Archive for June 2022
Cider Cocktails created by Jennie Dorsey
Grapefruit & Sage Cidermosa
Fill glass 3/4 with your favorite dry acid forward sparkling cider
Shake and strain on top:
2 oz. fresh grapefruit juice
1 oz. sage infused simple syrup
3 dashes bitters
Garnish with grapefruit and sage
Red Berry Refresher
Shake and strain over fresh ice:
Juice from 1/2 lemon
1 Tbsp strawberry jam
Fill glass with a dry raspberry cider
Garnish with a strawberry and a lemon twist
Earl of Orange
Build over ice:
2 oz. cooled Earl Grey tea
1 oz. zero proof triple sec
1 oz fresh orange juice
Top with favorite barrel aged cider
Garnish with an orange and thyme
ACA Members Raise Over $7000 for Berryland Cidery
The American Cider Association is pleased to announce that events hosted by ACA members raised over $7000 to help support the efforts of Berryland Cidery to rebuild.
Berryland Cidery is an award-winning Ukrainian cidery, fruit winery and meadery located near Kyiv. In March 2022 Berryland was bombed beyond recognition by Russian troops. Berryland’s owner and cidermaker Vitalli Karvyha is committed to rebuilding. To support Vitalli, cideries and cider industry friends across the United States held events to raise funds to help.
Events were held by Press then Press LLC, Slyboro Ciderhouse, Meriwether Cider, Courthouse Creek Cidery, Liberty Ciderworks, OK Cider Co., Blue Bee Cider, Houston Cider Company, Keepsake Cidery, Ash & Elm Cider Co., Spring Hill Cider Works, Eden Specialty Ciders, 2 Towns Ciderhouse, Lassen Traditional Cider, Space Time Mead & Cider Works, Seattle Cider Company, and Cider Summit.
“We were delighted with the number of events held across the United States to help Vitalli rebuild Berryland,” stated Michelle McGrath, Executive Director of the American Cider Association. “It really shows the camaraderie amongst people in the cider industry, not just here in the United States, but around the world.”
Individuals wishing to support Vitalli in his effort to rebuild Berryland Cider can contribute to this GoFundMe campaign.
Additional Ways to Help Ukraine
Polish cidery Kwasne Jablko has multiple relief efforts underway both in Poland and in Ukraine. Currently, owner Marcin Wiechowski purchased a sprinter van and has organized deliveries of humanitarian supplies. Each week, they buy what is needed and volunteer drivers make the run into Ukraine to deliver them where they are needed.
In addition, Kwasne Jablko is currently supporting 70 refugees. 12 of the refugees are living on their cider farm, while the cidery has rented flats and houses for the others. They assist in job searches, support them financially, and assist in everyday problems that arise.
After hearing about the work Kwasne Jablko has been doing, Eleanor Leger, ACA Board President and owner of Eden Ciders made the decision to begin collecting money to send to Marcin to help him with purchasing and transport. He has set up a special account for the aid work he is doing. If anyone is interested in contributing, please contact Eleanor at eleanor@edenciders.com for more information and details on how you can help.
ACA Advocates for Ice Cider Standards
The board of the American Cider Association recently send a letter to the L’Association des Industries des Cidres et Vins de fruits de l’UE (AICV), or the European Cider and Fruit Wine Association urging them to recognize the precedent for the definition of Ice Cider (Cidre de Glace) set by the government of Quebec, Canada.
The AICV is currently in the process of developing marketing standards for Ice Cider/Apple Ice Wine in Europe and the ACA board felt it was timely to urge that the organization adopt the definition set by the government of Quebec, where the style of cider originated in the 1990s as the standard definition.
The definition is as follows: “Ice Cider” – cider obtained by the fermentation of juice of apples that has a pre-fermentation sugar content of not less than 30° Brix achieved solely by natural cold, producing a finished product with a residual sugar content of not less than 130 g per litre and an actual alcoholic strength of more than 7% by volume but not more than 13% by volume.”
This definition has been accepted by the ACA and by GLINTCAP and the required use of natural cold weather for cryo-extraction or cryo-concentration is enforced by our U.S. Federal Alcohol & Tobacco Tax & Trade Bureau (TTB) with respect to labeling.
You can read the full letter from the ACA board here.
ACA Announces New Certified Pommelier™ Exam
The American Cider Association is pleased to announce an additional opportunity in 2022 for folks wishing to take the Certified Pommelier® Exam. The exam will be held at the Angry Orchard Innovation Cider House in Walden, New York on August 18, 2022 starting at 8:30am.
The Certified Pommelier™ certification was developed to move beyond a fundamental understanding and to encourage cider professionals to think critically while demonstrating a higher understanding of the elements of cider.
In depth study in required to pass the Certified Pommelier™ Exam. Study aides are available here and anyone interested in taking the exam should take advantage of these learning aides and also join the Certified Pommelier Study Group on Facebook here.
The cost for the exam is $200 for non-ACA members, and $125 for members. Members can find the coupon code to use during checkout here. You will be prompted to log in first.
For more information on the exam or if you have questions please contact our Cider Education Outreach Manager Jennie Dorsey.