Posts by Woodley Smith
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.
Spooky Cider Cocktails
Live Sensory Analysis Webinar with Ploughman’s Cider
Looking to up your sensory analysis skills? Studying for the Certified Pommelier™ Exam at CiderCon® 2023? Join our Certified Pommelier™ panel in a live practice sensory webinar featuring cider from Ploughman’s Cider on November 17 from 4-6pm Pacific. Cost to attend the workshop is $15 for ACA members and $30 for non-members.
This webinar will also be available to rewatch and practice as a prerecorded event.
Ploughman’s has generously created a limited time Sensory Analysis Bundle for this webinar. You can purchase the cider bundle here.
Virginia Cider Trail Fall Events
Fall has officially arrived and apple harvest season is in full swing across Virginia! To celebrate, cidermakers across the state are hosting harvest festivals, pressing parties and cider release events. They would like to invite you to join in their celebrations of the cidermaking season with orchard parties and more. Check out the list below to find a fun event in your neck of the woods or one further afield if you’re looking for a fall weekend getaway!
- October 14: Harvest Release Party & Foodlore Friday at Troddenvale Cider
- October 15: 6th Anniversary Harvest Party at Blue Bee Cider
- October 15: Pomona Party at Cider From Mars
- October 15-16: Fall Festival at Coyote Hole Ciderworks
- October 15-16: Harvest Fest & Sunday Brunch at Courthouse Creek Cider
- October 15-16: Bryant’s Fall Festival at Bryant’s Cider & Brewery
- October 22: OkTOADerfest 2022 at Blue Toad Hard Cider
- October 22-23: Haunted Trail at Coyote Hole Ciderworks
- October 29: Halloween Street Party at Tumbling Creek Cider Company
- October 29: Halloween Dance Party at Stable Craft Brewing
- October 29-30: Haunted Trail at Coyote Hole Ciderworks
- November 5: 22nd Annual Apple Harvest Festival at Albemarle Ciderworks
- November 5: Apple Harvest Festival & Makers Market at Sage Bird Ciderworks
- November 11: Buskey Hewes Crab Cider Release Party at Buskey Cider
- November 11: Cider Smackdown at Albemarle Ciderworks
- November 12: Apple Butter Festival at Bryant’s Cider & Brewery
- November 12: Lake Anna Cider Festival at Coyote Hole Ciderworks
- November 12: VA Cider Week Kick-Off Party at Cider From Mars
- November 19: Cider & Sides Dinner with Henway Hard Cider
- November 19: Harvest Hoedown at Potter’s Craft Cider
We hope you’ll take the time to visit one or more of these fantastic fall events and learn more about Virginia apples and the ciders made from them. And don’t forget to check in on your Virginia Cider Trail Passport for a chance to earn prizes!
ACA Announces Registration is Now Open for CiderCon® 2023!
The American Cider Association is pleased to announce that CiderCon® 2023 will take place in Chicago, Illinois from January 31 – February 3, 2023. With tours, tastings, educational workshops, demos and more, CiderCon®’s Chicago homecoming is set to be an educational celebration of all things cider. Registration opened on September 29, 2022.
After a four year hiatus, the return of CiderCon® to Chicago has been much anticipated and the ACA has been working with folks on the ground in the Windy City to make the homecoming spectacular. This includes four exciting tour options: a look at Chicago’s history through the lens of taverns, a tour of the Bronzeville neighborhood in Chicago’s historical south side, a tour visiting three unique Chicago-based cideries, and a cider and architecture tour featuring the stunning works of world-famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright.
A full range of educational sessions will cover topics of cider production, marketing, sales, branding, sensory evaluation, compliance, business strategy, orcharding and more. Speakers include Claude Jolicoeur (author of Cider Planet), Yann Gilles (cider and wine consultant from France), Lester Jones (Chief Economist from NBWA), Julie Rhodes (Not Your Hobby Marketing), Mary Mills (3 Tier Beverage), Dr. J Nikol Jackson-Beckham (Brewer’s Association and Crafted for All), Elizabeth Ryan (Hudson Valley Farmhouse Cider), Bryan Roth (Good Beer Hunting), Liz Garibay (Chicago Brewseum), Elizabeth Garofalo (Red Tomato Food Hub) and many more, plus new presenters joining every day.
“We have so many amazing sessions already lined up and others in the works, “ said ACA Executive Director, Michelle McGrath. “We’re emphasizing cider quality, terroir and retail strategy this year. It’s been rewarding to think about the impact of CiderCon® on the industry, and to rise to the challenge of deepening that. CiderCon® is very special and we’re committed to improving it every year.”
The extensive trade show, presented by longstanding ACA partner FruitSmart, will feature many beloved vendors excited for the return of CiderCon® to Chicago and welcome several first time vendors eager to join the cider community and meet conference attendees.
Tickets to CiderCon® are just $425 for for ACA members if booked by October 22. After October 22, member registration rates become $475. Public tickets are $725 for early registration and $775 after October 22.
More information about the wide array of events and educational sessions being offered and registration can be found on the CiderCon® website and you can follow @cidercon on Twitter for the latest news. CiderCon® is an ACA event produced with the generous support of our members and ACA’s premier sponsor, FruitSmart.
###
ACA Joins with Organization to Support USPS Shipping Equity Act
The American Cider Association has been working with organizations across the United States to urge Congress to support the USPS Shipping Equity Act (H.R. 3287/S. 1663).
The U.S. Postal Service is not allowed to ship cider, beer, wine, or distilled spirits, because of a leftover, outdated ban put into effect during the Prohibition era. The result? Restricting options for producers and customers alike, affecting many U.S. cideries where e-commerce is essential for business. The USPS Shipping Equity Act would give parity to the Postal Service, allowing it to ship licensed alcohol for commerce just like FedEex or UPS. Additionaly, the USPS Shipping Equity Act gives rural producers access to another option for shipping alcoholic beverages.
Recently organizations across the country, including the ACA, signed on to a letter sent to members of Congress encouraging them to support the USPS Shipping Equity Act.
Third Exam of 2022 Welcomes Eight New Certified Pommeliers™
The American Cider Association announced on September 15, 2022 that they awarded eight new beverage professionals with the esteemed title of Certified Pommelier™. The new cohort passed the required exam on August 18 at the Angry Orchard Innovation Cider House in Walden, New York. The new Certified Pommeliers™ are from New York, Virginia, North Carolina and Russia. From New York are Elissa Booth, Joe Gaynor, and Matt Wynkoop of Angry Orchard; Paige Flori of Boutique Wines, Spirits and Cider; Meredith Collins of the blog Along Came A Cider,; and currently residing in New York–cider enthusiast Marina Borsalina from Russia. From Virginia is Joshua Corl of Back Bay’s Farmhouse Brewery, and from North Carolina is cider enthusiast Adam Snyder.
Cider is a beautifully nuanced beverage with a diverse set of elements that are often misunderstood by food and beverage professionals. Certifications are increasingly used in the professional realm to set oneself apart as an individual with specialized knowledge, though cider is often covered in a cursory manner by most certification programs, if at all.
“At the center of what we do at Angry Orchard is innovation, and education is at its core. We were thrilled to host a Certified Pommelier™ exam on the East coast and give more industry members the opportunity to advance their education,” says Will Loughlin, Certified Pommelier™ and Assistant Cidermaker at the Angry Orchard Innovation Cider House. “We see the Pommelier certification as an excellent tool to highlight exceptional individuals, as well as the cider industry as a whole. We’re thrilled to see interest in the exam growing and gaining more standing alongside wine and beer programs.”
The American Cider Association established its Certified Cider Professional (CCP) program in 2016 to educate those on the front-line of cider sales. The program began with a Level 1 certification to help those in the industry develop a fundamental understanding of cider. Recently, the ACA was pleased to celebrate 2000 Certified Cider Professionals.
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. The rigorous test consists of five types of questions: short answer, fill in the blank, matching, essay and blind sensory (based on tasting).
“The Certified Pommelier™ exam is designed to be challenging, ” says Michelle McGrath, Executive Director of the ACA. “However, accessibility remains important. We’re rolling out more and more study aids in 2022, with a book on the horizon.”
The next Certified Pommelier™ exam is planned for February 1, 2023 at CiderCon® 2023 in Chicago, Illinois. You can learn more and register for the exam at CiderCon® 2023 on the ACA website.
The ACA asks that you contact Cider Education Outreach Manager Jennie Dorsey if you have questions about the program or are interested in taking either the Level 1 Certified Cider Professional test or the Certified Pommelier™ exam. You can also learn more at https://ciderassociation.org/certification.
###
New On Premise Data Reports from CGA
CGA has taken a deeper look at consumers’ recent behavior when it comes to On Premise beverage purchases. They shared these highlights of their recent research:
- On Premise visitation remains relatively static
- 33% are spending more per visit to a bar or restaurant vs. 18% spending less than they were three months ago – price increases have driven the increased spend
- Two in five expect to have to cut back on their future On Premise visits due to cost of living increases
It’s clear that inflation and lingering impacts of the pandemic are having an effect, but the good news is that 9% of bar and restaurant consumers reported cider as their beverage of choice in the last 3 months. Learn more with these reports from our partners at CGA.