CiderCon

From quince to mistelles to keeved cider, CiderCon® 2025 tasting sessions will provide something for everyone! Check out the full list and be sure to add them on during registration.

Does Cider Need Tannin?

Price: $12

Speakers: Tom Oliver, Kari Williams, Christine Walter, Scott Katsma

Date & Time: Thursday, February 6, 10:30 – 11:45 AM

What is tannin, where does it come from and why it is needed for flavor and balance in cider. What are the challenges to growing tannic cider fruit varietals? How do you best balance the holy trinity of tannin, acidity and sweetness/alcohol holy trinity in cider making? And what is the consumer’s view and the benefit to them of tannin? Attendees will gain an appreciation of the integral part that tannins play in quality cider and the importance of this pillar of cider making.

Porter’s Perfection: West of England to the PNW

Price: $12

Speakers: Adam Wells, Albert Johnson, Autumn Stoscheck

Date & Time: Thursday, February 6, 2:00 – 3:15 PM

Apple varieties are the engine room of cider’s flavour, and as the global cider revolution grows, so the distinct characteristics of individual varieties are becoming ever more treasured and celebrated. Classic bittersweet and bittersharp varieties from the UK are even crossing the Atlantic to find homes in American orchards, and taking on new directions of flavour from region to region.

One such apple is the fantastic Somerset bittersharp, Porter’s Perfection. A standout in the orchard for its curious habit of fusing multiple apples together as one, it’s an unusual example of a British variety seemingly more often seen on US labels than in the UK.

In this tasting and panel discussion we’ll shine a spotlight on Porter’s Perfection made in both its west English home, and in multiple regions of the USA, discovering both the flavours inherent to this treasured apple variety and the unique inflections of flavour that each country and region brings to the glass.

A Chef’s Guide to Creating Cider Cocktails

Price: $15

Speakers: Chandler Tomayko

Date & Time: Thursday, February 6, 3:45 – 5:00 PM

In this session you will explore the world of cider cocktails told from a chef’s perspective. Chef and bartender Chandler Tomayko of BevFluence® will take you on a journey from cider to cocktail and everything in between. Learn how to craft delicious cocktails using both high tannin and low tannin ciders, paired with seasonal ingredients and culinary techniques that elevate traditional drinks into something truly special. Tastings include 2 ciders and 2 cider cocktails made from the featured ciders.

Keeving: Basics and Practical Applications

Price: $12

Speakers: Dave Takush, Dion Stepanski, Yann Gilles, Christine Walter

Date & Time: Thursday, February 6, 3:45 – 5:00 PM

Explore the traditional cidermaking technique of keeving in this focused session. Learn the core principles and practical applications of keeving across various production scales. The panelists will provide insights into their keeving methods, share key techniques, and discuss the impact on cider quality. The session will also feature a tasting of different keeved ciders, allowing attendees to experience the results of this unique process firsthand. Gain valuable knowledge on how to effectively implement keeving in cider production.

Brewer’s Yeast in Cider for Unique Flavor & Branding

Price: $12

Speakers: Brian Wing, Andy Diacetis, Jen Curs

Date & Time: Friday, February 7, 10:30 – 11:45 AM

This session will explore how new yeast strains are developed and brought to market. Trials were developed using nine different brewing yeast strains on bulk apple juice. The audience will learn about the analytical results and tasting data from these ciders so they can take home ideas for their own experimentation. There will be three ciders to taste during the session made with brewing yeast strains.

Chilean Cider: Honoring Rich Traditions

Price: $12

Speakers: Eli Shanks, Jose Antonio Alcalde, Fabian Lara, Harriet Nahrwold, Carlos Martinez, Gicella Saldivia, Rene Galindo

Date & Time: Friday, February 7, 10:30 – 11:45 AM

Chile has a long and storied cidermaking history with 500 years of culture and livelihoods built around cider, and dozens of endemic, true cider apple varieties. A new generation of cidermakers are building off of this tradition and bringing new energy and innovation into the industry, and are coming to CiderCon 2025 to share their ciders and their stories with you. From a multi-generational, Native Chilean family cidery, to the very people responsible for identifying and classifying the distinct and unique Chilean cider apples, to the most envelope-pushing producers of the day, this tasting session will be filled with overlooked history, a reflection of a modern reality for cidermaking in a place unlike anywhere else in the world, and ciders made from apples that have never been grown or even tasted in North America. Don’t miss it.

How to Evaluate Ciders for the Certified Pommelier Exam

Price: $12

Speakers: Jennie Dorsey, Tim Powers, Kate Pinsley

Date & Time: Friday, February 7, 2:00 – 3:15 PM

Participants will practice blindly evaluating two ciders using the ACA’s Structured Sensory Evaluation process guided by Certified Pommelier and Education Operations Director Jennie Dorsey and a panel of Certified Pommeliers. This session will teach you how to objectively assess any cider, empowering you in the cidery and in assisting customers to find a cider they love while also helping you to prepare for the sensory portion of the Certified Pommelier exam.

The Paradigm of Natural Cider Production

Price: $12

Speakers: Haritz Rodriguez, TBD

Date & Time: Friday, February 7, 2:00 – 3:15 PM

The definition of natural cider varies depending on how you look at it. In Spain it is regulated by law, which perfectly defines what can be considered natural cider. However, the concept of natural cider goes beyond a style and differs in other places, depending on the philosophy of each cider maker. Biodynamic agriculture, organic agriculture, no addition of sulfites (at any point in the process?), spontaneous fermentation without added yeasts, no stabilization… What’s the paradigm of natural cider? In this debate we want to explore the limits of natural cider and define the paradigm. What is it that all those producers want the consumer/purchaser to understand by the word natural and what is it that the consumer thinks they are purchasing when buying or asking for “natural cider”?

Apple Mistelles: History, Production and Enjoyment

Price: $15

Speakers: Jennie Dorsey, Yann Gilles, Ambrosia Borowski

Date & Time: Friday, February 7, 3:45 – 5:00 PM

Apple mistelles, a lesser-known yet richly flavorful beverage, have been gaining appreciation for their unique blend of history, craftsmanship, and taste. In this session, participants will delve into the fascinating history of apple mistelles, learning about their production process and the distinct characteristics they offer. Through a guided tasting, you will explore the full range of flavors that mistelles can provide—from sweet and rich to crisp and aromatic—while gaining a deeper understanding of their role in the wider world of apple-based beverages.

Embracing Quince: A Sensory Exploration in Cider

Price: $12

Speakers: Brandon Buza, Jose Antonio Alcalde, Rene Galindo Quidel

Date & Time: Friday, February 7, 3:45 – 5:00 PM

The use of quince in cider, as a blended ingredient or as a featured single varietal, has grown in recent years given a passionate fan base. Although quince is known for contributing unique floral aromas, customers, buyers, sommeliers and makers are still learning about this mysterious fruit. The full extent of what it can bring to a cider when done right is little known. In this session, participants will join us for a visual and sensory introduction to this exciting pome, carefully tasting through a flight of quince ciders to arrive at a better understanding of what quince offers to a cider’s aroma, structure and flavor when alone or when interacting with apples.

The American Cider Association is honored to announce that they will welcome Chile as the guest cidermaking country of honor for CiderCon® 2025 in Chicago next February. Chile has a long and storied history of cidermaking as an important part of the country’s local culture and economy. Each year, millions of gallons of cider produced from the forests of heirloom cider apples growing in Chile. Most of this cider is sold under the name “chicha” but there is a growing movement of new cidermakers and established companies that are seeking to bring cider to the forefront of the Chilean beverage industry. The Chilean delegation will feature cidermakers, orchardists, educators, researchers, and government officials who are working to bring cider to local, national and international markets.

The delegation attending CiderCon® 2025 are members of the Chilean Cider Collective (COSICHI). Featured speakers include Harriet Nahrwold, co-founder of Sidrería Quebrada de Chucao; Carlos Flores, orchardist and and co-founder of Punta de Fierro Fine Cider; Rene Galindo Quidel, founder and cidermaker of Sidrería TenCai; Gicella Thamar Saldivia González, family farmer and orchardist who is also president of the Chilwe Cooperative, an organic farming and cidermaking cooperative from the island of Chiloé; Carlos Martinez Cárdenas, partner at Agrícola Tralcao, producers of the Lemon Apple and Della Cha ciders, and Agronomic Advisor at Austral University; José Antonio Alcalde, orchardist and professor at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, and co-author of the first Chilean Cider Guide (Guía de la Sidra en Chile), 2022; Fabian Lara Mercado, Policy Coordinator for INDAP, the most important financial arm of the Chilean Ministry of Agriculture, responsible for helping small-holder farmers and orchardists and a BJCP certified cider judge; and Eli Shanks, co-founder of Punta de Fierro Fine Cider.

“The Chilean Cider Collective and its members represent a wide diversity of Chilean cidermaking across 750 miles of territory. We are all very excited and humbled to be invited to participate in CiderCon® and share about the past, present and future of cider in Chile,” says Eli Shanks.

The rich history of cidermaking in Chile, influenced by immigrants from Spain, Germany, Scandinavia, and the Netherlands, as well as the native Mapuche people, has led to unique cidermaking techniques and orcharding practices that will be of interest to CiderCon® 2025 attendees. 

The Chilean delegation will be joining sessions in CiderCon®’s Explore History, Flavor & Terroir track, Grow Amazing Apples track, and others. The theme for CiderCon® this year is “Cider’s Balanced Future: Planet, People, Profit.” This theme is well represented by the Chilean cidermakers who integrate the triple bottom line approach to sustainability in their cidermaking principles.

CiderCon® registration will open on September 17, 2024 for ACA members. 

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CiderCon® 2025 returns to its beloved Chicago home base next February! We’re thrilled to invite high quality industry specific suppliers and service providers to join our 12th annual CiderCon® Trade Show. Our event attracts over 1000 industry professionals every year by offering a wide variety of educational sessions and activities for cider producers, alongside an extensive and upbeat trade show highly customized for the growing hard cider industry. CiderCon® 2025 will be hosted at the beautiful Chicago Hilton on Michigan Avenue from February 5-7, with the trade show serving as a central feature of the conference. A cider happy hour, fun games with prizes and other engaging events will be held within the trade show. Dedicated trade show time is built into the conference schedule between educational sessions ensuring plenty of time for attendees to engage with vendors and explore new opportunities.

If you haven’t been a vendor at CiderCon® before, now is the time to get involved and showcase your products and services to the rapidly growing cider industry. Our attendees always appreciate the chance to interact with vendors and discover new goods and services that will help their businesses grow.

Booth prices for CiderCon® 2025 are $3000 for a 10’ x 10’ space – and that includes 3 passes to the conference as well as lunch on Thursday and Friday!

Interested in joining us? Email our Trade Show Coordinator Ellen Husch for more information!

There are also numerous sponsorship opportunities available for vendors. Supporting the American Cider Association is a great way to support the sustainability of your customer base. The ACA loves our sponsors and we shout out our appreciation for our sponsors far and wide at CiderCon®, on our website, on social media and beyond and our members hear us. Our CEO Michelle McGrath is eager to work with you on creating a custom sponsorship experience that meets your brand’s personality.

CiderCon® 2024 saw record attendance, and traditionally our highest attendance takes place in odd-numbered years when we are in Chicago. Don’t miss out on what could be our largest CiderCon® to date!

CiderCon® is one of the most robust, diverse, thorough and connected professional cider conferences in the world. We pride ourselves on being a host to international attendees year after year.  The 15th annual CiderCon® will take place in Chicago, Illinois from February 4-7, 2025. We expect well over 1,000 people to attend. We are requesting proposals from other countries to send a diverse representation of their regional cidermaking community to be featured guests of honor at CiderCon® 2025. Previously featured countries are Spain, France, UK, Canada, New Zealand, Ireland, Sweden and Norway. Guests from these countries continue to attend future CiderCons because of the quality programming and because CiderCon® is an exchange of ideas, understanding and knowledge that enriches the global cider community. 

Costs: The American Cider Association will waive CiderCon® registration fees, provide up to 5 nights hotel for up to 4 cidermakers, and pay for and help coordinate cider imports for educational sessions. Guest countries are asked to further fund cidermaker expenses (airfare, taxi, per diem). Cidermakers may also fundraise through sponsorships, and we are happy to brainstorm strategies. ACA will also provide professional photos of cidermakers participating in CiderCon®, suitable for PR uses by their home country. 

Proposals will be considered on the following priorities: (A) evidence of guest country financial commitment (B) compelling cider story (C) depth of cidermaking knowledge for proposed speakers (D) diversity of proposed speakers, in cider style, cider opinions, and demographics. We are also prioritizing countries that have not been featured before. 

Countries in close proximity to each other may want to team up if there are less cideries available in their own country. We welcome creative proposals. 

Proposals are due June 1, 2024 at 5 PM Pacific Time. Please contact Michelle@ciderassociation.org if you have any questions.

Mark your calendars for an unparalleled gathering of minds and talents at CiderCon® 2025, set to transform the vibrant city of Chicago from February 5-7, 2025. As the world’s leading event dedicated to advancing the craft of cidermaking, CiderCon® offers an exceptional platform for networking, learning, and sharing the rich traditions and innovative techniques that define our industry.

This year, we’re casting a wide net to bring together the most knowledgeable, passionate, and visionary individuals among us. We’re looking for presentations that will enlighten and inspire, covering a wide array of topics from best practices and emerging trends to groundbreaking research and process improvements.

To make a successful proposal, please specify:

• Target audience: Role in industry as well as business model
• Skill Level: Is material appropriate for beginner, intermediate, advanced, or expert level audience members
• Key Takeaways: What skill, tool or new understanding will attendees walk away with?

The topics we’re particularly excited about this year include:

• Compliance
• Branding
• Marketing
• Distributor Relationships
• Sales Strategies
• Market Trends
• Human Resources
• Finance
• Safety
• Leadership
• Equity & Inclusion.

If you have insights or experiences in these areas, we want to hear from you!

At the heart of CiderCon® is our unwavering commitment to inclusivity. We believe that diversity fuels innovation and strengthens our community. That’s why we encourage proposals from individuals of all backgrounds, including BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, veterans, and those with disabilities. Furthermore, we’re eager to hear from voices in related fields outside of cider to enrich our discussions and broaden our horizons.

Please submit your proposals to the CiderCon® committee by June 1, 2024 by filling out the Google Form. If selected, you’ll receive a complimentary pass to CiderCon® 2025, including lunches and access to all the fantastic non-ticketed events we have planned.

Don’t miss this opportunity to contribute to the growth and success of the cider industry. Together, we can make CiderCon® 2025 a milestone event that celebrates our craft, fosters innovation, and builds a more inclusive and vibrant community. We can’t wait to see you in Chicago!

CEO’s Note–CiderCon® is carefully curated to offer expert-level content for all stages of the cider industry. In an industry as diverse as cider, it takes immense intentionality, and we are grateful to all of our speakers for participating! Many of our speakers have commented on how eager and engaged the CiderCon® audience was. Great speakers and great students–that’s my CiderCon® dream come true. Thank you to everyone involved! –Michelle McGrath, CEO ACA

• The 14th annual CiderCon® was held in Portland, Oregon from January 17-19, 2024 at the Oregon Convention Center, celebrating a return to Portland after 8 years. The week was deemed a success despite a rare multi day ice storm that impacted the travel plans of some attendees. CiderCon® is organized by the American Cider Association (ACA) and presented by FruitSmart, and it is the world’s largest conference for the hard cider industry. 
• 1,250 people registered for CiderCon® 2024, including attendees, vendors, volunteers and speakers, and an estimated 1,100 attended. Registration was 20% more than the previous year, and CiderCon® 2024 attendance exceeded any prior year’s levels despite challenging weather conditions.
• Attendees came from 40 different states and DC, including Alaska and Hawaii.
• Oregon claimed the most registrants, followed by Washington, California, and New York.
• Attendees from 14 different countries participated in CiderCon®, including Austria, Canada, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, New Zealand, Norway, the Russian Federation, Spain, Sweden, and the UK.
• An estimated 30% of CiderCon® attendees came from the Northwest (MT, ID, OR, WA, BC) this year.
• The ACA hosted 9 recipients for their Cider is For Everyone Scholarship at CiderCon® 2024. 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. Now in its third year, the scholarship received almost four times the number of applications than in the previous two years combined. 
• The ACA hosted the annual cider guild leadership meeting on January 17 with guild leaders from the Northwest, Minnesota, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, California, Virginia, Utah, and Vermont as well as the UK, Norway, Japan, and Canada. The group shared regional strategies for engaging consumers, retailers, and distributors as well as preemptive strategies for protecting the cider industry from efforts to raise state excise taxes in the US. 
• CiderCon® 2024 coincided with Oregon Cider Week, organized by the Northwest Cider Association (NWCA). Some events were postponed or canceled due to the inclement weather, but the events that remained were well attended and celebrated cider throughout Portland.
• The NWCA also organized the tours for CiderCon® 2024. Two overnight tours went to Seattle and Port Townsend areas to visit cideries in those regions. Two other tours explored cideries and bottle shops in Portland, after needing to shift from visiting the cider regions of the Columbia Gorge and the Willamette Valley due to the weather.
• Cider Share is an ACA-coordinated industry tasting only available to CiderCon® attendees as the beloved opening reception of the conference. This year Cider Share took place on January 17 and featured dozens of cidermakers from around the country and the world.
• The NWCA coordinated a special preview hour of Cider Share this year. The Cider Share preview hour was invite-only for wholesalers, buyers, media, and influencers to sample cider from throughout the Northwest. NWCA and ACA worked together to invite representatives from local and national companies as a strategy to recruit more wholesalers and buyers to attend CiderCon®. Portland’s weather made it hard for some to attend as flights were delayed, but participation in the preview hour was still high, especially from representatives of the media, who attended CiderCon® in record numbers this year.  
• The ACA welcomed 3 keynote speakers on the morning of January 18,  including multigenerational orchardists Kaitlyn Thornton (Tonasket, Washington) and Randy Kiyokawa (Kiyokawa Family Orchard in Hood River, Oregon), along with cidery owner Lara Worm (Bivouac Ciderworks in San Diego, California). All three discussed the theme for this year’s CiderCon®: Connecting to Consumers in an Age of Endless Choice. 
• Following these three mini-presentations, Zoe Licata of Brewbound hosted a panel discussion, investigating the state of the hard cider industry with a selection of cidery representatives from around the country: Aaron Sarnoff-Wood (2 Towns Ciderhouse, Oregon), Casey Baxter (Blake’s Beverage Company, Michigan), Shannon Edgar (Stormalong Cider, Massachusetts), Caitlin Braam (Yonder Cider, Washington), and Eleanor Leger (Eden Specialty Ciders, Vermont).
• During the opening session, Michelle McGrath, CEO of the ACA, announced that Reps. Earl Blumenauer (OR-D) and Mike Kelly (PA-R) introduced the Bubble Tax Modernization Act of 2024 (HR 7029) to the 118th Congress of the United States on Thursday, January 18. The “Bubble Bill” will amend a carbonation threshold disparity for lower alcohol wine, cider and mead made with fruit.
• There were 38 educational sessions held during CiderCon® covering topics in the areas of Crafting Amazing Cider, Doing Better Business, Exploring Cider’s Flavor & Terroir, Growing Bountiful Apples, and Selling More Cider. The Cider Institute of North America helped to develop the Crafting Amazing Cider track sessions once again.
• There were 12 sensory sessions, including a tasting with cidermaking guests from Sweden and Norway. Other tasting sessions featured stone fruit co-ferments, international perry (pear wine), cider and beer/wine hybrids, foraged fruit cider, ancestral method cider, amphoras, and more.
• CiderCon® 2024 featured multiple data-driven sessions featuring speakers from 3 Tier Beverage, Wine Market Council, Prosparus, and Mintel, offering nuanced looks at trends in the beverage marketplace and how they may impact the hard cider market.
• Representatives from beverage retailers spoke at CiderCon® 2024 including speakers from Safeway, Whole Foods, World Foods, Zupan’s, John’s Marketplace, and Ponderosa Beer & Books. 
• Two sessions explored sustainability issues and opportunities for the cider category, including a panel discussion with Christine Walter (Bauman’s Cider), Mike Biltonen (Know Your Roots), Mimi Casteel (Hope Well Winec), and Greg Jones (Abacela Winery) looking at orcharding, and a panel discussion moderated by Colin Schilling (Schilling Cider) looking at packaging and production with additional panelists from Santa Cruz Cider and American Canning.
• John Bunker, an American orchardist, pomologist, and “apple explorer” presented two sessions about apple identification. 
• The ACA once again offered its Certified Pommelier exam at CiderCon® 2024. 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 30 people sat for the challenging test that included a blind sensory evaluation section. The new cohort of Certified Pommeliers will be announced in 6 weeks. 
• There were numerous networking opportunities at CiderCon® 2024, including a Newcomer Networking session sponsored by Maletis Beverage, a BIPOC Cider Professional Meetup, and an Orcharding Meetup where attendees exchanged apple tree scion wood.
• The TTB–the agency charged with regulating cider over 7% ABV and collecting excise taxes at the federal level–held two sessions at CiderCon® 2024. They were also available during the trade show to answer questions regarding topics ranging from labeling to licensing to formula approval.
• The trade show, sponsored by FruitSmart, featured 93 vendors from around the country and the world and featured several new vendors as well as many who have returned year after year to support the cider industry. Trade show vendor registration grew by 25% from the previous year, but the inclement weather reduced the number of participating vendors slightly. 93 vendors is still a strong showing for the trade show, which featured 113 booths overall.
• The Michigan Cider Association hosted a tap trailer in the trade show featuring an impressive range of Michigan ciders for trade show attendees to sample.
• The ACA Board of Directors recognized several industry members for their efforts to move the cider industry forward, including 2024 Members of the Year: Seattle Cider and Ploughman Cider, the 2024 Apple Advocate Awards: Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) and Jake Mann (Five Mile Orchard), and the 2024 Significant Impact Awards: Emily Ritchie (Executive Director of Northwest Cider Association) and Brighid O’Keane (Executive Director of Cider Institute of North America). 

SAVE THE DATE: CiderCon® 2025 will be held in Chicago, Illinois from February 4-7, 2025.

CiderCon® was created to offer the commercial hard 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.

The Columbia River Gorge is a breathtaking canyon that stretches for over 80 miles along the Columbia River, forming the border between the states of Oregon and Washington. It is a natural wonder that has been carved out over millions of years by the powerful forces of water and ice. The gorge is home to a stunning array of natural sights, including towering cliffs, cascading waterfalls, and lush forests, making it a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts and nature lovers alike.

On the Columbia River Gorge Cidery & Brewery Tour you’ll have a chance to view towering cliffs, cascading waterfalls, and lush forests while touring three fermentation-focused businesses in this world-renowned region: Double Mountain, Mt. View Orchards, and Working Hands Fermentation. Not only will you be able to tour their production spaces and tasting rooms, but you’ll also get to taste their unique takes on cider and beer, and check out how these businesses attract both the local community and tourists, both beer and cider drinkers.

This CiderCon® 2024 tour includes tastings, lunch, and transportation, so all you have to worry about is having a good time. But there’s only 5 spots left so hurry up and add it to your CiderCon® 2024 registration today!

Thanks to the Northwest Cider Association for organizing this and all tours for CiderCon® 2024.