By Andy Young
Willie Smith's Organic Apple cider has launched new 330ml bottles of its Bone Dry Cider, as it looks to make a more venue-friendly bottle format.
Launched last year, Bone Dry is a drier English-style cider, which has proved popular since its launch, but some venues were struggling with the 500ml bottle format.
Willie Smith's co-owner Sam Reid told TheShout: "Bottleshops were finding that the 500ml was really working for them, but the price point that the 500ml are at in restaurants and bars is probably just too much. And quantity as well, I think that people are used to drinking 330ml when they are out.
"There will be some bottleshops that will still prefer to sell the 500ml and some that will prefer the four-pack. But we just think that the 330ml will absolutely be a better price point for on-premise."
And while the cider is in kegs, Reid doesn't believe that too many places will put Bone Dry on tap as it is not what the majority of Australian consumers are expecting from a cider.
"At the moment most venues have just got the one tap for cider and most consumers are expecting something a little bit more sweet when they buy a cider," he said.
Produced using the royal gala, fuji and pink lady organic apples grown on the William Smith and Son’s farm in the Huon Valley; these are the same apples used in the Willie Smith's Original.
Reid added: "Bone Dry is then fermented all the way out to dry so there's no residual sugar in it. And then it's had a bit more oak age as well and all the sugar is converted to alcohol, hence it's at 6.9 per cent ABV rather than 5.4 per cent.
“Our Bone Dry Cider is becoming a popular cider in our range,'' .
“It's still a tiny part of what we do but the people who like it absolutely love the fact it’s the driest cider in Australia. It’s particularly popular amongst people from the UK and Ireland who know their cider.'
“We think Bone Dry is a great alternative and will help to continue to evolve the category to more complex, drier styles of cider and a 330ml format enables more people to range it and more customers to trial it.''