As one of the founding cidermakers, Aaron Homoya is responsible for your original favorite Ash & Elm Cider Co. flavors. He is especially interested in forging long-term partnerships with Indiana’s apple producers and hopes to one day have an orchard of his own to supply the company with heirloom apples. He gets excited about introducing new people to the diverse world of cider, partnering with local orchards, and spreadsheets. He enjoys spending time with his…

Alan Reed leads the Chicagoland Food & Beverage Network, an industry-driven organization that brings together some of the biggest names in food and beverage—including PepsiCo, Mondelez, McDonald’s, Kraft Heinz, and Conagra—alongside fast-growing innovators shaping what’s next. He works directly with the executives and decision makers who influence what consumers eat and drink every day. Under his leadership, the Network has become a hub where industry leaders come together to solve challenges, anticipate consumer shifts, and…

Amanda Stewart is an Associate Professor of Food Science & Technology at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, VA, USA. Dr. Stewart addresses challenges in applied food and beverage fermentation science through an integrated research, teaching and extension program. Cider chemistry and cider fermentation are a major focus of her research, and she has been a regular speaker on cider science at regional and national conferences. Dr. Stewart holds a PhD in Food Science, MS and BS…

Andrew Richards is the Head Distiller and Farm Manager of Shady Knoll Orchards and Distillery in Millbrook, NY. He has been with the company since its inception in 2015 and is responsible for all production to date. Shady Knoll makes Apple Brandy, Pommeau, and multiple expressions of Rye Whiskey. Shady Knoll’s apple orchard includes over 1,800 trees with over 100 varieties.

Andy Garrison is the distiller/owner of TUFF TALK Distilling, a boutique distillery in Portland, Oregon focused on custom distillation for the wine industry as well as producing esoteric spirits centered around fruit. Andy has been distilling professionally since 2012 at Stone Barn Brandyworks, with stints at New Deal Distillery and House Spirits, and he has consulted with dozens of clients in the cider, wine, and spirits industries to develop award-winning spirits products.

Ashley Lindsay holds several degrees from the University of Hawaii and Oregon State University in Agriculture Sciences fields and Agricultural Education. Since 2017, she has been an Adjunct Professor at Chemeketa College – NW Wine Program, teaching various courses related to agricultural production and vineyard management. In 2015, Ashley and her husband Brian purchased and developed a 40 acre fallow farm. They planted 32 acres of heirloom Cider Apples and Perry Pears, creating Pleasant Valley…

Asnāte Ziemele is the initiator and driving force behind the Baltic Cider brand. She is the president and founder (since 1993) of the Latvian Country Tourism Association (Baltic Country Holidays), a national organisation committed to developing sustainable rural tourism, including the promotion of local food and drink. The Baltic Cider brand now brings together authentic cidermakers from Latvia, Estonia and Finland. Asnāte’s extensive international work in the cider sector began with the creation of the…

Autumn Stoscheck co-owns, with her husband Ezra Sherman, Eve’s Cidery– a small orchard based cidery located at the intersection of the Northern Appalachian Plateau and the Southern Finger Lakes on the traditional lands of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, in New York State. Autumn spends her days growing certified organic cider apples and making them into world class ciders.

Brent Miles-Wagner is the owner of Brown Hat Consulting, which he started in 2019 to provide an expert resource for new and expanding cider companies. He was the founding Head Cidermaker at Seattle Cider Company, where he wrote the business plan and developed their lineup of innovative and award-winning ciders. He then became Head Cidermaker at Sly Clyde Ciderworks, who engaged him to build their new cidery from the ground up. Last year he completed…

After spending nearly twenty years working in the hospitality industry, in 2002, Professor Brian Warrener became a full-time faculty member in the College of Hospitality Management at Johnson & Wales University. His teaching focused on food and beverage operations and beverage operations and management. During this time he has had the good fortune to teach classes across the University…in Food & Beverage Management; Sports, Entertainment and Event Management; The International Hotel School; Travel and Tourism…

Brighid O’Keane is the Executive Director of the Cider Institute – previously Cider Institute of North America (CINA) – which provides global education and certification for cider and perry producers. Since 2017, she has judged at eleven international competitions and collaborated with cidermakers and researchers worldwide to advance cider quality and knowledge. Originally from Western New York, Brighid now lives in Western North Carolina and continues to follow cider wherever it takes her.

Caitlin Braam is the founder and CEO of Yonder Cider and The Source Cider, based in Seattle and Wenatchee, Washington. She has worked in the beverage industry for more than 15 years, working with cideries, breweries and wineries of all sizes. Passionate about helping businesses grow, she spends her days working with producers, talking with growers and introducing consumers to the world of craft beverages. Before starting Yonder Cider and The Source Cider, she was…

Robert “Chas” Runco provides licensing, regulatory, and commercial transaction advice to clients in the alcohol beverage industry. Chas advises large and small corporate clients on a variety of business matters. His practice focuses on advising wineries, breweries, distilleries, distributors, and retailers in regulatory and transactional matters. His experience in regulated industries has made him a preferred attorney for clients in the hospitality industry. He also works with trade organizations in regulatory and legislative capacities. By…

Chris Gerling is a Senior Extension Associate in the department of Food Science at Cornell AgriTech in Geneva, New York. He works with the craft beverage industry to create educational programs that support the growth and improved quality of premium wines, ciders and distilled spirits. Chris is a member of the Cider Institute of North America’s executive committee.

Chris Leimena has had a love for food and hospitality for as long as he can remember. After graduating from culinary school he spent a decade honing his skills as a chef at some of Portland’s top culinary destinations. Chris has since managed the dining rooms of many of Portland’s premier restaurants. His deep appreciation for food and wine naturally evolved into a love for cider, and he has been enthusiastically sharing his knowledge and…

Clay Slaughter is the head cidermaker at Slaughter Orchard & Cidery in Bloomington, Indiana.  A natural educator, he frequently describes himself as a cider evangelist and loves helping people understand the source of their food. Beyond cidermaking, Clay enjoys helping businesses with legal and strategy issues.  He has over 16 years of legal experience and has served in a range of business roles including CFO, COO, and CSO.  He has experience in large corporations, successful…

Cortni McGregor Stahl is the co-founder and cidermaker at Star Cider in Canandaigua, NY. She also teaches with the Cider Institute and collaborates with the Cornell Craft Beverage Institute. Passionate about blending art and science in her craft, Cortni loves experimenting with new cider flavors — and her favorite apple, the Golden Russet always finds a place in a cider blend each year.

Dave Takush is the Head Cidermaker and co-owner of 2 Towns Ciderhouse. Dave earned a Master’s Degree in fermentation science at Oregon State University and has almost over a decade of experience in the craft beer, wine and cider industries. His passion for fermentation led him to join two childhood friends in starting 2 Towns Ciderhouse in Corvallis, Oregon. Now one of the largest craft cider producers in the nation, 2 Towns has over 100…

David Klein is the co-founder and head distiller at Ambix Spirits, an artisanal apple brandy distillery based in Sebastopol, California. His path to distilling is circuitous: a physics PhD from Berkeley and a founder of a biotech and medical device instrumentation startup. David’s journey has been shaped by a deep curiosity and a passion for precision. However, his true love has always been fermentation—and apples. He was an early homebrewer and certified beer judge and…

Dion Stepanski is the co-owner and head cider-maker at Presque Isle Farm Cider in northeast Michigan. Dion and his partner Molly Stepanski began farming organic vegetables on his six-generation family farm in 2014. He started making cider from local foraged apples shortly after, and in 2020, PIF did their first commercial pressing. In 2022, they opened a taproom in Alpena, Michigan, and expanded their cider offerings. PIF produces a diverse range of ciders, from traditional…

Eleanor Leger and her husband and partner Albert founded Eden Ice Cider Company in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont in 2007. There they produce specialty ciders, including ice ciders, aperitifs, and naturally sparkling hard ciders from 100% locally-grown apples. Eden’s specialty ciders are distributed in 18 states and the District of Columbia. It is the first cidery in the US to received the Slow Food ‘Snail of Approval’ for being good, clean and fair. Their…

Gidon Coll is the Founder and President of Original Sin Cider. Established in New York in 1996, Original Sin is among the early modern American cider companies. Today, Original Sin Cider is distributed in 27 states across the U.S. and exported to Japan. In 2012, Mr. Coll launched the Hudson Valley Apple Project on his family’s former dairy farm in Ancram, New York. This distinctive two-acre orchard is home to more than 160 apple varieties—including…

Greg Peck is an Assistant Professor of Horticulture in Cornell University’s School of Integrative Plant Science. He has conducted research in fruit-crop production systems in California, Washington, New York, and Virginia. Dr. Peck’s academic training spans horticulture, plant physiology, soil science, entomology, food science, plant pathology, ecology, agricultural economics, and education. His research program is designed to support and improve the sustainability, productivity, and profitability of tree-fruit producers. Current projects focus on hard cider production,…

Hannah Ferguson was born and raised in Youngstown, OH. Hannah has been a home wine and cider maker for 10 years. She started D.O.P.E. (Dwelling On Positive Energy) Brands LLC in 2017. To expand her knowledge in the industry in 2018 she became an assistant brewer for a local brewery and stayed in the position for 2.5 years. Hannah is the first female black brewer in the state of Ohio, she is also the first…

Haritz Rodriguez, aka Ciderzale, is an independent journalist and marketing consultant in the agrifood field with a special focus on cider. He has recently joined the EDA Drinks & Wine Campus team as the main educator on cider within the university of gastronomic sciences Basque Culinary Center. Haritz works for different local and international agents in the world of cider, participates as a judge in cider competitions and co-organizes festivals and fairs such as Sidrama…

Jamie Hanson is the Orchard Manager at Seed Savers Exchange, overseeing the care of nearly 1,000 historic apple trees throughout two eight-acre preservation orchards in Decorah, Iowa. Her interest in apple growing began with the study of pomological history in coastal Maine, shaping her expertise in preserving and promoting historic apple cultivars. Focused on innovative collection management, Jamie and the team at Seed Savers Exchange are combining new technologies with time-tested practices to re-examine how…

Jānis Matvejs is a cider maker and geographer from northern Latvia, where he runs Abuls Cidery, a small artisan cidery near Smiltene. He grows and uses local and wild apples to create natural ciders that reflect the region’s climate and character, using a variety of cider-making techniques. Jānis has been making cider since the early 2000s and is one of the pioneers of Latvia’s modern cider scene.

Jason Cassidy is the cidermaker at The Cider Farm in Madison, WI where he is fortunate to make craft ciders from the best organic French and English cider apples in the Midwest. He finds the combination of hands-on work and the seasonal nature of orchard-based cidermaking deeply rewarding. He is a Cider Institute Certified Cider Maker, and an ACA Certified Pommelier. Jason got serious about cidermaking after being diagnosed with Celiac disease. After realizing that…

Jen Curs worked in non-cider beverage production before joining the Bauman’s team in early 2020. She completed the CINA Foundation to Cidermaking course and within a couple years was in charge of the Specialty Cider program at Bauman’s. In addition to managing the barrel-aging program, Jen is responsible for all harvest blending as well as post-ferment blends on the farm in Gervais, Oregon. In her spare time, Jen loves foraging for wild mushrooms, cooking and…

Jennie Dorsey is the Education Operations Director for the American Cider Association. She is also a founding member of Pomme Boots Society for women in the Cider Industry and has held numerous positions since she first entered the Cider Industry over a decade ago. Jennie actually began her journey in the coffee industry where she was a nationally ranked competition barista and trainer specializing in sensory analysis with a focus on food pairings.  The skills…

Jim Bair is president & CEO of the U.S. Apple Association – the national voice of America’s Favorite Fruit. The U.S. apple industry has a farm gate value of more than $4 billion, creating downstream economic activity exceeding $24 billion. USApple’s primary mission areas are government relations, media relations and crisis communications. Jim has dedicated more than 40 years to the management of food and agriculture organizations. Jim was raised on a farm that has…

When Johan Sjöstedt founded Pomologik the goal was clear, the mission was to give the apple recognition as the grape of the Nordics. A work that is still in progress but has come a long way. Committed to spontaneous fermentation and always searching for new wild varieties, the quest for new terroir expressions is a core raison d’être. By innovation and breaking new grounds within the Swedish craft cider community Pomologik has become one of…

John Behrens is the Founder and President of Farmhaus Cider Company located in Hudsonville, Michigan. This company was founded in 2015 and has gone on to win many national and international accolades and awards. John began his first term as President of the Michigan Cider Association in 2018. Previously, he worked as a Certified Public Accountant for over 10 years at BDO USA and Steelcase. John holds an MBA from Grand Valley State University, in…

John Bunker has been tracking down, identifying and preserving apples for fifty years using a combination of field work, historical records, identification keys and now DNA technology. John collaborates with historians, orchardists, scientists and cider makers from throughout North America and beyond. He is a member of the Historic Fruit Working Group of North America as well as the founder of Fedco Trees and The Maine Heritage Orchard. He lives among extensive gardens and hundreds…

Josh Sejat is the US Technical Specialist for Alkemista LLC: a 14 year-old Adult Beverage Development Agency that has recently expanded into the US. A production strategist with expertise in formulation, small pilot to large scale manufacturing, & regulatory compliance. Josh is currently developing a Liquid R&D Lab & Pilot Facility, bridging technical precision & quality with creative innovation. Known for his methodical approach & imaginative flair, Josh integrates liquid analysis & sensory profiling into…

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…

Kyle Sherrer is a seasoned cider entrepreneur and the founder of Graft Cider and Hudson North Cider Co., two innovative brands rooted in New York’s Hudson Valley. He began his cider journey in 2011 by co-founding Millstone Cellars in Maryland with his father, later relocating to New York to launch Graft in 2016, known for its wild yeast-fermented, dry ciders. In 2020, Kyle expanded his vision with Hudson North Cider Co., a cider on the…

Lester Jones serves as the Chief Economist and Vice President of Analytics for the National Beer Wholesalers Association. He has more than 20 years of experience in industry research, survey methodology and applied business economics. He most recently served as Chief Economist at the Beer Institute, where he developed and executed significant research initiatives that helped shape America’s beer industry. In addition to his decade of work at the Beer Institute, Jones previously worked for…

As Marketing Manager at Schilling Cider in Seattle, WA, Marina Sumrada is deeply passionate about cider and the vibrant community surrounding it. An avid advocate both professionally and personally, she champions cider culture while fostering meaningful partnerships across the industry, always eager to share her enthusiasm with fellow cider enthusiasts.

Māris Plūme is the cider maker behind Mr. Plūme Cidery in Latvia. He began his cider journey as a trainee at Domaine Dupont in France and Distelberger Cider (Most) in Austria, where he learned traditional European cider-making techniques. Since 2010, Māris has been experimenting with diverse methods and styles, earning numerous awards across Spain, Germany, Norway, Madeira, and local competitions. Each autumn, he leads an “apple safari” to discover and preserve native Latvian cider apple…

Martha Lowry is a passionate cider maker who has been working in the beverage industry for most of her professional career. With a background in horticulture, and experience managing organic and IPM orchards, she believes the best apples make the best cider. Martha has worked in some of the largest and smallest craft cideries in Ontario and made everything from apple focused wine style ciders to fun fruity flavored ciders. As head distiller she also…

Pienjani is a small scale cidery situated in the South of Latvia. Martins Knipsis and his team produce predominantly dry carbonated cider under brand name “Jepis” (slang for apple in Latvian) using both – local and English cider apple varieties which they grow exceptionally themselves. They are proud to be the first (and so far the only one) certified organic cider producer in Latvia.

Matt Kaminsky is an orchardist and farmer from Western Massachusetts whose specialties include wild apples, grafting and topworking, & cider-orchard silvopasture (integration of sheep into cider apple orchards). He created the Annual Wild and Seedling Pomological Exhibition, an annual showcase of novel apples and pears, and its literary byproduct Pomological Series, a photographic pomology book series, now in its 5th Volume, describing and documenting the hundreds of fruit submissions to the Exhibition over the years.…

Nichola Hall has a Ph.D. in Yeast Physiology and a BSc(Hons) in Microbial Biotechnology. Dr. Hall has held various positions in the wine industry: Director of Microbiology at Bronco Wine Company, Ceres, CA (2002-2007), Technical Consultant at Vinquiry, Inc., Windsor, CA (2007-2009) and is currently at Scott Laboratories, Petaluma, CA employed as General Manager for the Fermentation and Enology Department (2009-present). From 2009-present, Dr. Hall is a co-winemaker at Mathew Bruno Wines and is very…

Nick Gunn is a native of Oregon, born and raised in Eugene. In 2000, Nick earned a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies with minors in Biology and Geology from the University of Oregon. With a passion for sustainable agriculture and fermentation, Nick planted a cider apple orchard with his wife Mimi in 2003. Shortly after in 2004, Wandering Aengus Cider was born with a goal of producing world class european styled ciders as well…

Particularly known for her skill at tasting and blending, Nicole LeGrand Leibon has been cited as one of the best cider judges because of her generous feedback. As the first cider-specific hire for Farnum Hill Ciders and Poverty Lane Orchards in 2000, she helped create a style that honored the terroir and the fruit, while gaining renown for the best ciders in America. In 2018, while finishing her 19th harvest at Farnum Hill Ciders, Nicole…

From humble beginnings designing tap handles during the early days of craft beer’s emergence, Oceania Eagan (aka “Oce”) quickly became known in the industry for her ability to build brands through her artistic vision and functional execution. With a unique mix of business acumen and creative problem solving at her core, Oce founded Blindtiger Design, embodying her passion for contributing to the dynamic industry to support brands that thrive. Bringing an unmatched depth of knowledge…

Patti Wilcox co-founded Gravity/Awestruck Ciders in Sidney, New York and spent the last 12 years taking it from zero to a 30+ person team. After a 2023 restructure, she turned to AI to rebuild operations and grow sales. She helps fellow cideries, wineries, and breweries navigate AI, translating buzzwords into ready-to-use, beverage-specific workflows that augment people, not replace them.

Paul Swigger has over 15 years of hands-on expertise in a variety of facets of the beverage alcohol industry including consumer & wholesale sales, Direct-to-Consumer fulfillment, DTC technologies, and of course Alcohol Beverage Compliance. He is passionate about growing the Direct-to-Consumer marketplace for producers, and simplifying the often-complex process of selling alcohol nationwide. He lives on the Central Coast of California with his young family enjoying all things fermented, brewed or distilled.

From growing up in the epicenter of New York State apple production to driving some of the US’s most ambitious and industry leading cider programs, Ryan Burk has spent his life around apples and cider. He helped establish and lead Virtue Cider in Michigan and elevate America’s largest cider maker, Angry Orchard, taking the brand to new successes on both the national and local stage with the Innovation Cider House in Walden NY, where he…

Sara Boyd is the owner and cidermaker at Loch Mór Cider located in beautiful Prince Edward County, Ontario. Loch Mór uses traditional varieties of cider apples, grown in the estate orchard to create award winning ciders. Over the past few years, Loch Mór Cider has won 50+ medals at awards, including 4 Best in Class awards at GLINTCAP, Best Cider in Canada at WineAlign, along with Double Golds at the All Canadian Wine Championships. Sara…

Shaunessy Bordas was born and raised in South Florida, and moved to Chicago to attend fashion school. After graduating, she spent 15 years working in the fashion industry and operating her own clothing line while hustling various jobs in the farm to table food scene. She moved to Ithaca in 2016 with her family to buy land and started a farm to table wood fired pizza business. For the next few years, Shaunessy ran the…

Stephanie Artino is a CPA and owner of Artino Business Advisors, a CPA Firm with offices in both Washington state and Virginia. Her focus is advisory, tax and accounting services to the craft beverage, construction & real estate industries. Stephanie brings over 30 years of experience in accounting and business as well as has a Master Advisor Certification, focusing on human behavior and leadership development. She offers coaching, education and other management advisory services geared…

Steve Selin is the owner-orchardist-cidermaker at South Hill Cider in the Finger Lakes Region of New York State. Steve has been foraging apples and making cider since 2002. For South Hill Cider, Steve sources fruit from varied sources such as wild pippins and abandoned trees, his own cider orchard, leased orchards, and a contract-orchard planted in cider apples. He directly manages 20 acres of apples. South Hill Cider, founded in 2013, has a tasting room…

Steve Van Nocker is a professor of Horticulture at Michigan State University. His research team is developing high-yielding, intensely red-juiced apples for red juice and red cider production. He also manages the Great Lakes Cider Apple Collection, an ongoing trial of 88 traditional hard cider varieties located in central Michigan.

Steven Trussler is an education specialist at Brock University’s Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute in the Niagara region of Ontario, Canada where he develops and delivers programming for the cider and wine industries. Before his current role, he worked as commercial winemaker and in a beverage alcohol analytical lab.

Taylor Harrison joined the alcohol industry directly out of college as in intern with Constellation Brands. Shortly after, he was awarded the ability to play lacrosse for Team England, so he moved to England, where he began working as a fine wine market analyst for the London International Vintners Exchange (Liv-Ex). During his summers, he would take time off to do vintage work at a winery in Surrey. Taylor joined Vinoshipper, from London, in 2021…

Todd Little-Siebold is a professor of history at the College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor, Maine. He teaches class on a wide range of topics, including one on the history of apples. His class “The Cider Project” was a year-long experiment in teaching the history and techniques of making hard cider. He has spent the last fifteen years tracking down, researching, and helping to preserve heirloom apples in downeast Maine. He has collaborated with…

Tom Oliver of Oliver’s Cider and Perry is a cider & perry maker and farmer in Ocle Pychard, Herefordshire in the UK. He grows many varieties of cider apple and perry pear and produces a wide range of ciders and perries from his own fruit, as well as cider apples and perry pears from a select group of partner farmers and orchardists in the county. The ciders and perries are made from 100% fresh pressed…

Wes Hunter is the cidermaker and co-founder of 1818 Farm & Cidery in the Ottawa Valley, where he crafts ciders that reflect the region’s diverse soils and cool northern climate. With a background in the wine industry and as a sommelier in the Okanagan Valley, Wes brings a deep understanding of balance, texture, and terroir to his fermentation work. His approach bridges wine influenced techniques and inspiration from their 2.5 acre organic farm. Wes has…