Cider means different things to different people. For some, it’s the classic, easy-drinking beverage you find at the pub. For others, it’s a craft that connects deeply to history, orchards, and the fruit it comes from. Both sides have always inspired us; we love that cider brings people together, but we also believe it can tell a story about place, season, and craft.

Many ciders you’ll find on shelves are made from apple juice concentrate. It’s a simple, efficient way to make cider year-round, especially for larger producers who need consistency and supply at scale. The result is a clean, sweet, and approachable drink that’s helped bring cider to more people than ever before. It’s a style that has its place, and it’s introduced countless drinkers to cider worldwide.

Down here in southern Tasmania, the Willie Smiths approach is shaped by our environment.

We start with organic apples grown on our own orchard, hand-picked when they’re at their best, pressed into juice on-site, and canned meters from where they’re pressed. Our apples are so close to our site that they only travel 27 steps from the tree to the can. It’s a slower process, and every vintage is a little different, but it’s a reflection of the season, the soil, and the organic way of making cider.

In some of our Limited Release ciders, we blend eating apples with traditional cider varieties to strike the right balance of sweetness, acidity, and tannin. We’re always chasing a cider that feels fresh, honest, and full of flavour.

It’s about being different, and using a style that celebrates where we come from and the way we like to make things: carefully, by hand, and with a lot of pride in the apples we grow.

We see cider as a bridge between tradition and innovation. By making cider from fresh, local fruit, we get to share a little slice of our Huon Valley home with you.

If you’d like to experience the difference our apples make, visit us at the Apple Shed or explore our cider range online.