Storie Madrid is a longtime cider enthusiast from Seattle, WA. She and her spouse, Erik, are are the owners of Press Then Press, a cider focused webstore that ships cider across the US. They are also in the planning stages for a cider focused taproom in the Seattle area. She decided to pursue becoming a Certified Pommelier™ to test and expand her knowledge of cider and to practice objectively tasting and describing cider so that she can help turn more people into cider drinkers

Nick Hill is the founder, co-owner & head cidermaker at Puget Sound Cider Company. When he first started crafting cider he did a lot of research on how cider was made. It was at this time he discovered the lost history of cider in this country. It was like he found a treasure trove! He was especially fascinated with traditional American cider apples and their origins. Since then he has had great success using traditional cider apples in their ciders and helping people discover just how good American cider can be.

Nick chose to become a Certified Pommelier™ to expand his knowledge and understanding of today’s rapidly evolving dynamic cider industry as a whole. Now he has more confidence representing his company, his region and promoting cider as a high quality, high value beverage.

Kate Pinsley began her cider journey with a pint of Original Sin served in a sketchy bar in the East Village. Her next stop was the Finger Lakes with its bounty of upstate cideries. In the course of completing her master’s thesis on apple tannins at Cornell University, Kate learned cidermaking and became quite the cider nerd. Kate is now the Senior Director of Beverage at Schilling Cider in Seattle, leading the cider production and R&D teams in their mission to create quality canned cider. Kate decided to pursue her Pommelier™ certification to challenge her cider knowledge and palate, and to connect with more cidermakers and cider fans.

Erik Madrid is a cider enthusiast and hobbyist cidermaker from Seattle, WA. He and his wife Storie (also recently certified) are the owners of Press Then Press, a cider focused webstore that ships cider across the US. They are also in the planning stages for a cider focused taproom in the Seattle area. Erik pursued the Pommelier™ certification out of his love for cider, his interest in sharing all the nuances of the beverage and its history with others, and to be a part of its future.

Suzannah Klaniecki is a cidermaker with Schilling Cider based in Seattle, Washington. She decided to take the Certified Pommelier™ exam because she likes having the in-depth knowledge that comes from studying cider which she believes has this great combination of science, art, and culture.

Jamie’s passion for cider began in 2014 when curiosity led her through the door of Liberty Ciderworks, a small urban cidery located in Spokane, WA. There she discovered that the use of exceptional fruit and cider making techniques can produce ciders as complex and delicious as the finest wines. After several years of being a regular patron of Liberty Ciderworks, Jamie was convinced the cider industry was the place that brought her the most joy and she became co-owner in 2019. Jamie currently fills the role of Sales Director and loves working with people. Her desire to educate and inspire others to discover cider led her to pursue her Pommelier™ certification through the American Cider Association. Jamie’s other interests include experimenting with food pairings, world travel, vintage vinyl records, and the Dodgers.