Three dozen Northwest cideries will come together next weekend to celebrate the blossoming Northwest cider industry. The 5th annual Cider Rite of Spring will take place on Saturday, March 10, from 1pm to 6pm at the Left Bank Annex, located at 101 N Weidler St. in Portland. The event features more than 100 ciders served by cidermakers and cidery representatives from around the Pacific Northwest, including two from Bend. Red Tank Cider Co. will serve its Dry Raspberry and Roughneck ciders, while Tumalo Cider Co. will serve Heirloom Blend and Apricot Plum. Tickets are available at http://www.merctickets.com/events/50888130/cider-rite-of-spring-2018.
Cider Rite of Spring showcases ciders that are either made for the event, aren’t available locally, or are limited run, giving attendees the chance to taste ciders they wouldn’t normally be able to access. This year’s participating cidermakers include 12 Bridge Ciderworks, 1859 Cider Co., 2 Towns Ciderhouse, Alter Ego Cider, Art + Science, Bad Granny, Bandon Rain, Bauman’s Cider, Carlton Cyderworks, Dragon’s Head Cider, Finnriver Farm & Cidery, La Familia Cider, Locust Cider, Lucky Lab Applegate, McMenamins Edgefield, New West Cider, Oregon Mead & Cider Co., Pear UP, Portland Cider Co., Queen Orchard, Red Tank Cider Co., Reveille Ciderworks, Runcible Cider Co., Seattle Cider Co., Spire Mountain Ciders/Fish Brewing, Square Mile Cider, Steelhead Cider, Stone Circle Cider, Swift Cider, Tieton Ciderworks, Tumalo Cider Co., Whole Foods Market, Wildcraft Ciderworks and Woodbox Cider. Each cidermaker brings two to three ciders apiece.
General admission tickets cost $30, which includes a commemorative tasting glass and eight drink tickets. VIP tickets cost $50 and include a commemorative tasting glass, 12 drink tickets, one hour early admission (12pm to 1pm), specialty VIP only ciders, snacks, and access to the exclusive VIP Lounge presented by Square Mile Cider. Most ciders cost one ticket per three-ounce taste, although some may cost more. Additional tasting tickets are available onsite for $1 apiece. Two food carts will be selling food, and a pop-up retail store will allow attendees to buy bottles and cans of their favorite ciders to take home. The event is for ages 21 and up.
Cider Rite of Spring 2018 is presented by the Northwest Cider Assn., and also serves as a fundraiser for the organization, which aims to bring cideries and cider lovers together to share knowledge, experience, and live the Northwest cider culture. The event is sponsored by Square Mile Cider, Whole Foods Market and FruitSmart. For more information, visit NWCider.com and follow @ciderriteofspring on social media, using hashtag #ciderriteofspring.
About Northwest Cider Association
Founded in 2010, the Northwest Cider Association (NWCA) brings cideries and cider lovers together to learn, experience and enjoy the Northwest cider culture. Representing more than 80 commercial cidermakers from throughout Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and British Columbia, the group is dedicated to supporting, promoting and growing its thriving industry. NWCA hosts cider-themed events, including Cider Rite of Spring, Summer Cider Day, and Cider Weeks in Oregon, Washington and British Columbia. For more information, visit NWCider.com, or follow @nwcider on social media.
