(Photo courtesy of Northwest Cider Association)
NW Cider Cup unveiled the region’s top ciders at a celebratory awards party at Holocene in Portland, Oregon on Thursday, June 20th. The prestigious competition guides both consumers and buyers on the best ciders being produced in the country’s largest apple growing region, and is an early indicator of national trends.
“Winning a medal at the NW Cider Cup is difficult. It’s a true hallmark of quality,” said Northwest Cider Association Executive Director Emily Ritchie. “With hundreds of cidermakers in our region, not only is it competitive but the judging standards are the strictest in North America,” continued Ritchie.
The Cup awards only one gold per category and does not require judges to award all medals available. Medals are awarded only if entries rank above a set bar of standards. For instance, only 21% of all entries at NW Cider Cup received a medal in 2024. “Recognizing and celebrating excellence is at the heart of the NW Cider Cup,” adds Ritchie. The full listing of 2024 medal and award winners is online at nwcider.com/nwcidercup.
Some of this year’s top winners include:
Best of Show: Bauman’s Cider Mountain Rose SV in Red Fleshed Cider (Oregon)
Best of Show Runner Up (TIE): Rootwood Cider Company Golden Russet in Single Varietal Cider (Washington) and Bauman’s Cider Endless Harvest in High-Tannin Dry Cider (Oregon)
New Cidery of the Year: Endless Orchard Cider (Washington)
Large Cidery of the Year: 2 Towns Ciderhouse (Oregon)
Medium Cidery of the Year: Bauman’s Cider (Oregon)
Small Cidery of the Year (3-WAY TIE): Rootwood Cider Company (Washington), Union Hill Cider Co. (Washington), Kristof Farms Cider (Oregon)
This year, a new Winners Guide has been created for industry and consumers – essentially, anyone thirsty for professional guidance selecting the best ciders and perries the region has to offer.
Now in its 11th year, the 2024 NW Cider Cup continues to highlight a burgeoning cider scene that is sweeping competitions internationally and continues with impressive sales growth. Kicking off the year, Portland hosted the largest cider conference in the world, then PNW cidermakers earned accolades across the country at the Great Lakes International Cider and Perry Competition, then around the world at the Japan Cider Cup, and finally Oregon claimed the most awards a US state has ever won at the International Cider Awards in the UK, including their prestigious top award. All the while, cider sales in the PNW soar to upwards of $120 million and counting.
Emerging trends in 2024:
- Fruit Post-Fermentation Sweetciders continued another year as the largest category in the Cup.
- Low-Tannin and Co-Fermented Fruitciders are also among the most robustly entered.
- Fruit Co-Fermented,where apples and other fruit(s) ferment together, was added in 2023 as a distinct category because of increased submissions. 2024. 40% of the entries this year co-fermented apples with wine grapes, primarily Pinot Noir as well as Riesling, Dolcetto and Tannat.
- Specialty Low Alcohol/Alcohol Removedis a new and growing category; the number of entries doubled in 2024.
- Botanical Spicedawarded two of three medals to chili ciders this year.
- Pommeau(a mix of fresh-pressed apple juice and apple brandy) swept the Speciality Fortified category.
- Seattle Cider Companyearned the most gold medals of any maker in 2024, taking home three.
- A gold medal winner in theRed-Fleshed cider category took Best of Show for the second year in a row, highlighting a growing interest in ciders crafted with red-fleshed apples.
Conceived by cidermakers, the Cup has been organized by the nonprofit trade organization, Northwest Cider Association since 2016, accepting entries from OR, WA, ID, MT and British Columbia. The Cup aims to attract a diverse cohort of judges, blending newer palates with seasoned competition veterans. “Our judging pool is pretty exceptional, here in the Northwest,” Ritchie notes. “We draw from cider experts in the region, across the country and even overseas.” Judges include cidermakers, beverage buyers, category writers and industry professionals, half of which were Certified Cider Guides or Certified Pommeliers in 2024.
Where to find the winners
The NW Cider Cup Winners Guide is live at nwcider.com/nwcidercup.
Taste a selection of winners and take your favorites home at the NW Cider Cup Winners Showcase on Friday, July 12, 6-9pm at Arch Bridge Taphouse in Oregon City.
Visit online cider retailer, Press Then Press to shop an array of award winning bottles and cans that can be shipped direct to your door.
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 100 commercial cidermakers from throughout Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and British Columbia, the group is dedicated to supporting, promoting and growing its thriving industry.
