Archive for December 2025
Certified Cider Professional™ Progam – 2025 Year in Review
As we close out the year, I find myself reflecting on how much the Certified Cider Professional™ education programming has grown and evolved. My goal this year was to make education more accessible, more practical, and more connected to real cider experiences. I focused on meeting learners where they are, whether that meant digital learning, attending a workshop, or tasting along at home.
One of the most impactful developments this year was the expansion of our sensory-focused videos on YouTube. These resources were designed to help learners slow down and practice, building familiarity with aroma, flavor, mouthfeel, and balance in a way that feels approachable and repeatable. I wanted these videos to feel like an open invitation to taste, pause, rewind, and revisit concepts as often as needed, because sensory skills are built through repetition and confidence.
In-person sensory workshops continued to be a vital part of our education work. There is something uniquely powerful about tasting together, comparing notes, and calibrating language in real time. These workshops allowed participants to explore cider styles, apple varieties, and structure side by side, reinforcing that sensory evaluation is both a personal experience and a shared conversation.
The addition of Study Kits shipped through Press Then Press helped bridge the gap between digital and in-person learning. By delivering curated tasting bundles directly to participants, we were able to extend the classroom into people’s homes. Tasting along with videos or workshops transformed abstract concepts into tangible understanding and kept the focus grounded in real cider.
Looking back, what stands out most is how these formats worked together. Videos, workshops, and delivered tasting bundles created multiple entry points into cider education, while reinforcing the same sensory foundations. As we move into the new year, I am proud of the curiosity, engagement, and commitment our community continues to bring to learning. This year reinforced my belief that thoughtful, inclusive education strengthens not just individual palates, but the cider industry as a whole.
Myself, the Education Committee, and the global team of Licensed Educators are excited to expand these educational offerings and to debut new digital and in person theory learning modules in the new year.
Jennie
2025 Year in Review from CEO Monica Cohen
As we close out the calendar year, I’m also marking the end of my first year as CEO of the American Cider Association, a milestone that feels both grounding and energizing. This year has been one of challenge and growth for me personally, for our association, and for the greater cider industry. I stepped into this role knowing the work would matter. I didn’t yet know just how much resilience, creativity, and grit I’d witness across our community in such a short time.
There’s no question this has been a demanding year for cider. Tariffs continued to complicate supply chains and increase costs. Natural disasters impacted orchards and cideries in pockets across the country, reminding us just how connected this industry is to land, weather, and place. And like the rest of the beverage alcohol world, cider continues to face the pressures of a growing neo-prohibition movement that challenges our right to operate, market, and grow responsibly. None of this is easy…but it is real, and it is shaping how we move forward.
That forward movement starts at home. Over the past year, the ACA team has embraced a renewed focus on disciplined management – tightening operations, prioritizing cost savings, and ensuring we are building a strong, sustainable foundation for the future. At the same time, we launched our capital campaign, and I was deeply inspired by the response. Members large and small stepped up, investing in the long-term financial health of the association and sending a powerful message of confidence in our shared future.
We also made meaningful strides in programs and impact.
- The Certified Cider Professional™ program has also seen significant impact in making cider education more accessible, more practical, and easier to fit into our busy lifestyles. In addition, we’ve expanded significantly this year, with new licensed educators joining the fold and the program reaching new geographies including Spain, Portugal, Mexico, and Canada.
- Membership continued to grow, bringing new voices and energy into the association.
- On the advocacy front, we gained real traction on the Bubble Tax Bill by reintroducing the bill in the House of Representatives and securing even more sponsors this year. We have also launched a new advocacy alliance which includes cider members who are stepping up to help fund the hiring of a lobbying firm.
This work will carry into 2026 and will be a major step forward in strengthening cider’s voice on Capitol Hill. Perhaps most encouraging of all: even amid industry headwinds, cider showed real momentum in the marketplace. While many beverage alcohol categories struggled, U.S. hard cider delivered growth in both dollar sales and volume this year…a meaningful return to growth and a clear signal that consumers continue to seek out what cider does best: flavor, authenticity, and connection to craft. That momentum belongs to you – the makers, growers, marketers, and champions who keep pushing this category forward.
Speaking of forward…I’m looking forward to seeing many of you at the start of the new year as we gather in Providence, Rhode Island for CiderCon® 2026. The team is putting the final touches on what promises to be a fantastic lineup of speakers, an expanded trade show, some great tours and tastings, and – most importantly – the chance to reconnect with friends and further the craft we all care so deeply about. Yes, it’s winter in Rhode Island. And yes, it is absolutely worth it, so register now!
Thank you for an incredible first year. I can’t wait to see what we build together next.
Monica
ACA Advocacy – 2025 Year in Review
In a year marked by political uncertainty, agency slowdowns, and a federal shutdown, cider still advanced—and your engagement made that possible.
New Leadership, Renewed Focus
At the American Cider Association, 2025 began with a leadership shift that sharpened our advocacy work. Monica Cohen stepped into her role as CEO, while Jenn Root Martell took the lead on federal advocacy efforts. Together with the ACA Government Affairs Committee, we revisited and strengthened our policy priorities at both the state and federal levels.
A renewed emphasis was placed on advancing the Bubble Tax Bill, alongside ongoing engagement with the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau on cider labeling and geographic indicators. The year kicked off on a high note with the culmination of a long-fought advocacy effort at the TTB to modernize and expand the standards of fill for wine, including the addition of new approved sizes – 180 mL, 300 mL, 330 mL, 360 mL, 473 mL (16 oz), 550 mL, 568 mL (19.2 oz), 600 mL, 620 mL, 700 mL, and 720 mL – that better reflect today’s marketplace. At the state level, ACA took a more proactive role supporting member cideries to align state cider definitions with the federal standard while also pushing back against neo-prohibitionist efforts to introduce new alcohol taxes in multiple states.
The Bubble Tax Bill Moves Forward
Throughout the year the ACA remained in steady contact with Congressional offices to ensure cider didn’t fall off the radar. We arranged regular meetings with Hill staff, cultivating new relationships, and reinforcing why cider deserves regulatory parity with other beverage alcohol categories—especially when it comes to the Bubble Tax Bill.
The reintroduction of our priority legislation in the House of Representatives by Rep. Andrea Salinas (D-OR-6) and Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-WI-3) gave us a critical window to raise visibility for fruited ciders and the producers and growers behind them. (Find the press release of the reintroduction here.) We expanded our co-sponsor outreach to include Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA-16), Rep. JimmyPanetta (D-CA-19), Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-ME-1), Rep. Claudia Tenney (R-NY-24), Rep. Val Hoyle (D-OR-4), Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-1), Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR-1) and Rep. Chuck Edwards (R-NC-11). On the Senate side Sen. Chuck Schumer continues to support the bill as we recruit additional members to co-sponsor. We deepened conversations with tax and trade staff and worked to keep the bill firmly positioned as a pragmatic, targeted fix – not a sweeping regulatory overhaul.
Supporting Industry-Wide Initiatives
In 2025, the ACA remained engaged not only on cider-specific issues but also on broader initiatives affecting the entire alcohol industry. We advocated for dietary guidelines grounded in unbiased, science-based research that emphasize moderate drinking while avoiding prescriptive quantity recommendations, helping ensure public health guidance is both responsible and practical. Additionally, the ACA supported the CHEERS Act (Creating Hospitality Economic Enhancement for Restaurants and Servers) – a bipartisan bill designed to provide targeted tax relief and incentives to bars, restaurants, taprooms, and entertainment venues that install and use energy‑efficient draft systems. We also backed efforts to allow USPS alcohol shipping, which enables cideries to safely and legally reach customers across state lines – an increasingly important tool for small and mid-sized producers. Through these efforts, the ACA continues to amplify the voice of cidermakers while advancing policies that benefit the wider beverage alcohol community.
Members Make the Difference
This year made one thing clear: advocacy works best when it’s personal. The Do Gooder Campaign launched in July sent more than a hundred emails to Congressional offices and constituent meetings with Hill staff during the shutdown led to Bubble Bill co-sponsorship commitments and great connections between our cider community and their representatives.
In August, the ACA submitted comments to the TTB on proposed Alcohol Facts and allergen labeling rules, advocating for practical, clear, and cost-conscious approaches that work for cider producers of all sizes. Our input, built on member comments and suggestions, emphasized minimizing regulatory burdens while ensuring consumer transparency, helping to shape federal guidance that reflects the realities of our industry.
Lawmakers listen carefully to constituents, and every email, meeting, and story shared by a cidermaker strengthens our case. Your voices not only drive policy progress but also help shape the ACA’s advocacy strategy, ensuring it reflects the real needs and priorities of our members.
Looking to What’s Next
As Congress turns toward end-of-year appropriations and we look ahead to 2026, cider is better positioned than it has been in a long time. With renewed focus on tax reform in Washington, there will be multiple legislative opportunities to advance the Bubble Tax Bill in the year ahead.
To strengthen our presence and effectiveness, the American Cider Association will be partnering with a government affairs firm to elevate our visibility on Capitol Hill and advance our legislative priorities. This partnership will allow us to build capacity for larger, more impactful initiatives that benefit the entire cider community. In parallel, ACA is enlisting the financial support of forward-looking cideries from across the country to help invest in this work and ensure sustained momentum. At the same time, we will continue to support state-level advocacy efforts and the important work being done by our members nationwide.
With the TTB, we will continue building strong relationships with agency staff, support a renewed focus on developing geographic indicators, and work toward further revisions and greater clarity in wine labeling to better serve cider producers.Now is the moment to stay engaged: attend CiderCon® to learn more about our advocacy efforts, meet with your elected officials, respond to action alerts, and keep sharing your story. Thank you for helping elevate cider at the federal level. We’re heading into the new year with real momentum and we can’t wait to build on it together.
Now is the moment to stay engaged: attend CiderCon® to learn more about our advocacy efforts, meet with your elected officials, respond to action alerts, and keep sharing your story. Thank you for helping elevate cider at the federal level. We’re heading into the new year with real momentum and we can’t wait to build on it together.