Posts by Woodley Smith
CiderCon® Mainstage Presentations
We are stoked to have these 4 amazing mainstage speakers join us at CiderCon® 2021! Our mainstage is sponsored by Fintech.
This engaging seminar will consist of a robust presentation of current market trends impacting craft cider sales. How was your business impacted by shifts in consumer behavior in 2020? How well did you adapt to the dramatic changes? We will discuss how craft suppliers are using consumer demand data to stay agile, and what you need to look out for in 2021.
Have you made a commitment and embarked on the journey toward improved diversity and inclusion outcomes but find your efforts to be disjointed and running out of steam? In this talk, Dr. J guides attendees through building a comprehensive strategic plan for inclusion, equity, and justice (IEJ) work; creating a responsibility structure to foster accountability and transparency; and addresses the challenging realities of implementation.
Justin Doggett, owner of Kyoto Black Coffee, will be taking a retrospective look at the effects of the SARS-CoV 2 pandemic on the food industry and offering insights on some of the unique challenges and opportunities to thrive that have been created by this event.
The cider industry is thirsty for analytics, but just like a new cider drinker we’re not all sure which flavor we want to invest in. Beverage alcohol analytics veteran, Michael Uhrich, will give a taste of insights in alcohol competition, pricing, assortment, and more to help your business today and inspire you to up your analytics game.
ACA Launches 2nd Annual Dry Cider January
The American Cider Association (ACA) is once again launching their month long campaign called Dry Cider January to celebrate ciders containing 0 grams of residual sugar. The ACA hosts a dry cidery directory on their website to promote their members’ ciders. The association is encouraging others to join the campaign through social media with the hashtags #dryciderjanuary and #pickdrycider.
The ACA’s Dry Cider Directory will be updated as members submit new product releases. The directory can be found here on ACA’s website. The list can be filtered and sorted so consumers can find no-sugar ciders local to them.
Alcohol is created when yeast converts sugar into alcohol through fermentation. A cider that contains no residual sugar has been fermented to absolute dryness. Sometimes cidermakers will blend a completely dry cider with fresh juice for acid/sugar balance, but other times they leave the cider entirely dry. These dry ciders are what the association is listing on their website for the campaign.
“The brain has a hard time distinguishing fruity from sweet. Many ciders with absolutely no sugar in them can still be fruit-forward,” explained the association’s executive director, Michelle McGrath. “You’ll find there are a multitude of dry ciders available when you start seeking them,” she added.
The list of ciders on the association’s website demonstrates the flavors and styles possible not only in the cider category, but in ciders with 0g sugar. From single varietal ciders showcasing specific apple varieties and served in a 750ml bottle to ciders aged on rose and hibiscus petals and served in a 12 oz can, the range is impressive.
Follow the association on their Instagram account @pickcider to learn more about the campaign.
Are you a cidermaker and want to add a cider to the directory? Fill out the form HERE! Have a picture and description of your cider ready to go before you fill out the form.
ACA Board of Directors Election Announcement
The American Cider Association is accepting nominations for joining their board of directors. Nominations are due January 22. These are volunteer positions with a three year commitment. Active membership of the association is one of the few requirements. There are three seats in this year’s election. Incumbents whose terms are up for renewal may choose to run for these seats again. The three seats up for renewal are:
- At Large 1 (Open to any permanent salaried employee of US-based ACA member cidery in any region – no size restrictions)
- At Large 2 (Open to any permanent salaried employee of US-based ACA member cidery in any region – no size restrictions)
- Large Cidery (Open to any salaried permanent employee of US-based ACA member cidery in any region where 2020 production was more than 1 million gallons of cider)
Interested candidates should complete the self-nomination form here:
Have questions about board service? Reach out to Michelle. She can send you an informational video that she recorded last year and schedule a time to chat.
Do you know who is on the 2020 board? Meet them HERE.
Developing a more diverse and equitable cider industry and association is a long-term project that requires conscious iterative investment at every stage. Our board is actively working toward goal development in this area (read a recent blog post from our board vice president, Brooke Glover). We believe that representation matters in reaching those goals and we are thus encouraging diverse candidates including women, BIPOCs, LGTBQIA+, veterans and people with disabilities to run for the board of directors.
Three February 2021 Webinars
CiderCon Encore: Driving Organizational Change
February 11, 2021 – 9:30 am Pacific Time
Likely, you checked the Math to make sure your facility move, new software system, or acquisition was going to make or save your business money. Organizational changes can look good on paper but fail to deliver on the promise of increased profits or savings if the people impacts aren’t considered and managed. For your initiative to work, you’ll likely need some combination of employees, customers and suppliers to stop doing something and start doing something else. In this presentation by Stephanie Hartman of Catalyst Consulting, you will get a blend of academic theory and practical tools for addressing the tactical and emotional aspects of organizational change.
The link to the Zoom meeting will be sent to all CiderCon attendees prior to the date of the course. Brought to you by CiderPros.com
CiderCon Encore: Avoiding Common Pitfalls of Business Maturity
February 18, 2021 – 9:30 am Pacific Time
Working with small business owners across many industries, Stephanie Hartman of Catalyst Consulting learned about their ambitions and the fears at the root of their missteps. Through these stories, she began to recognize common pitfalls at each phase of business maturity. For those who did not get help soon enough, the pitfalls either ended their business, or the business survived at the cost of the owner’s well-being or important relationships. Those who took necessary steps, restored balance in their lives and found new inspiration. Business thriving requires courage to look honestly at your contribution to the chaos and make tough decisions, about processes, people, and more. In this presentation, you will learn actionable tips to help you avoid the common pitfalls or escape them if you’re already there, giving you confidence about your next steps.
The link to the Zoom meeting will be sent to all CiderCon attendees prior to the date of the course. Brought to you by CiderPros.com
Cider Business School: A Crash Course in Running Your Cidery as a Business
February 24, 2021 – 11:00am Pacific Time
You started your cidery because you love making cider, but no one told you most of your days would be spent behind a computer or in meetings handling the less glamorous aspects of your business. You don’t need an MBA to run a successful cidery, but there are some business basics you need to master, including operations, sales, and accounting. In this webinar, Ekos will provide an overview of what you need to know in each area, advice for how technology can help you be more efficient, and tips for taking your business to the next level.
Register HERE!
New CiderCon Session: Fermenting with Quince
Was Aphrodite’s Forbidden Fruit a quince or the apple? She’s not talking, but cidermakers will be at CiderCon®!
Quince a.k.a. Cydonia oblonga is the sole member of the genus Cydonia in the family Rosaceae. Quince is a ‘pomme’ fruit with the likes of apples, pears, and medlars. This golden pomme is having a renaissance of sorts with makers partly due to it aromatic qualities and tannins.
Kim Hamblin and Dan Rinke of Art + Science in Oregon, Steve Selin of South Hill Cider in New York and UK makers Martin Berkley of Pilton Cider and James Forbes of Little Pomona will discuss fermenting with quince with moderator Ria Windcaller of Cider Chat.
Learn more about this and other CiderCon® sessions HERE!
CiderCon® Session: Labeling of Hard Ciders Under FDA Jurisdiction
Is your hard cider under 7% ABV? If so, do your labels comply with U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) labeling regulations? Join Keller and Heckman food and beverage attorneys Nury Yoo and Arturo Reyes as they discuss the ins and outs of FDA’s labeling requirements for these products. The discussion will also touch on other “labeling” aspects to consider, such as claims on packaging and in advertising/marketing/social media, as well as strategies to help manage the risk of potential consumer class action and competitor challenges.
We’re thrilled to have experienced lawyers, Nury Yoo and Arturo Reyes, of Keller and Heckman join us at CiderCon® to talk about the ins and outs of FDA compliance. Learn more about them below or on our Speaker page.
Nury Yoo
Nury Yoo represents clients in the food, beverage, cosmetics, dietary supplement, personal care, and alcohol beverage industries, as a member of Keller and Heckman’s Tier 1 nationally-ranked Food and Drug Practice. Her areas of expertise include regulatory compliance, labeling, marketing and advertising (including social media), food safety, product recalls, due diligence reviews in connection with private investment, California’s Proposition 65, and the complex federal and state issues surrounding the use of cannabidiol (CBD) and related cannabinoids in consumer products. She also advises clients on litigation risk analysis and avoidance measures, responses to litigation demand letters, and the development and implementation of litigation strategy.
Nury is actively involved with the Food and Drug Law Institute (FDLI) and is a frequent speaker on regulatory compliance and litigation risk issues related to the food industry.
Arturo Reyes
Arturo Reyes advises domestic and foreign clients on compliance with California’s Proposition 65, as well as food and food-contact material requirements, in a host of jurisdictions. He counsels clients on U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) regulations relating to food, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, cosmetics, and food contact materials.
Arturo assists clients by reviewing food labeling and promotional materials, including suitable common or usual names, ingredient declarations, nutrition labeling, health claims, nutrient content claims, and allergen labeling. He prepares labeling information for food products marketed in Australia, Canada, Mexico, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and the Philippines.
Prior to attending law school, Arturo worked as a litigation paralegal and, before that, as a fellow at the New York City Mayor’s Office, where he worked with numerous city officials, including the Food Policy Coordinator for the City of New York. Arturo is fluent in Spanish and Italian.
New CiderCon® Session: Strategies for Creating a Successful Blend
What does it take to make a successful blend? What’s the best way to do a blend? How can we use blending to create a cider with that perfect aroma and flavor profile?
A finished cider can be a combination of apple varieties that have been fermented separately, a blend of different vintages, or the amalgamation of a multiplicity of fermentation vessels combined to assure consistency in a release. Blending to create the perfect aroma and flavor profile in that cider is an essential skill, but one that takes time and effort to learn. Our panelists will share their many years of blending experience which will help you to jump start a new skill or give you tips that will take your blending game to a new level.
Join Darlene Hayes, Nicole Leibon, Autumn Stoscheck, and Chris Condos as they discuss these questions and more during their session at CiderCon® 2021.
This session is in the Cider Production Track sponsored by CINA.
Bulk Company Discounts for CiderCon® 2021!
There has never been a better time to bring your whole team to CiderCon®!
The best thing about CiderCon® going virtual this year is that it means you can bring more of your team to the party! With lower registration fees, not to mention no airfare, hotel, and travel expenses to limit you, so many more of your team members can enjoy the knowledge, camaraderie, and fun that CiderCon® has to offer, all from the comfort of their home or office.
Not only that, but we are offering some awesome discounts when you register your crew together! Bulk discounts are available to team members working for the same company. Check out the discount table below and then contact Ellen for your discount code!
Still on the fence about how many people to bring? Check out why Mark Ray, owner of Stowe Cider, is bringing his whole team for CiderCon® 2021!
“Since first attending CiderCon in 2016 we haven’t missed one yet. The diverse educational sessions and networking opportunities offer something for every focus and each member of your team. I can safely say we wouldn’t be where we are today without those experiences and are beyond grateful for the community that this conference has created. We are so excited to include the entire team in CiderCon this year and have no doubt that although it will be different, it will be just as beneficial in building the knowledge of our team while raising the cider community up in a time of need.”
Mark Ray, Owner & Cidermaker, Stowe Cider
Certified Pommelier Exam Prep Workshops Now Available!
We are bringing you two online Certified Pommelier™ cider evaluation workshops. The Certified Pommelier™ exam is a rigorous test of a beverage professional’s cider knowledge, including one’s ability to taste and evaluate an apple-driven cider. These workshops are an opportunity for students to practice using the formulated evaluation schema used in the tasting exam. The cost for each of these workshops is $35 for non-ACA members and $15 for members. The instructors will be teaching using a live evaluation of three featured ciders.
Certified Pommelier™ Guided Tasting – January 20, 2021 – $35 non-members, $15 members
The first workshop on January 20, 2021 will feature the Rare Apples Series: Variety 4-pack from Stormalong Cider. Registered students will be sent information on how to purchase those ciders. Cider purchases are entirely optional and are limited to states with amenable shipping laws. You can review the states that Stormalong can ship to here. The workshop will be led by Jenny Dorsey and Brian Rutzen. This workshop can be purchased here. *The deadline to purchase cider for this workshop on 1/20 has passed, but the workshop will be available on-demand and may be viewed at any time.
The second workshop will feature different ciders from three different producers (TBD). That workshop is tentatively scheduled for February 17, 2021. The workshop will be led by Darlene Hayes and Tim Godfrey. Purchase this workshop here.
Get to Know Your New Board Member: Philippe Bishop
Meet Philippe Bishop, who was elected to the board as an at large member in 2020!
Where do you work and what is your position?
I am a partner with my folks at Alpenfire Cider, primarily I handle our sales, designs and the marketing side of things… But as every small business owner I wear many hats when needed. For instance, I’m currently sitting on the ferry heading over to the orchard to off-load a trailer of bottles for our 2019 releases.
Do you work in cider full time? If not, what is your other job?
I am with Alpenfire full time.
How did you get into cider?
I blame my parents . My first sips of cider that I remember were around 1990 sailing up in the Gulf Islands of British Columbia. It was super sweet, came in a 2 liter plastic bottle and was flavored with peach or berries or something. Perfect for my young palate. That sparked my interest, then when we decided to get into the business and feeling the connection to the land after years of clearing it, working the soil, and planting trees is really what firmed up my love for cider. As time and Alpenfire progressed we needed ways to sell it, I jumped on that and haven’t looked back.
Why did you decide to run for a position on the board?
I am passionate about the cider industry and felt I could help give a voice to the über small orchard based producers out there.
What are your hopes for the future of the US Cider Industry?
For cider to grow, from the trees to the glass. I would like to see the industry help spur a younger generation into growing trees and working the land. I would like to see the cider lexicon educate the buyers, the media and the influencers, plus help consumers find a cider they like and realize not every cider is the same. I want people to want to learn about cider, know their apples and celebrate the differences from large to small and urban to orchard based producers like us.
How do you describe your cider region?
We have a lot of passionate good people up here making primarily modern interpretations of cider spurred by an abundance and availability of eating apples. It has closely followed the beer industry and the term “innovation.” I’m not a big fan of that word but it seems to fit where we are. We as a whole have done a great job of offering a wide selection to the consumers. That has paid off by a fair amount of shelf space and lots of taps dedicated to local cider but I feel we have a ways to go on the educational front and helping people to better understand cider.
What’s your favorite apple to work with and why?
Our Foxwhelp apple. It may not be the “real” one but it has all the great characteristics of the traditional bittersharp apple and does very well in our orchard. It is also a very large apple, so easy to pick though they have gotten smaller as our orchard has matured. It ferments well, and given the proper time (roughly 1.5 years), makes a stellar single varietal cider!
What is your favorite cider/food pairing?
Too many to list really! I believe what grows together goes together and being in the maritime climate 1/2 mile or so from the beach I really enjoy most seafood with our Pirates Plank Bone Dry. The earthy tannins, subtle acids, and hints of salinity make things like oysters POP!
What is your favorite nature/cider pairing?
Our Ember Bittersweet by the glow of a campfire.
What would you like our members to know about you that they might not know?
There’s life outside of cider? My wife Shannon and I live in Seattle with our kids Sierra & Cortland along with our old cranky dog Zephyr. I love and crave being outdoors, specifically either deep in the woods or at the beach. The further away from crowds I can get the better.
Learn about the rest of your board members HERE!