellevue & Gloucester, I was drawn to this cider by its quirky off beat label which promises to help cure the drinker from selected ailments. It tells us that it is made using 100% fresh apples under the Doctor's orders, but with no website - little else is known about these guys. Here's a snippet of the quirkiness behind the brand:

THE MAN
Little is known of the enigmatic Dr Pilkington and less has been written. Some say he won his famous apple orchard in a card game, others say he drank with famous bushrangers, then ran off with their women. Clattering into town with his covered wagon and trademark theatrical flair, Dr Pilkington would sell by day and fly by night. In the watering holes of the wild frontier he is recalled as a mad genius, master distiller and the very best kind of scoundrel.

I chose bottle batch No.72.0 because it resonates with having a cat and an inability to whistle properly. To explain - I can whistle, but Pete has always made fun of me because for years I used to whistle by sucking air in rather than blowing it out. Weird I know, but it's how I taught myself as a kid and it just stuck. 

Right, now for the cider...

On first opening, I am able to distinguish slight apple and floral aromas. It pours quite heady but settles quickly and has a very pronounced carbonation. A balanced sweetness prevents this cider from tipping over into the commercial sickly-sweet cider category which is nice to see.

A refreshing cider with a strong zing and acidic structure that lingers long on the back of the palate. I find that the acidic structure of this cider doesn't quite work for me, but on the other hand Pete likes it.

At 5% alcohol, a 500ml bottle will provide you with 2 standard drinks. 

I absolutely love the concept behind this cider and will be watching this one closely to see if they introduce any line extensions into the market. I would be very interested to see how this cider goes in cooking. Its volume is perfect for that roast meat and vegetable dish or a moist apple cake.  

Available:
Woolworth's Liquor and Dan Murphy's
$6.99 per 500ml bottle
$69.99 per case of 15 

Tell me, have you cooked with cider? What is your favourite cider dish?