The LiraH history:
Robyn’s family are 3rd generation Italian immigrants and vinegar is part of the natural mix of wine, food, and friends that Italian culture is famous for. So, like all good Italian families, they started a vinegar barrel or 2 to make their own wine vinegar. The vinegar barrels were started in 1969, the same year Ian was born. They were maintained, and used by the family for 35 years before Ian was granted custodianship of the barrels to begin a professional vinegar making enterprise.
All the red wine vinegars that we make come from the original vinegar culture, known as “The Mother” derived from the original family vinegar barrels.
Today, Lirah operates from a state of the art, purpose built vinegar making “winery” on Ian and Robyns farm. Set amongst the vineyards we use to make our Verjus, it is an environmentally sustainable building where all our waste products are disposed of on our own property. Special permission was obtained from the Environmental protection agency for the construction of our facility so that it was in keeping with the native bushland requirements of protection. Whilst the facility is modern and new, the vinegar making practices inside remain traditional using old oak barrels to age our red wine vinegars. It is a blend of the old and new, old methods and styles, but made consistently and professionally using Ian’s winemaking qualifications and extensive experience in winemaking.
2003
First commercial Vinegar Production starts with dry vinegars in retail sizes only
2004
First Exports of retail products to the USA
First Australian domestic sales in Queensland
2005
First foodservice products launched in plastic 1L bottles
Domestic distributors in New South Wales and Victoria Appointed
Purpose designed and built vinegar facility completed
2006
Ian awarded prestigious “Sir Winston Churchill” fellowship to study vinegar making in Europe.
Verjus products added to the existing vinegar product lines
Domestic distributor in South Australia Appointed
First Exports to Canada begin
Bulk vinegar production as an ingredient for other food manufacturers begins.
2007
Sweet vinegars released to support existing dry vinegar range – available in foodservice only.
Continued expansion of the bulk products for some of Australia’s most prestigious food brands.
2008
Sweet vinegars in retail packaging released.
First exports to New Zealand commence