Sales of cider in the United States in 2016 was a tale of two markets: Big Brands and Artisan brands. According to Nielsen, overall off premise ciders sales (sold in retail outlets) dipped in 2016 to the tune of -10.2% from 2015. But looking closer at those numbers tells a remarkable story. When looking just… Read more »
The James Beard Awards have long been the most prestigious food/drink journalism and restaurant awards in the country. For beverage professionals, the most prestigious of these awards is the Outstanding Wine, Spirits, or Beer Professional. The award is given to “A beer, wine, or spirits professional who has made a significant national impact on the… Read more »
Life isn’t easy for a small, artisan cidery If you want some insight into the challenges, just read the Cidernomics, by Eden owner Eleanor Leger. It describes the travails that face a small producer of high quality cider. But there is a path to success for cideries that has been proven to be successful, particularly in… Read more »
For cider lovers, here are a few books to put on your reading list. Modern Cider: Simple Recipes to Make Your Own Ciders, Perries, Cysers, Shrubs, Fruit Wines, Vinegars, and More By Emma Christensen For the home cider makers, this looks like a serious effort to provide guidance on all things fruit and fermented. CiderCraft:… Read more »
Mawby, out of Michigan, has been in the sparkling wine business for more than two decades and has derived many accolades for its finely tuned, harmonious wines. It was only in 2016 they decided to jump into the cider game. Using only Leelanau Peninsula apples, Mawby has crafted a collection of ciders that are highly… Read more »
Eleanor Leger wants to explain the economic silliness behind producing and selling true artisan cider—in her case artisan ice cider. She wants to explore the “cidernomics” of what she calls the “underdog economy”. She’s fairly well suited to do this too. Her academic background is economics. Her career includes 20 years in the corporate world… Read more »
Wassail restaurant in New York, one of America’s great cider destinations, has announced a new Spring menu. The new menu deviates significantly from their renowned all-vegetarian fare, bringing meats on to the plate in an homage to traditional cider regions. Among the new items are “Fava & Chorizo”, “Pork Belly Pintxos”, “Boudin Blanc”, “Cold Smoked… Read more »
Sonoma Cider, ensconced neatly into an industrial section of the California wine country town of Healdsburg in Sonoma County, resides in the thin middle of the American cider industry. To one side sit the giant, nationally distributed cidermakers owned primarily by Big Beer: Angry Orchard, Smith & Forge, Stella Cidre, etc. On its other side… Read more »
I’m very excited to announce that I will be coordinating a new Cider Competition aimed at exposing consumers and the trade to the best craft ciders in the American marketplace. The new Dan Berger International Wine Competition (DBIWC) will include a Cider Competition within it. Dan Berger is the dean of American wine competitions, having… Read more »
So you want to be in the booming cider industry! But you don’t want to make the stuff. Well, it turns out one of the most dynamic and important non-production gigs in Cider is up for grabs. The United States Association of Cider Makers, the national trade association representing cider producers and others in the… Read more »
