Posts by Woodley Smith
Register Now for CiderCon 2023 and Win a Hotel Stay for CiderCon 2024
Have you been procrastinating on registering for CiderCon® 2023? If you have, now is the time to do so before registration prices rise and the hotel room block deadline arrives. (Registration prices go up on January 10 and the deadline for our hotel room block is January 8!)
As an added incentive for registering ASAP, we are offering a raffle for a five night hotel stay for CiderCon® 2024 (in a TBA location) for anyone who registers between December 20, 2022 and December 31, 2022 at 11:59pm Pacific Time for CiderCon® 2023 in Chicago.
Ready to register and enter for your chance to win this awesome prize?
Press Then Press Offers Certified Pommelier™ Study Kits
Still studying up for the Certified Pommelier® exam?
The owners of Press then Press, Erik & Storie Madrid, have put together two study kits for those studying for the Certified Pommelier™ exam at CiderCon® 2023. Erike & Storie received their Certified Pommelier™ designations in June of 2022 and have put their expertise to good use by creating these two study kits, including a digital copy of completed sensory analysis forms for each cider so you can compare your answers.
The Minor Kit features 4 cans and the Major Kit features 6 bottles and cans that can be delivered to your door in most states. And Press then Press is offering discounts in case you want to fill up your box with more of their wide-ranging selection of ciders. Do make sure you verify that orders can be shipped to your state before purchasing.
You can download blank sensory analysis forms here so you can take notes as you taste the ciders and then compare to the included digital forms from Press then Press. You can register for the Certified Pommelier™ exam to take place at CiderCon® 2023 on February 1 here.
5 Actionable Strategies to Create a More Profitable Taproom Webinar
In this rapid fire session, the American Cider Association is excited to introduce you to Andrew Coplon and Kary Shumway (Taproom Success). Over just 30 minutes, you will walk away with actionable strategies you can put in place to see greater success in your taproom. Join Andrew & Kary for proven methods to build deeper relationships with guests, increase revenue, and have better financial control. Numbers can be fun! Andrew and Kary will be joined by Megan MacLean (Director of Hospitality at Artifact Cider Project) to share their success from these strategies. Get excited for this pre-CiderCon® webinar and then sign up for the half-day course at CiderCon® 2023.
Live Sensory Analysis Webinar with Two Broads Ciderworks
Join our Certified Pommelier™ panel in a live practice sensory webinar featuring cider from Two Broads Ciderworks on December 8 from 4-6pm Pacific. This will be your last chance to participate in a live sensory analysis webinar prior to the Certified Pommelier™ exam at CiderCon® 2023, so sign up now!
This webinar is also available to rewatch and practice as a prerecorded event.
Order cider to participate along with the webinar here. Please make sure the ciders can be shipped to your state before registering for this event.
BevFluence Announces New Campaign and New Benefit for ACA Members
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If you were a member and are now seeing this message, please Renew your membership to continue.
CiderCon® Scholarships Continue for 2023 Conference
Yonder Cider, Beer Kulture and the American Cider Association have partnered to continue CiderCon® scholarship opportunities this year. These scholarships are designed to bring new BIPOC individuals into the cider industry. The scholarship includes: registration to CiderCon®; travel and lodging; Certified Cider Professional Level 1 bundle (including the exam); two Certified Cider Professional Sensory Webinars; and the registration fee for the Certified Pommelier™ Exam. Applications can be found here and the deadline to apply is December 10, 2022. Recipients will be contacted to schedule a brief interview and winners of the scholarship will be notified on December 21, 2022. CiderCon® 2023 takes place January 31 – February 3, 2023 in Chicago, Illinois.
Cider Share at CiderCon® 2023
Join us for our beloved welcoming reception, Cider Share, at CiderCon® 2023! The Cider Share reception will take place Wednesday, February 1 from 5:00 to 8:00pm.
Haven’t been to a Cider Share before? Here’s what to expect:
50 (yes 50!) cideries from around the country and the world will be serving their ciders for attendees to enjoy. Learn about the ciders from the cidermakers and their staff, meet fellow cidermakers from your region, mingle with other CiderCon® attendees to connect with old friends or make new ones! Cider Share will be limited to 400 people this year so make sure to add Cider Share during the registration process! Tickets are $20.
Want to serve your cider at Cider Share? Here’s how:
Featured cideries will be chosen using a lottery along with considerations of geography and style. If you would like to be considered as a featured cidery at Cider Share 2023, please select that choice during the CiderCon® registration process. The lottery drawing will be held in early December and those selected will be notified via email with further details.
Two Weekend Events on VA Cider Trail
Apples abound this weekend at exciting harvest events taking place at two stops on the Virginia Cider Trail. If you’re looking for a fun family weekend event, there’s no need to look any further than these two appealing harvest festivals. Read on to learn where to go, when to be there, and what will be happening!
22nd Annual Apple Harvest Festival with Albemarle Ciderworks
Date & Time: November 5 starting at 10am
Join Albemarle Ciderworrks for one of the most anticipated festivals of autumn, the Apple Harvest Festival hosted by the CoveGarden Ruritans and Albemarle CiderWorks!
Find farmers’ market vendors, meet local artisans, and craftsmen demonstrating their skills. Enjoy Brunswick stew and apple butter or grab some to go. Dig your teeth into a variety of apples and taste an array of Albemarle CiderWorks’ fine sparkling ciders. Dance the afternoon away with live music from local bands, and take a hayride around the mountain.
Apple Harvest Festival and Makers Market at Sage Bird Ciderworks
Date & Time: November 5 starting at 11am
Join Sage Bird Ciderworks to celebrate their favorite things: apples and fall!
Cider pressing, heirloom and cider apple tasting with Glaize Orchards, a cider release, mulled cider and cider donuts, food trucks, local makers and crafters, and live music will light up the festivities all day Saturday.
ACA Welcomes Wine Industry Professional Sunny Gandara as CiderCon® 2023 Keynote Speaker
The American Cider Association welcomes wine industry professional Sunny Gandara, DipWSET, CWE as the featured keynote speaker for CiderCon® 2023. Sunny is the former Global Wine Director for the Mathew Kenney Restaurant Group and the founder and owner of The Plant Curious Table, a digital dual-purpose education and wine consulting company. Sunny has nearly 20 years of experience in the food and wine industry with a focus on plant-based foods. Her expertise is connecting with “plant curious” clientele over her wine knowledge. She is a Certified Wine Educator and Specialist of Spirits through the Society of Wine Educators and a holder of the WSET Diploma. She is a professionally trained chef through the Institute for Culinary Education (ICE) in New York and a Vinitaly Italian Wine Ambassador.
According to the Plant Based Foods Association, “one-third of Americans are actively reducing their meat and dairy consumption. While a small number of Americans identify as vegetarian or vegan, flexitarians represent the largest growth opportunity for plant-based foods.” 60% of Gen-Z wants to eat more plant-based foods and 79% eat plant-based 1-2 times a week. This is where Sunny’s “plant curious” lens can help open new markets up for cider.
As the keynote speaker, Sunny will explore vegan market growth and trends, who plant-based consumers are, why cider is perfect for this growing group, and how to market to these consumers.
CiderCon® 2023 will take place in Chicago from January 31 to February 3, 2023, at the beautiful Hilton Chicago. Early registration closes November 9. Learn more about all our fantastic speakers at www.ciderassocation.org.
Nielsen Q3 2022 Data Now Available
Regional Cider Brand sales were up 11.3% in U.S. retail channels measured by Nielsen for the 12-week period ending on October 1, 2022. For more Q3 data, log into your ACA membership account and visit our members-only report library.