Estida Aleknaviciene is a Lithuanian-based cider enthusiast, maker, and orchardist whose journey into the world of craft fermentation began in 2019. It was then that she first started producing cider and completely fell in love with the complex potential of the apple—a fruit that grows in beautiful abundance across the Lithuanian countryside.

Estida holds a Master’s degree in Food Science, is a Certified Mead Judge (MJP), and now proudly holds the title of Certified Pommelier™. She is deeply passionate about pushing the boundaries of traditional cider, frequently experimenting with bold blends that incorporate crisp local apples with forest berries, meadow herbs, and rich Lithuanian honey.

Beyond production, Estida is a passionate cider advocate and active educator, driven by a desire to spread the “cider virus” across Lithuania, educating about the country’s cider-making history and the authentic, true taste of local orchards.

Her ultimate vision is to establish a family-run cidery near the historical capital of Trakai. Just a short journey from Vilnius, this future destination aims to serve innovative, terroir-driven ciders that tell the story of the land.

Donatas Genys is an apple grower, a cidermaker and the founder of Sodo Sidrinė in Lithuania. He fell in love with cider and calvados after spending a long weekend at the farm in Normandy almost 20 years ago. Tasting cider led to making ciders from local eating and crabapples. In 2014 Donatas planted his first orchard of more than 20 varieties of English cider apples. The Foundation in Cider & Perry Production course in UK at Peter Mitchell’s Cider & Perry Academy increased confidence in applying different cidermaking techniques. Donatas achieved the WSET level 2 Spirits and Liqueurs qualification and attended distilling courses in UK and Austria.

Donatas is driven by the words of Tom Oliver, “You can’t make a little and expect much”. His vision is to create a new modern Baltic craft cider identity while blending local traditional apple varieties and English bittersweet/bittersharp apples.

When not busy with orchards or cidermaking, Donatas enjoys visiting cider farms, tasting ciders and joining the passionate community in cider events across Europe. And it doesn’t matter whether it is a small local cider festival in a mountain village of Madeira Island or a big international Cider World event in Frankfurt.