Ahem... peach cider

[David Pickering]

Whilst doing some research on the Australian history of cider and perry I came across references to ‘peach cider’.

Locally made peach cider, which was cheap and widely available from about 1803, was an alternative drink at the lower end of the market, although it had faded from the scene somewhat by the end of the 1810s, probably due to the success of the big brewers in producing cheap colonial beer. This was the only significant locally made alternative to beer. King had requested apple and pear trees suitable for making apple cider and perry in 1803, but these two traditional English drinks were little made in the colony. 

The ‘colony’ being Tasmania before the assorted states amalgamated to become Australia.

In these days of blackberry, raspberry etc etc flavoured cider it was tempting to skip over the references to peach. But to see that ‘apple cider and perry’ were little made around 1800-1810 and that the Governor had wanted to import apple and pear trees to enable the making of cider and perry makes me think that the ‘peach cider’ of the time was a product in its own right.

The conclusion I came to - rightly or wrongly, and assuming the author was right with his terminology - was that the settlers in Tasmania must have had a history of making a peach product. And since at the time most settlers would have come from Britain the question arises as to whether Britain has, or had, a history of making a peach cider? Seems unlikely. Britain had a long history of apple cider and perry by then and why would there be the jump from those to something peach based? Yes peach trees might bear more quickly in the new colony but why would the colonising government have brought in peach material and not material to grow apples and pears?

Can anybody shed any light on what might have been about 200 years ago?

David Pickering - "Linden Lea" 681 Huntley Road, ORANGE NSW 2800 Australia

[terryc...@gmail.com]

Hi David

This doesn't answer your question but you may be aware that the University of Tasmania is currently "into" cider with various level courses. They may be able to refer you to academics who have done some historical research or cider-makers like Willie Smith's and  Frank's (still run by the families) who were fruit growing pioneers in the Huon Valley from around the mid 1800's.

Cheers

[Steve Drew]

Hi David, Terry,

I work for University of Tasmania and have a couple of colleagues that conduct the fermentation science courses that include the cidermaking element. I am not sure how much of the local history of cidermaking they are able to assist with, but it wont hurt to ask. My best contact is Dr Robin Katersky-Barnes and if she cannot help then she will probably have other contacts to draw upon. robin....@utas.edu.au . Robin is based in the north of Tasmania (Launceston) and has colleagues based in the south (Hobart and surrounds).

Alternatively, you might contact Willie Smith's (appl...@williesmiths.com.au) who seem to be a business with history in the Huon Valley (South of Hobart). I am sure that they have records of things like that of interest. Similarly, the Huon Valley Council (https://www.huonvalley.tas.gov.au/) may also have information that may help.

Hope the leads pay dividends for you.

Warm regards

Steve

[Andrew Lea]

This is very curious, David. For one thing peaches have never (?) been grown on a commercial scale in England presumably for climatic reasons. However, they have certainly been grown as a gentleman’s hobby and Robert Hogg’s Fruit Manual of 1887 lists around 100 peach varieties which were grown by amateurs in the UK in his day.  Confusingly, there is at least one variety each of apple, pear and plum also known by the name “peach”!

For another thing it is practically quite challenging to press peaches and apricots to anything resembling a clear juice. Most such products on the market that I have seen are “nectars” not juices.  This would mean that any fermented peach wine using early 19th century technology would probably be quite pulpy (and maybe pulp-fermented and not pressed at all?).

I am pretty sure there has never been a history of peach wine making in Britain (nor, as far as I can tell, anywhere else in Europe). But maybe one of the gentlemen amateurs decided that with the warmer conditions in the new colony, it was worth bundling up a sack of peach stones and shipping them out? As with the Johnny Appleseed story, I imagine the trees are likely to have been seedlings rather than named and grafted varieties. They would bear fruit in a few years after sowing, and then people could see just what they could make of them? Some might be edible, some might do better as a pulpy wine?

I’m just guessing of course …….!!

Andrew

www.cider.org.uk

[Nick Geoghegan]

Hi David,

I've got just the juicer to try this when the peaches start coming in...

Cheers,

Nick