ACA Welcomes 15 Certified Pommeliers Following Washington & Minnesota Exams
The American Cider Association is pleased to announce that 15 individuals successfully passed the recent Certified Pommelier exams held in Bellingham, Washington and Minneapolis, Minnesota. The new Certified Pommeliers are Kathleen Amaral, Assistant Production Sensory Manager with the Boston Beer Company; Eliseo Bell-Uribe, owner and head cidermaker at Heartland Ciderworks; former cidermaker and lifelong cider enthusiast Rachel Bolongaro of Canada; Taylor Corrigan from Finnriver Farm & Cidery; Mikey Crews, owner/operator of Wine Grapes Direct; cider enthusiast Ava Davis of Washington; Christian Scott Junes, cidermaker at Wild State Cider and owner of Borealis Beverage Company; Greg Kodgis, lead bartender and cocktail coordinator at Number 12 Cider; Alexander Logan, Cidermaker for 19 Acres Cider Co.; Kyle McLennan, co-founder and president of 19 Acres Cider Co.; Brighid O’Keane, Executive Director of the Cider Institute of North America (CINA); cider enthusiast Matt Spiess of Nashville, Tennessee; Adam Wargacki from Empyrical Orchards and Cider & Cidery; cidermaker Maia Wohlert from Greenwood Cider; and cider enthusiast Rosie Zollinger from Australia.
“We are so proud to welcome the new Certified Pommeliers to our vibrant community dedicated to elevating the appreciation and understanding of cider,” says ACA Education Operations Director Jennie Dorsey. “Each new member brings with them the stories of orchards, the craftsmanship of cidermakers, and the passion of enthusiasts that makes our community thrive. We are very excited to see what the future holds and the new heights that our community can reach together.”
Early on, the American Cider Association recognized the need to promote specialized knowledge about the cider category. Certifications are increasingly being used to set food and beverage professionals apart. However, most certification programs cover cider in a cursory manner or not at all. With cider being a beautifully nuanced beverage with a diverse set of elements often less understood by food and beverage professionals, the establishment of the Certified Cider Professional (CCP) program in 2016 was a strategic maneuver.
Today, the CCP program is designed to educate those on the front-line of cider sales, making it the world’s most comprehensive and in-depth cider appreciation program for food and beverage professionals worldwide.
“We know that consumers respond to engaged servers, and that confident recommendations go a long way in influencing their purchase decision. Our theory of change is that cider enthusiasm is contagious–CCP is how we keep the flame growing,” says ACA CEO Michelle McGrath.
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Kathleen Amaral
Eliseo Bell-Uribe
Rachel Bolongaro
Taylor Corrigan
Mikey Crews
Ava Davis
Christian Scott Junes
Greg Kodgis
Alexander Logan
Kyle McLennan
Brighid O’Keane
Matt Spiess
Adam Wargacki
Maia Wohlert
Rosie Zollinger
More about the Certified Cider Professional Program and Upcoming Opportunities
The CCP program begins with a Certified Cider Guide (CCG) Level 1 certification to help industry professionals develop a fundamental understanding of cider. The Certified Pommelier (CP) Level 2 takes it a step further by encouraging cider professionals to think critically and showcase a higher level of understanding of the elements of cider. The rigorous testing process consists of four types of questions, including short answer, fill in the blank, essay, and blind sensory–which is based on tasting.
The ACA is dedicated to ensuring that all information tested on the exam is made accessible to anyone who desires to learn. To that end, the ACA released a textbook in March of 2023 to help candidates prepare to take the exam with just one comprehensive resource. The second edition of the textbook was released in March of 2024 to present a more global view of the cider industry as well as including new sections covering important emerging sectors such as low and no-alcohol products.The textbook is available for purchase through Kindle Direct Publishing. Additionally, the ACA offers sensory analysis practice webinars and a Facebook study group continuously updated with resources for exam candidates. Interested candidates can find links to all Certified Pommelier resources on the ACA website.
For those interested in attaining their Certified Pommelier designation, there are several upcoming exams to choose from:
Contact the ACA’s Education Operations Director Jennie Dorsey if you have questions about the Certified Cider Professional program or are interested in taking either the Level 1 Certified Cider Guide or Level 2 Certified Pommelier exams. You can also learn more at https://ciderassociation.org/certification.