Certification
Welcome to the ACA Cider Education Program!
The Certified Cider Professional Program is the first and foremost cider education program built to provide food and beverage professionals and enthusiasts worldwide with the knowledge and skills to understand and share the joy and nuance of cider.
This program currently boasts two distinct levels of certification. Level 1 CCP certification is designed as a fundamental course and is a prerequisite for the second level of certification. Level 2: Certified Pommelier™ is a more advanced certification that covers more in depth knowledge, and a blind sensory evaluation.
Latest News
Certified Pommelier™ Exam in San Francisco
The next Certified Pommelier™ exam will be held August 13, 2023 at Barebottle Brewing in San Francisco, California. The exam will take place from 8:00 - 11:45 AM Pacific.
We highly recommend in depth study prior to taking the Certified Pommelier™ Exam. You can purchase our Certified Pommelier™ Study Guide via Amazon.
There are multiple sensory analysis recordings available for purchase here. In addition, new live sensory analysis webinars will be offered prior to each exam.
New Certified Pommelier™ Study Guide Now Available!
The American Cider Association is very pleased to announce the release of its new textbook for candidates preparing for the exam to become a Certified Pommelier™. Certified Pommelier™ is the second level of the ACA’s Certified Cider Professional program, the world’s most comprehensive and in-depth cider education program for beverage professionals.
Those interested in preparing for the exam can purchase the new textbook on Amazon.com.
About Our Certification Exams
Test questions for both exams fall into seven categories:
- Apples, the Orchard & History
- Cidermaking
- Evaluation
- Families & Flavor
- Keeping & Serving
- Food & Cider
- Social Responsibility
Level 1 CCP
The first level CCP qualifier is offered as an online exam. The exam is 60 questions long in multiple choice format. You must score 85% to pass, and you get two attempts per exam fee in a 30-day period. The exam comes in a test-prep bundle that includes a study guide and an on-demand training webinar.
Purchase your Level 1 bundle today!
NOTE: A password is required for American Cider Association members to access the CCP Level 1 exam. You can find the password on the discounts section of the ACA member page after logging into your account. Need help? Contact Jennie.
> Want an Intro Level CCP workshop in your community? Let us know!
> Ready to get your whole staff certified? Inquire about bulk discounts for your company!
Additional Study Materials
Certified Pommelier™
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The next full Certified Pommelier™ Exam will be held at Barebottle Brewing in San Francisco, California on August 13, 2023 from 8:00 - 11:45 AM Pacific. You can register for the exam here.
You must have passed the Level 1 Certified Cider Professional (CCP) test in order to take the Certified Pommelier™ exam. You can learn more and purchase the Level 1 CCP study guide and exam bundle HERE!
ACA Members can find their Discount Code here!
Looking for study materials? Jump to resources now!
The qualifying exam to become a Certified Pommelier™ is taken in person. Exams are offered throughout the US a few times a year, and there is always an exam opportunity the week of CiderCon®. Exam opportunities will be listed on this site as they become available.
Certified Pommeliers™ must have a fundamental understanding of the topics covered in Level 1, but at a deeper, more detailed level.
Exam format: The exam consists of five types of questions: short
answer, fill in the blank, matching, essay, and sensory (based on blind cider evaluation). The test is meant to be challenging. Studying is highly recommended.
Exam cost: The price is $275 for non-members or $200 for American Cider Association members. Members can find their discount code here. Exam purchase includes access to a pre-recorded introductory webinar teaching viewers about the sensory forms used for the exam. The webinar can be accessed at any point to prepare for your exam. There is a strong relationship between passing the sensory portion of the exam and viewing the exam prep sensory webinars.
Exam prep: The American Cider Association has a textbook that is recommended reading before taking the exam.
Pathway to Certified Pommelier™ Webinars
We have several pre-recorded sensory analysis webinars available for purchase to help you prepare for your Certified Pommelier™ exam. In addition, we will be hosting a live sensory analysis webinar prior to each upcoming Certified Pommelier™ exam.
Currently available recordings are listed below. Please note that cider must be purchased separately. Also, be aware that key sensory elements of these ciders may vary from year to year.
Pathway to Pommelier: Pre-Recorded Sensory Analysis with Ploughman Cider.
The Dornick and Stayman Winesap ciders in the webinar can be purchased in 4-packs from Ploughman Cider.
*Are you an ACA member? Link to member pricing for this pre-recorded webinar can be found by clicking here.
Pathway to Pommelier: Pre-Recorded Sensory Analysis with Stormalong and Eden Ciders
Both Stormalong and Eden cider can be purchased from their websites, and the ciders featured in the Eden workshop are also available on Press then Press.
*Please note that the ciders featured in these webinars were canned in 2021. The specific ciders and/or year of canning might no longer be available. Same branded ciders from different canning years might have distinguishable differences in key sensory elements.
Pathway to Pommelier: Pre-Recorded Sensory Analysis with Phonograph Ciders
Enjoy access to the pre-recorded sensory analysis webinar and sensory evaluation forms for you to use to test your knowledge while sipping the Phonograph Harvest Ciders from South Hill Cider.
You can order your ciders from the Phonograph Harvest Ciders website.
Want to learn more about what inspires folks to become a Certified Pommelier™? Get to know our Certified Pommeliers™ on their webpage. You can find it here.
Contact Us
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