Archive for February 2026
April 27th L1 Certified Cider Guide™ Workshop and Exam PDX
Join Us for a Level 1 Certified Cider Guide™ Certification and Sensory Workshop at Bauman’s on Oak on April 27th!
The American Cider Association is so excited to collaborate with Bauman’s On Oak to host this Certified Cider Guide™ in-person certification workshop and tasting experience. This workshop is open to all and is the first level of the only global gold standard cider education program, Certified Cider Professional™.
We have a wonderful afternoon planned, including a Certified Instructor-led in-person training session and an “introduction to sensory evaluation” tasting experience featuring ciders from the cider families. * Light snacks will be included. Participants in this workshop will also have the opportunity to earn their certification by passing the online exam immediately following the training or within 30 days post-workshop.
The cost per person is $189, which includes in-person training, an instructor-led tasting experience, a downloadable study guide, and the online exam fee. Please note that ACA members will receive $50 off registration. The ACA member discount code is available in the Resource Hub.
All are welcome to earn their certification! Please share this event with anyone who sells cider, works in a tasting room or retail shop, chefs, sommeliers, cicerones, buyers, and cidermakers who are interested in cider education or in adding a cider certification to their accreditation.
The topics covered in Level 1 CCG are:
- Apples, Pears, and Orchards
- Cider Production
- Families and Flavour
- Evaluating Cider
- Keeping and Serving
- Cider and Food
- Social Responsibility
Schedule:
12:45 PM Arrival and Check-In
1:00 PM Presentation Begins
2:00 PM Break
2:15 PM Presentation Continues
3:45 PM Break
4:00 PM Tasting Experience
5:15 PM Optional Online Test Taking Time
CiderCon® 2026 recap
CiderCon® 2026 took place from February 2-5th in Providence Rhode Island. This annual event, organized by the American Cider Association, serves as the leading conference for cider industry professionals from around the globe. Now in its 16th year, this conference featured a program rich with educational sessions, networking opportunities, and an extensive trade show.
Key Highlights
- Venue: The event was hosted at the Rhode Island Convention Center in lovely Providence, Rhode Island.
- Attendance: 650 cider industry professionals from around the globe attended including:
- Attendees from 40 states with New York, Washington, California, & Massachusetts having the highest representation.
- Attendees from 13 countries, including Austria, Canada, Latvia, Norway, Lithuania, Spain, Sweden, Russia, France, Denmark, China, and the United Kingdom.
- Workshops and Sessions:
- 25 educational sessions with over 80 speakers covered topics such as cider production techniques, marketing strategies, innovation, orcharding, and cider business management.
- The Cider Institute helped to develop the Craft & Production Excellence track sessions once again.
- Ten tasting sessions highlighting everything from brandy essentials, to international highlights from Ontario and the Baltic Region, to fermenting with wild yeast.
- Scholarships:
- The ACA hosted 3 recipients for their Cider is For Everyone Scholarship at CiderCon® 2026. This scholarship is designed to bring individuals from historically marginalized populations within the beverage industry to CiderCon® to increase the accessibility of cider education and catalyze the careers and ownership pathways of these burgeoning cider professionals.
- Cider Share:
- Cider Share is the beloved welcome reception of CiderCon®. This year Cider Share took place on Tuesday February 3rd featuring more than 50 cideries from around the globe sharing their ciders with CiderCon® attendees. In addition to the main share in the grand ballroom, this year, we were so pleased to feature a special wing just for ciders from the Eastern region. We are so thankful to the support of our sponsor Voran.
- Tours: This year’s CiderCon® tours captivated attendees with a variety of exciting experiences. Participants explored cideries in Connecticut and Rhode Island, embarked on a Prohibition in Providence walking pub tour, and visited the Johnson & Wales University Culinary Arts Museum for an extensive tour and culinary lab presentation.
- Close to 100 attendees participated in the dedicated CiderCon® tours exploring the cider and culture the region has to offer.
- Keynote Speakers: CiderCon® 2026 opened with welcoming remarks from Christine Walter, Chair of the ACA Board of Directors, and Monica Cohen, CEO of the American Cider Association. Together, they reflected on the progress the cider community has made, acknowledged the challenges ahead, and set the tone for a conference focused on growth, collaboration, and strengthening cider’s voice nationwide.The keynote program continued with three dynamic conversations.
- Alan Reed, formerly of Chicagoland, delivered an energizing talk on innovation and scaling small businesses, sharing practical insights for cideries navigating growth.
- Jim Bair, President and CEO of the U.S. Apple Association, provided a comprehensive “State of the Apple” update, highlighting production trends, market pressures, and opportunities impacting cider makers nationwide.
- The session concluded with a fireside conversation between Monica Cohen and Bart Watson, President and CEO of the Brewers Association, exploring the beverage alcohol landscape, the challenges facing producers, and areas where cider can carve out meaningful growth.
- Certified Pommelier™ Exam
- The ACA once again offered its Certified Pommelier™ exam at CiderCon® 2026. The Certified Pommelier™ is an advanced second-level designation of the ACA’s Certified Cider Professional™ program geared toward beverage and hospitality industry professionals. Close to 20 people sat for the challenging certification exam that included a written theory section and blind sensory evaluation section. The new cohort of Certified Pommeliers™ will be announced in 6 weeks.
- Networking:
- There were numerous networking opportunities at CiderCon® 2026, including a Newcomer Networking session, an LGBTQIA+ Cider Social meetup, a Cider Institute meetup, a Guild Leader’s meeting, an Orcharding Meetup where attendees exchanged apple tree scion wood, and numerous gatherings of individuals.
- Trade Show:
- Over 80 exhibitors displayed the latest equipment, products, and services tailored for the cider industry in the Trade Show sponsored by FruitSmart™.
- Vendors came from around the country and the world. This year featured several new vendors as well as many who have returned year after year to support the cider industry. Attendees also enjoyed cider samples from several vendors including the Michigan Cider Association and Cider Association of Maryland.
- For the first time, the trade show also featured an artisan marketplace of local artists, food, and gift vendors.
- Grand Toast & Party
- The Grand party returned this year in a new and bigger way with the generous sponsorship of Endless Orchard.
- We hope that even those who were not able to attend will raise a glass with us now to the Endless Possibilities of ciders future when we craft it together.
CiderCon® was created to offer the commercial cider industry an outlet to meet, share ideas, collaborate, and affect positive changes in cidermaking, apple and pear production, the cider market, and cider regulations. CiderCon® is organized by the American Cider Association whose mission is to grow a diverse and successful US. cider industry by providing valuable information, resources, and services to our members and by advocating on their behalf.
Expanding Cider’s Voice: Board Elections 2026 Results
Each year, the leadership of the American Cider Association reflects the strength, diversity, and ambition of the cider community it serves. At CiderCon 2026 this February, ACA members cast their votes to shape that leadership—re-electing several dedicated directors and welcoming two new voices to the Board of Directors.
We’re grateful to those who continue their service and excited to welcome our newly elected board members, whose experience and energy will help shape the next chapter of cider’s growth nationwide
At-Large Cidery Seats
Re-Elected: Dave Takush, 2 Towns Ciderhouse, Corvallis, OR – Dave Takush is the Head Cidermaker and Co-Owner of 2 Towns Ciderhouse. Dave earned a Master’s Degree in Fermentation Science at Oregon State University and has over fifteen years of experience in the cider industry. His passion for fermentation led him to join two childhood friends in starting 2 Towns Ciderhouse in Corvallis, Oregon. Dave is the current Secretary of the ACA board and serves as board member of the Cider Institute.
Newly Elected: Richard Yi, Brooklyn Cider House, New Paltz, NY – Richard is the cidermaker for Brooklyn Cider House, bringing ten years of wine industry experience and a degree in winemaking to every part of their production. At Brooklyn Cider House he has helped strengthen operations and support steady growth. He also serves on the board of the New York Cider Association, where he works to advance cider education and support the industry statewide.
Regional Chair – Midwest
Re-Elected: John Behrens, Farmhaus Cider Co. and Farmhaus Farms, Hudsonville, MI – John is a longtime CPA turned Corporate Controller for a Fortune 500 company who discovered there had to be more to life. He started Farmhaus Cider Co. along with his wife 11 years ago on his 150+ year old family homestead. Three years ago they purchased a beloved apple orchard, fruit farm, farm market and bakery in Michigan and he added apple grower to my resume and list of responsibilities.
Regional Chair – Mountain West
Re-Elected: Talia Haykin, Haykin Family Cider, Aurora, CO – Talia Haykin is the co-founder of Haykin Family Cider in Colorado, which she launched with her husband Daniel in 2017 after several years as dedicated home cider makers. Talia oversees operations, finance, compliance, sales, and marketing for the cidery, bringing prior experience as the CMO of large nonprofits and as a professional writer and marketing strategist. She lives in Denver with her husband and their three children, and firmly believes apples are better fermented than paired with peanut butter.
Regional Chair – Northwest
Re-Elected: Marcus Robert, Tieton Cider Works, Yakima, WA – Marcus Robert is President, Cider Maker, and Co-Owner of Tieton Cider Works in Yakima, Washington, and a fourth-generation farmer in the Yakima Valley. With deep roots in agriculture and over a decade of cidermaking experience, Marcus brings a grower-producer perspective to industry leadership. He has served on the American Cider Association Board since 2017, representing the Northwest region and advocating for fair regulation, education, and sustainable growth. Marcus is committed to strengthening the cider community and supporting producers of all sizes through thoughtful, practical leadership.
Large Cidery Seat
Colin Schilling, Schilling Cider, Auburn, WA – Colin Schilling is the CEO and Co-Founder of Schilling Cider, where he has helped shape the company into one of the nation’s most innovative and forward-thinking craft cideries. Colin’s passion for food and beverage extends well beyond cider. He enjoys exploring new tastes and experiences and has contributed his expertise to brands in the non-alcoholic, coffee, energy, and cannabis spaces. His background includes an MBA focused on entrepreneurship and business sustainability, as well as experience in technology consulting, giving him a broad perspective on how businesses can make a positive impact.
Executive Board
We are also pleased to announce the return of the executive board members who will continue to lead the ACA:
- Christine Walter of Bauman’s Cider will continue in her role as President
- Tom Hart of Humboldt Cider Company has been chosen to serve as Vice President.
- Dave Takush of 2 Towns Ciderhouse in Oregon will continue in his role as Secretary.
- John Behrens of Farmhaus Cider in Michigan will continue in his role as Treasurer.
Gratitude to Past Board Members
We extend our heartfelt thanks to outgoing At-Large board member Phillipe Bishop and outgoing Large Cidery board member Chris Lacey for their dedicated service on the ACA board. Their contributions have been instrumental in shaping the future of the cider industry, and we are grateful for their commitment and hard work.