WHEN a thirsty friend asked for a cider at a bar recently, only to be given a bottle of Asahi, she was a bit miffed but decided to go with the flow and swallow the Japanese beer anyway.
Cut to another bar and another hard-of-hearing barperson. This time the unsuspecting punter asked for an Asahi but received a cider; on first sip his tastebuds stood to attention and he promptly returned to the bar in search of his elusive Japanese beer.
Sure, bartenders have to deal with loud music and relentless chatter at crowded bars, but what is going on?
As any hipster knows, cider is the drink of the moment. But if you can’t quite let go of the amber brew, then forget VB and Melbourne Bitter – only a craft beer will quench the thirst of any self-respecting urbanite.
That said, if you’ve not got to grips with the new wave of booze then the Yarra Valley Cider and Ale Trail is an ideal place to start.
The Yarra Valley might be best know for its grapes but it’s also home to a growing number of microbreweries and cider producers and the region has a long history of producing both brews. Back in the 1800s, hops farming was widespread in the Yarra Valley and cider was being produced in the region from as early as 1934. Nowadays, there are seven stops on the Cider and Ale Trail – I only managed to see four.
First stop: Kellybrook Winery. Darren Kelly was an early convert to the apple, studying artisan cider-making in Europe in the early 1960s. Sons Gus and Phil inherited the obsession and now produce their own Kelly Brothers label of ciders, stocked at Melbourne’s container of cool, Section 8.
Sitting on the sun-kissed deck of the winery’s restaurant, overlooking the endless neat rows of vines, host Bridget guides me through a tasting.
Cider for breakfast, anyone? Their gold medal-winning champagne cider’s superfine bead and fresh appley notes prove to be the perfect start to the morning. Next, the Kelly Brothers crisp apple and pear ciders, and to finish “liquid gold” – a calvados-like apple brandy used by chef Ben Shewry in his desserts at The Age Good Food Guide Restaurant of the Year, Attica.
Next stop: dinner and ale at family-owned Hargreaves Hill Brewing Co. A former 1890s Colonial Bank building in the appealingly understated hamlet of Yarra Glen is the setting for this craft brewery’s restaurant. I’m tempted to pull up a stool at the traditional bar but we’re ushered to a table, where I whet my appetite with a beer paddle.
Six shots of beer accompanied by tasting notes are presented, with the advice to start light and go dark. The stout won me over with its “hints of espresso, cigar box, and couverture chocolate”. Dinner was exceptional but the standout was the appetiser of sugar-cured salmon and goats’ curd salad decorated with micro herbs and fortified by crunchy fennel, pickled zucchini and beetroot.
After a comfortable night in the smart Javan suite at Mount Rael in Healesville, I awoke to discover a cool grey mist across the horizon, obscuring the promised panoramic view.
Diners flock to feast at Mount Rael but it’s not solely for the food. Beyond the glazed wall of the bright olive green and white dining room, I’m told, there’s a view to behold. Undeterred, we order strong coffees and a hearty breakfast of eggs Benedict to set us up for another day of tasting.
While we tuck in, the mist gradually dissolves and the verdant vista is revealed to be as remarkable as promised. But host Annie leads me to the sculpture garden to share her secret lookout. Framed by a hanging circular sculpture and bordered by branches, the peaks of the distant hills are draped in the last of the mist.
Next up: White Rabbit Brewery. Located on the fringe of central Healesville, the vast warehouse space accommodates a cellar door smack bang in the middle of a brewery. Resplendent in our fluoro jackets and safety glasses, we’re led by the evangelical Elton to see the holy grail of craft beer – open fermentation tanks. We learn there’s less pressure on the yeast when brewed this way, apparently a boon in the process. These guys aren’t backyard brewers from the ’burbs. The master brewers have all studied food science.
Now to taste their wares. There’s a dark ale and a white ale – Elton pours us a generous sample of each, garnishing them with a fresh ear of hops. Again the dark ale is the victor for my palate, with its rich, malty tones. We could chat for hours with the White Rabbit crew but, after learning never to put ice in our cider (it numbs the tastebuds), we steal away to Oakridge Winery in Coldstream.
A wine-tasting is followed by a superb lunch with local suckling saddleback pork roast and tart apple stuffing. We leave with the wisdom that chardonnay is no longer a dirty word and, after a quick stop at Coldstream Brewery, we drive back to the city.
On our weekend of illumination and indulgence I’ve learned that these devoted producers know their apples from their pears and would never confuse cider with Asahi. Some inner-city bartenders could learn from their country neighbours.
Download the Yarra Valley Cider and Ale Trail at experienceyarravalley.com.au. The Yarra Valley Food and Wine Festival Reap and Relish festival runs from April 26 to 29. Visit: yarravalleyfestival.com.au
