Ontario's cider-makers hope to make a splash in their own backyard
Despite a growing number of brewers, local ciders account for less than 10 per cent of the province’s consumption
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Brickworks Batch 1904: Like a slightly-boozy apple juice. Very fruity, and more sweetness than anything else in this list. Nothing deeply wrong with it, just not terribly compelling. Their “501,” billed as a “semi-sweet,” actually has more depth to it. If you’ve been drinking one of those fruity Euro “ciders” that list water or sugar as the first ingredient, this would be a gentle transition into something better. Price: $3.10/473 mL can, LCBO
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As the bounty of Ontario’s apple crop is harvested, there are few better ways to celebrate than by raising a glass of local cider.
And no, we’re not talking the cloudy, murky brownish-tinged juice that you’ll find in the grocery store. Instead, it’s cider for grown-ups, the kind you can sip a pint (or three) of at a pub, or pair at dinner with a nice pork roast.
With cider one of the fastest-growing categories at the LCBO, it’s perhaps not surprising that there are more local producers rising up to meet the demand. Already, since its founding three years ago, the Ontario Craft Cider Association (OCCA) has grown to 22 members, from just a handful at the beginning.
According to OCCA chair Thomas Wilson, there’s plenty of room to grow.
“We’re still just scratching the surface. Ontario cider is less than 10 per cent of the cider market in this province right now,” said Wilson, who along with wife Nicole, runs Caledon-based Spirit Tree Cider.
While there still isn’t what Wilson would call a distinct Ontario style of cider yet, the 100-mile diet is still helping push demand. That, and the fact that most of it is a lot more flavourful than mass-produced cider produced by international beverage conglomerates.
“People are looking for local,” said Wilson.
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