Portland, Oregon – The Pacific Northwest’s premier cider competitors is again with a brand new title – “NW Cider Cup,” previously the Portland Worldwide Cider Cup – and new classes, simply in time to have a good time 10 years in a quickly rising trade.
“Our area’s cider trade is evolving and so are we,” says Emily Ritchie, Government Director of the Northwest Cider Affiliation, a commerce non-profit that represents OR, WA, ID, MT, and British Columbia and that hosts the NW Cider Cup. “Cider gross sales within the Pacific Northwest elevated 8% final yr whereas different craft beverage sectors declined. As extra folks select cider they appear to our awards for steering round high quality and language.”
NW Cider Cup judges are skilled to thoughtfully assessment key components – look, aroma, taste and mouthfeel – with a view to establish exemplary ciders in every of the classes. This yr, classes have shifted towards kinds like excessive or low tannins, oak growing older, low alcohol, and apple compositions, moderately than primarily based on phrases like ‘heirloom’ or ‘trendy’ primarily based on apple varieties.
“As drinkers turn out to be savvier and the Northwest type turns into extra distinct, we realized the descriptive language and classes have been able to evolve as nicely,” continues Ritchie. “This competitors coalesces the cider group round a shared language and understanding of what’s high quality cider.”
The cup’s new web site nwcidercup.com is reside, welcoming industrial cider and perry entries from OR, WA, MT, ID and British Columbia. The entry registration is April 3 – Could 15, 2023 with choices for transport and in individual drop off. Judging will occur June twelfth and a public awards ceremony can be hosted June fifteenth at Polaris Corridor in Portland, Oregon.
Based a decade in the past by regional cidermakers, non-profit member group, Northwest Cider Affiliation started organizing the cup in 2016. NW Cider Cup works to encourage high quality, present constructive maker suggestions, educate cider drinkers and customarily amplify the class.
Conserving tempo with cider as a rising market phase, the competitors skilled extra judges and noticed extra entries in 2022 than any yr earlier than (up practically 60% from entries in 2021). The Northwest Cider Affiliation, which directs the cup anticipates receiving round 300 distinctive cider and perry submissions in 2023 and evaluating these entries with a world-class grouping of cider judges, together with cider professionals from throughout the nation and overseas.
The cup’s analysis course of is a progressive assessment of particular person components concluding with judges’ remaining analysis/general impression and scoring. As people and as a desk cohort, judges establish (gold, silver, bronze) exemplary ciders in every of the recognized classes. Every entry awarded a gold medal will then be judged within the Finest in Present finals. Recognizing and celebrating cider excellence is on the coronary heart of the NW Cider Cup. The 2023 Cup will award bronze, silver, and gold medals in 18 up to date classes.
About Northwest Cider Affiliation
Based in 2010, the Northwest Cider Affiliation (NWCA) brings cideries and cider lovers collectively to be taught, expertise and benefit from the Northwest cider tradition. Representing greater than 90 industrial cidermakers from all through Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and British Columbia, the group is devoted to supporting, selling and rising its thriving trade. For extra info, go to NWCider.com and observe @nwcider on social media.
