No tastings in venues, bars set to re-open but only serving alcohol ancillary to a meal - it's a cider the times!

We bring you our final ISO tour as restrictions thaw in WA and we can start to move around more freely.

This one is all about them apples - as we travel through the Perth Hills to the Swan Valley and meet the orchardists, cider-makers and owners of Perth's cider houses.

Chris Buckee from Chris Buckee Reviews Beer joins us again to chat cider and offer a local perspective as a long time Perth Hills resident.

We kick it of in the infinitely 'grammable Raeburn Orchards - the birthplace of Roleystone Brewing Co as we talk to Adam, 3rd generation orchardist and director of Roleystone Brewing Co.

Raeburn Orchards & Roleystone Brewing Co

It is the PERFECT time to visit Raeburn Orchards if you want to see the gorgeous persimmon trees turn orange.

​They also grow pomegranate, apples, pears, stone fruits and citrus on this and their two other properties...but back to the cider!

​Adam met us under this orange canopy of leaves to chat about the history of the Roleystone Brewing Co. We walk through the crunchy leaves and jump on the buggy to head up the hill to the lawn where you can picnic, attend an event (when they are allowed to happen again) or hire to host your wedding!

We meet Chris in the very busy fruit shop where we chat the two varieties of cider that Roleystone Brewing Co make, and how they're low sugar and minimal additives mean the fruit really shines through.

Next off, we get naked. Erm, I mean - we visit Naked Apple Cider.

Naked Apple Cider

It wouldn't be a trip to the Perth Hills without some internet issues...and we did have some connectivity concerns at Karragullen. But it's so beautiful there, and cosy by the fire with the mulled cider that we didn't mind too much!
​

We met Will by the fire to chat mulled cider, walked through the gorgeous grounds to meet Holly who chats weddings with us, and then back to Will and Chris for a run through of the cider range and the feature ciders.

You can pick them up at the venue in growlers, but unfortunately you have to also order food - well, it's not really unfortunate at all, because their food is apple-solutely delicious!

Next up we head over to Core Cider House and go backstage to the production area!

Core Cider House
​​
John, Justin and Ryan take us through the history of the venue, how the cider is made and we go through the range of tasty ciders from this stunning venue overlooking the orchards.

See how the apples are crushed in the production area with Justin, then walk through with us past the original apple truck with owner and 4th generation orchardist, John and then meet Ryan at the cellar door where we walk out onto the verandah to chat ciders with Justin and Chris.

We can't wait for their incredible line-up of events to get up and running again once it's safe to do so!

You can grab their ciders online here or visit the cellar door to pick them up for yourself.

Next we mosey down to Carmel Cider Co!

Carmel Cider Co

Here we see Monique (our director of Merriment) don a Carmel Cider Co beanie and introduce us to Libby - who's grandfather started the apple love on the property all those years ago!

Libby explains the history of her family and the venue (they're the same) and we go to Andrew who shows Chris through the range, their awards and mixes up a tasty cocktail!

Some of these ciders are made methode traditionelle which is the same way you make champagne.​

We say goodbye to Libby, Andrew and Coconut the cider dog and leave the Perth Hills for the Swan Valley and the funky Funk Cider!

​Funk Cider

We meet Martin, one of the founding brothers of Funk Cider who tells us his cider philosophy and takes us on a tour through the production area - high vis and all!

Martin and Chris chat all things cider and the correlation to cider and craft beers. It's a gorgeous sunny day in the valley and the grassed area we film from would normally be heaving with thirsty guests, getting into the apple juice.

But it's not just apples here - the brothers also use passionfruit, pineapples and more to make their signature ciders in those eye-catching black cans.

You can get them delivered (by the owners, in their funky shorts) here, pick some up for yourself at the cellar door, or get them at select bottleshops.

That's where we leave the final ISO Tour. We've visited 22 producers in 4 weeks across wine, gin, beer and cider and toured their facilities, talking to the people behind the booze. It's been an incredible ride, and so rewarding to do something to keep you all entertained and to keep sales coming through the tills of some of Perth's best producers.

We'd love it if you'd shop local next time you're buying drinks, and to book an IRL (in real life) tour with us once we get the go ahead that we can do so safely.

Thanks for joining us - we couldn't have done this without you all and it was great to see you tuning in from across the globe, sharing your photos, asking questions and generally supporting us and the local people who bring you the bevvies.

One of our very popular tours is our Perth Brewery Tour, and since we can't take you physically, we re-created the experience of being on tour with us - and this time we brought friends!

Chris Buckee from Chris Buckee Reviews Beer, and Daniel Rootman from Daniel Loves Beer are two beer enthusiasts who post regular beer tastings, thoughts and opinions on beer to their social media channels.

They joined the chat with brewers, owners and managers from some of Perth's best breweries in a huge day of beer-y fun!

If you missed it, here's where you can catch up.

Nowhereman Brewing Company

Our first stop was at the Nowhererman Brewing Company in West Leederville where we chatted to Pia (a certified Cicerone) and Luke about brewing, their beers and their philosophy.

To taste these lovely local brews keep an eye peeled for them at your local bottleshop that specialises in craft beers, pick them up from the brewery or order them (and some merch) online here.

Next we crossed the tracks to East Perth's Bright Tank Brewing Co.

Bright Tank Brewing Co.

We arrive with BBQ in full swing out the front and within minutes all the food is sold out.
​Matt the owner meets us and tells us a bit of the backstory of the brewery - including how it was all due to his lovely wife, Gemma, and then takes us inside to the brewery/bar/restaurant.

Here we meet brewer Tim who chats about the brews and goes through a 'tasting' with Chris and Daniel.
​

You can get the Bright Tank brews from the brewery or order online here.​

Next up we head to Maylands for a peek at Seasonal Brewing Company.

Seasonal Brewing Company

At Seasonal, we meet owner Nick out the front in the sunny beer garden and chat to him before heading inside to the brewery to meet brewer Brody. Brody chatted through the feature beers with Chris and Daniel.

The viewers were very excited to see Seasonal's brand new cans and loved the design!
​

You can taste these brews in growlers, squealers or cans from the brewery, grab them in select bottleshops, or order them online here. 

Next up we drive to Blasta Brewing Company in Burswood for the final stop of the tour.

Blasta Brewing Company

We meet Josh out the front of Blasta Brewing Company in Burswood under the unicorn mural - did you know that the unicorn is the national animal of Scotland?

"BLASTA", is a Scottish Gaelic-English adjective for tasty or delicious, and they stand by their philosophy to make sure each beer they produce is BLASTA.

Inside we meet Grant (former Feral) who shows us his cans, er - canning machine...and then it's onto the feature beers with brewer Hugh and the beer boys - Daniel and Chris.
​

You can get the beers on site or online here, and while you're at it pick up some merch, the glasses are awesome with the geometric unicorn logo.

So that's it for the ISO brewery tour. It's so strange to see these urban Perth breweries that are normally PACKED to the rafters - but these are tough times we're in.

That's why it's SO important to make sure you support your favourite local breweries by purchasing their beer, merchandise, or even grabbing some takeaway food or gift vouchers.

Don't forget we can take you on this behind the scenes brewery tour in real life once restrictions are lifted so make sure you stay in touch, sign up to our newsletter, or book a gift voucher for your beer-loving loved ones.

​Itching for an adventure but stuck isolating indoors?
​
There’s no doubt most of us are missing our favourite Perth watering holes. A place where we can catch up with friends and family over an ice-cold beer, tipple or cider while debating the problems of the world.

Get excited because right now you can take a virtual tour of your favourite West Australian breweries, wineries, cider houses and distilleries without the need to leave your house. Here’s how.

It’s a simple three-step process.

Step 1: Like Hidden deTours on Facebook
Head over to the Hidden deTours Facebook Page, login and click ‘Like’. This will keep you updated with the upcoming Isolation Libation Tours visiting some of WA’s best breweries, wineries, cider houses and distilleries.

Step 2: Look Out For Upcoming Events
While you’re there, head to the Events section to see the list of scheduled events. If you don’t see any coming up soon, be sure to check back each week.
​
Step 3: Tune In To The Unique Virtual Tours
Now that you’ve liked the page and clicked attending to the upcoming event, all that is left to do is tune in and enjoy the stream. Every Isolation Libation Tour is streamed over Facebook Live including great discussion and engagement with the brewery staff.

​There’s no doubt we all love dressing up for a Bickley​ Valley winery tour, gin distillery tour, or my personal favourite, a Perth craft beer tour. It doesn’t get much better than a day spent with close friends or work colleagues, out in the sun sipping on your favourite drop.

However, being able to interact with other beer, wine or liquor enthusiasts you’d otherwise not cross paths with is a rewarding and enjoyable experience. And the best part is you can do it all from the comfort of your own home.
​
Save Your Money for Drinks
Did I mention they are free? Yes, you heard that correctly, these isolation virtual tours from home are completely free!
​
This means you can stock up your fridge with your favourite beverage from the producers you’ll visit during the virtual tour. Sip on their most popular drinks as the brewers, distillers and winemakers take you through the process and explain what makes their drop so delicious.

Support Your Favourite Local Producers
Being such a tight-knit state like Western Australia, we love supporting local businesses.

Not only do we love to support them, we know that our local producers are some of the best in the world, which makes supporting them so delicious. Together we can help keep local businesses alive during these crazy times.

Tour from Home Without Leaving the Couch
Weekends are a time for relaxation (and occasionally doing some chores around the house). But let’s leave the chores for a different weekend.

Jump into your comfortable clothes, stock up the fridge with your favourite beverage and tune it to the next isolation tour with Hidden deTours. Join in the conversation, asking the brewers, distillers and winemakers questions and learn why Western Australia has some of the best producers in the world.

So, what are you waiting for? Sign up for the next Iso Tour now!

Author Bio
This article was written by Alex Hamilton from Beer Is OK – A local Perth beer blog with unique and handy guides to local breweries, venues, bottle shops and tours in Perth and Country WA.

Follow Beer Is OK on Facebook and Instagram.

Old Young's is still trading at the moment (albeit without tastings) so you can go have a look around and a chat while you pick up some winner gins - and maybe a bottle of their multi-award winning Pavlova Vodka.

You can also order online, and find the Old Young’s range at all good bottleshops.

Next up we do a quick drop in to Harris Organic - a little organic winery down the road from Old Youngs who just make the one gin (hence the quick chat).

Harris Organic

Duncan meets us out the front of the cellar door at Harris Organic - best known for being the only organic winery in the Swan Valley, but you might not know that they also make some spirits, including an organic gin!

Distiller Duncan explains his gin (which you can buy here or at the cellar door) and we can't wait to get back one day soon to taste it!

Swan Valley Gin Co.

Next we jump back on the bus (still filming) with Monique for a trip down Great Northern Highway to the Swan Valley Gin Co.

We meet Nicola among the vines, who walks us up to the distillery to chat with owners Martin and Lorraine, GINjoying a bevvy in the sun.

We meet Jordan (the distiller) who talks us through the process and then we saddle up to the Gintoneria with Nicola  where she describes the feature gins in more detail.

As a former chef, Mike puts his palate to the test to bring you some incredible gins (and some fab vodkas) which you can buy here.

Make sure you sign up to the email list though, as many of these small batch releases don't go on sale to the public. Exclusive gin? That's bound to have you in high spirits!

Wandering Distillery

Those who wander are not always lost. And you can't go astray with Wade from Wandering Distillery. This distillery in O'Connor see's Perth-raised Wade return home from the east coast to set up shop as O'Connor's best distillery!

He shows us around and mixes up some of his gins into cocktails for us - including using pomegranate as a garnish and a GINspired negroni.

The COVID has made it necessary for Cellar Doors to close for wine tastings - but staying home and drinking wine on the couch alone isn't your only option!

We wanted to bring you something fun, informative and interactive while our tours are on hold - AND support our wonderful producers who are all like extended Hidden deTours family!

The idea of this tour is that it’s almost like being in the Perth Hills with us! We talk to the winemakers, owners and managers and get a sneak peek behind the curtain.

In case you missed the live stream via Facebook - here’s where you can see the replays of the first in a series of Isolation Libation virtual tours from our bus to your living room!

Stops 1 & 2 - Tonon & Fairbrossen

​The first two stops are in one live stream because they’re so close together! We keep the camera rolling while we crossed the road from Tonon to Fairbrossen.

We start at Tonon Vineyard and Winery and meet Dan, passionate winemaker and olive grower - and the reason we have Prosecco grapes growing in WA!

His focus is Italian style wines, a nod to his family history and we heard all about the Fiano and Prosecco - but he also does some cracking reds.

 A 1 minute bus ride and we're across the road at Fairbrossen to meet Matt.

He gets his hands dirty showing off his amphora and explains his Sideproject and the feature wines - the Fairbrossen Tempranillo and his Sideproject Saperavi.

Matt is a true wine nerd who respects the ancient winemaking process as much as possible in his approach. Bear with us as we lose internet a couple of times (it's the hills - bound to happen), it's worth sticking with it to hear Matt's thoughts on making "smashable" wines.

Stop 3 - Carldenn Homestead

We travel through the gorgeous Bickley Valley to our next stop - Carldenn Homestead, and meet local icon Dennis next to his giant steel scarecrow, Dionysus.​

Dennis takes us inside to his cozy cellar door where he explains his range of wines and a bit more about the Bickley Valley.

What a great way to hear the old stories - in front of a roaring fireplace! 

Stop 4 - Plume

Next up we take you down the newly-sealed driveway at Plume and through Jim and Audrey's new drive-through cellar door setup!
​

The views from Plume across the hills are breathtaking - and a truly amazing place to sneak in a spot of lunch.

Jim takes us through his feature wines; their award-winning Sparkling and their Reserve Shiraz. We can't wait to go back and taste them for ourselves!

Next stop is Myattsfield.

​Stop 5 - Myattsfield

We meet cellar door manager, Alec outside and he invites us in and tells us about the extensive range of wines, including the feature wines - the Vermentino and Durif. 

Next we meet owner Josh in the barrel room who tells us more about the history of the property and how he got started in winemaking.

After that we see the fastest disgorger in the west (maybe anywhere) Rachael, Josh's wife. She explains why sparkling wine is disgorged and shows off her skills.

We walk up to their new cellar door and meet Kelli and she explains the range and the feature wines: the Field Blend White and the Cabernet Sauvignon.

​This winery is also home to Mistelle Bickley and when restrictions are lifted you'll be able to go and have a meal.

Stop 7 - La Fattoria

At our last stop we meet Lucy and Eric at "The Farm" and walk through their apple shed and into the restaurant, normally teeming with guests on a sunny weekend afternoon.

The light hits the vineyard just right at this time of the day and it's spectacular!

We hear about the wines from Eric, which are Italian style to reflect his family history, and go into detail about the feature wines; the Sparkling Pignoletto and Nero D'avola​.

And that's where we wrap it up folks!

What a huge day of exploring the Perth Hills. We hope you laughed with (and at) us and learned something new about wine from the Bickley Carmel Valley (or both)!

We can't wait until it's safe to take you all out there on our little bus to meet our valley friends and let you taste the wines for yourselves - but hopefully this was the next best thing and you felt like you were almost there.