Media Contact:
Emily Ritchie
Northwest Cider Association
emily@nwcider.com
503-887-8960

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Ten Northwest Cidermakers Selected to Travel to Europe to Expand Knowledge of Old World Techniques

SEATTLE (December 19, 2016) – Ten cidermakers from the Northwest Cider Association were selected to travel to England and France for an educational mission in spring 2017. Supported by a specialty crop grant from the Washington Department of Agriculture, to increase the competitiveness of ciders made in the northwest, these skilled cidermakers will dive deep into one complicated technique called keeving.

Ten members of the Northwest Cider Association were selected:

• Seattle Cider Company
• Steelhead Cider
• Tieton Cider Works
• Pear Up
• Liberty Ciderworks
• Finnriver Farm & Cidery
• Cider Riot!
• Bauman’s Cider
• 2 Towns Ciderhouse
• Bull Run Cider

The group will spend 12 days in May visiting fellow cidermakers in Normandy, Brittany, and western England, learning about traditional apple varieties, and discovering new techniques to make natural cider.

“We’re very fortunate that WSDA believes in our growing cider industry and supports this trip so we can increase the variety of cider styles made here” said NWCA executive director Emily Ritchie.

Keeved cider is a traditional French and sometimes English method of making cider that results in a naturally sweet and sparkling cider. The process takes a while (often months) as many of the nutrients and yeast are removed from the apple juice as the pectin layer rises to the top of the tank. The process is long and slow, at low temperatures, and finishes with a natural sweetness and self carbonates.  

Cidermakers selected for this educational trip are required to pay approximately half the cost of their travel. They have also committed to sharing their knowledge widely around the northwest upon their return, teaching colleagues throughout the region. As part of the project, the NWCA will also invite keeving experts from Europe to visit Washington state to teach keeving in the fall of 2017.

About the NWCA
Formed in 2010, the Northwest Cider Association brings cideries and cider lovers together to share knowledge, experience and live the Northwest cider culture. We are a trade organization formed by cider producers throughout the Pacific Northwest to promote awareness of regional artisanal ciders. We sponsor classes and workshops, and develop cider-themed events, including Cider Rite of Spring (3/25/17 in Portland), BC Cider Week in late April, Oregon Cider Week in June, and Washington Cider Week in September.

To learn more about the NWCA, contact Emily Ritchie, NWCA Executive Director (emily@nwcider.com).

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media contact:
Nat West, Reverend Nat’s Hard Cider
nat@revnats.com
971-277-9417

REVEREND NAT’S HARD CIDER RELEASES 16.6% NATURALLY-PRODUCED “WOODEN HELLFIRE”

Likely the highest ABV ever achieved in a cider without the addition of external sugars.

Portland, OR – December 15, 2016

Reverend Nat’s Hard Cider continues to produce ciders that no one else will make with the debut of their newest cider, “Wooden Hellfire,” a 16.6% ABV monster produced only with fresh apple juice and yeast, and left to age for over a year in Kentucky-sourced used bourbon barrels.

“The cider was conceived as a response to the fledgling ‘ice cider’ style,” says the founder and head cidermaker, Reverend Nat West. In this cider style, largely produced in Quebec, apples are typically left on the tree until they freeze, thus cryo-concentrating the natural juice until it achieves a very high starting sugar level. These high natural sugars allow the production of a naturally sweet and high alcohol cider that has no other ingredients added to increase the ABV such as fruit juice concentrates, sugar or distilled spirits.

“But I never much liked the perfume-y and syrupy profile of ice ciders very much,” continues West. “So I wondered what would happen if I boiled the hell out of juice rather than freezing it.” In July of 2015, West worked with a local Portland brewery (“They’re a big brewery and don’t want to go on-record with this project”) to boil fresh apple juice for 18 hours, reducing the overall volume by two thirds. This “pyro- concentrated” apple juice was, “thick and viscous, about 29 brix, full of caramelized burnt sugars with tons of cooked apple and molasses flavors. It was right then that I realized I was making more of a barleywine kindred than a riff on ice cider.”

West brought the juice back to his cidery and fermented it with a Belgian saison strain, “going for some Belgian quad aromas to play with what remained of the apples,” he said. Fermentation completed in about 60 days at which time the cider was racked into freshly-dumped Woodford Reserve bourbon barrels where it rested

for over a year before being bottled exclusively for the Tent Show Bottle Club, Reverend Nat’s rare-cider membership group. 38 cases will be released on Sunday December 18th, 2016, at the group’s monthly cider release. Any remaining bottles will go on sale on Tuesday December 20th in Reverend Nat’s Public Taproom. An extremely small number of flavored variants were made as well including cherry- chipotle and coffee-cacao.

About Reverend Nat’s Hard Cider:

Reverend Nat is a single-minded cider evangelist and craft beer revolutionary who searches the world for superior ingredients to handcraft the most unusual ciders that no one else will make. Founder Nat West started making cider at home in 2004 and opened Reverend Nat’s Hard Cider in September of 2011. With unique products like the multiple-fermented Revival, dry-hopped Hallelujah Hopricot and quinine-bittered Deliverance Ginger Tonic, we are making cider in the creative spirit of beer geeks. To learn more, check out the website at reverendnatshardcider.com or find us on Facebook or Twitter @revnatscider.

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Media Contact:
Emily Ritchie
Northwest Cider Association
emily@nwcider.com
503-887-8960

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

State of the NW Cider Industry

Northwest Cider Association Releases 2016 Report

PORTLAND (December 12, 2016) – The Northwest Cider Association (NWCA) released their 2016 State of the Northwest Cider Industry report today. The only cider association in the US to have such a report in this burgeoning industry, this is the second year of completion. Topics reported on include size of cideries, cider batch sizes, revenues generated, distribution, and more.

In early 2015, the Northwest Cider Association introduced the 2015 State of the NW Cider Industry report. The goal of the initial report was to work towards compiling data from prior year production to generate an annual report for the industry. This year, the 2016 State of the NW Cider Industry report is an even more robust dataset based on industry’s 2015 operations.

“We are very proud of the innovative work our members do and this report highlights the progressive nature of the cider industry here in the northwest,” said NWCA executive director Emily Ritchie.

Respondents were from Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, and British Columbia, with the majority of responses from Oregon and Washington. Fifty four percent of respondents were small, making under 20,000 gallons in 2015. Fifty one percent of respondents grew their own fruit. The average cost per gallon of heirloom apple juice was between $5.07 and $7.00 per gallon; in contrast to the Prior Survey when the average cost was between $2.50 and $10.00.  For more details, both the 2016 and 2015 reports may be found on the NWCA website, under the “About” tab.

This report was prepared for NWCA by Frank, Rimerman + Co with assistance from Portland State University, Irvine & Co, and Finnriver Farm & Cidery.

Visit the NWCA website to learn more and join the association. Nwcider.com

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About the NWCA
Formed in 2010, the Northwest Cider Association brings cideries and cider lovers together to share knowledge, experience and live the Northwest cider culture. We are a trade organization formed by cider producers throughout the Pacific Northwest to promote awareness of regional artisanal ciders. We sponsor classes and workshops, and develop cider-themed events, including Cider Rite of Spring (3/25/17 in Portland), BC Cider Week in April, Oregon Cider Week in June, and Washington Cider Week in September.

To learn more about the NWCA, contact Emily Ritchie, NWCA Executive Director (emily@nwcider.com).

MEDIA CONTACT:
Helen Lewis
Marketing Director // Cider Propagandist
Portland Cider Company
C: 503-305-0877 | E: helen@portlandcider.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Portland Cider Company Releases Union Jack Limited Release Cider

New bottled still cider made of NW-grown cider apples and aged for 1 year

December 1, 2016 (Portland, OR) – Portland Cider Company announces the release of Union Jack, a limited release cider available in 750ml bottles at Portland Cider Co. taprooms and select stores throughout the Portland metro area. Union Jack is a truly authentic English cider made from traditional cider apples grown here in Oregon, cold fermented over months and aged for over a year. This still, dry cider is a balanced, complex array of fruit flavors with soft tannins that compliment, and not over power, giving it a rich body and dry finish.

“Union Jack is the best representation of the mission of Portland Cider Company – combining the tradition of English cider making with quality NW ingredients,” says Jeff Parrish, Owner of Portland Cider Co.

This very limited release cider will be available once a year, with a new batch already in production for 2017. Head cider maker Deron Davenport says “the aging process for Union Jack adds to the complexity of the flavors, while balancing the tannins for a beautiful cider that highlights the glorious cider apple fruit.” 

To celebrate the release of this cider, along with three other specialty or limited release ciders, Portland Cider Company is hosting a Holiday Wassail Party at their Clackamas Cidery + Taproom on Friday, December 2, from 6-11pm.

Other ciders released at the Holiday Wassail Party include:

• Holiday Juniper, a seasonal cider made for the Holiday Ale Festival featuring Oregon juniper berries and red plums
• Imperial Winter Spice, a spin on a classic Portland Cider Co. seasonal made exclusively for the Wassail Party; and
• ‘Oregon Wild’ Community Cider, the final product of our PDX Community Apple Collection.

The ‘Oregon Wild’ Community Cider will be available exclusively at both Portland Cider Co. taprooms starting Saturday, December 3. This delicious semi-sweet cider is made entirely of Portland Community backyard apples. 100% of the net proceeds are donated to Oregon Wild for every pint or growler fill sold, as part of Portland Cider Company’s partnership with the Oregon Brewshed Alliance.

About Portland Cider Company:

The Portland Cider Company was started in October 2012 by an Oregonian and a family of British expats with the mission of bringing cider, handcrafted in the English tradition, to the Northwest. They have two taproom locations: Hawthorne, Portland Cider House (3638 SE Hawthorne Blvd., Portland, OR 97214) and Clackamas, Taproom & Cidery (8925 SE Jannsen Rd, Bldg. F, Clackamas, OR 97015). For more information, visit www.PortlandCider.com.

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For Immediate Release

November 13, 2016

Contact: Keenan Bailey 971-241-9682 keenan@carltoncyderworks.com

Carlton Cyderworks
Premium Cider Release & Orchard Release Party

McMinnville, Or – As the 2016 apple harvest draws to a close, Carlton Cyderworks is proud to announce the release of three premium ciders, available to the public for the first time Thanksgiving weekend. A special release party will be held on November 25th & 26th, at Carlton Cyderwork’s newest orchard, located at 17530 NE McDougal Road, Dayton, Oregon.

“We are incredibly excited to share our new premium ciders, and to celebrate this release with our first ever orchard party. As cider consumption has grown, we have seen the demand from cider drinkers for more complex and refined ciders. We hope to impress such cider aficionados with our new premium ciders and perries” said Keenan Bailey, CEO of Carlton Cyderworks.

A 50/50 blend of Dolgo Crab apples and heirloom Gravensteins, Summer Set is a wonderfully tart cider full of character and zest. A wild fermentation adds further depth and charm.

An homage to the storied cider regions of Asturias and the Basque Country of Northern Spain, Sidra Natural offers tangy, sharp, acetic notes, along with a full tannic body and mouthfeel.

The first completely dry perry produced by Carlton Cyderworks, Asian Pear allows cider drinkers to experience a unique fruit unadulterated by other fruits or flavors. Hosui, 20th Century, and Shinsheiki, Asian pear varieties were sourced from a nearly wild orchard in Oregon’s Umpqua Valley.

These premium ciders will be available through Carlton Cyderworks in 750 mL bottles.

The orchard release party will be held November 25th & 26th, and will be open 12pm – 6pm each day. Families are welcome, and in total seven unique craft ciders will be available to taste. Food pairings and non-alcoholic fresh pressed spiced cider will be at hand. More information, along with the option to purchase tickets in advance at a discounted rate, can be found at www.carltoncyderworks.com/orchardparty

Its very exciting to have many of our NW cidermakers as finalists at the 2017 Good Food Awards! Congratulations to Finnriver Farm & Cidery, Snowdrift Cider Co., and Whitewood Cider Co. Winners will be announced January 20th, 2017.

Read the full line up by CLICKING HERE.

Check out this article from 1859 Oregon’s Magazine giving recognition to the growing number of cider tasting rooms in Woodinville and Seattle. Many are NWCA members including Locust Cider, Elemental Hard Cider, Schilling Cider House, and Seattle Cider’s The Woods.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE

NWCA is the recipient of $120,585 as part of USDA Speciality Crop Block Grants for an educational mission to improve the quality of Northwest ciders. Read more about this award in this article from The Chronicle.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE

SECOND ANNUAL BC CIDER WEEK TO TAKE PLACE OCT 15-22

British Columbia Cider Week returns this fall with a kick-off event set for October 16th at Sea Cider Farm and Ciderhouse; closing event at Scenic Road Cider October 22nd

Vancouver Island, British Columbia – September 26, 2016 – The Northwest Cider Association (NWCA) announces the second annual BC Cider Week, an eight day craft cider celebration with many cider events, tastings and festivities anticipated throughout British Columbia.

The official BC Cider Week kick-off event takes place Sunday, October 16 from 2 – 6 p.m. at Sea Cider Farm and Ciderhouse on Vancouver Island (2487 Mt. St. Michael Rd. Saanichton).

This tasting-style event with local food purveyors and live music will present a variety of Northwest ciders, particularly BC makers. Tickets are available to the public and will include six cider tasting tickets, live entertainment with Adrian Chalifour from Towers & Trees and a chance to try dozens of delicious craft ciders!

“We have seen truly amazing growth in British Columbia’s cider industry, with some really innovative styles and products,” said Emily Ritchie, executive director of the Northwest Cider Association. “Cider lovers throughout the Northwest won’t want to miss these festivities andthe chance to meet the makers of truly premium products.”

Throughout the week you’ll find a wide range of tasting events at 11 cideries and dozens of other venues including Vancouver’s first cider bar, Orchard and the Sea. The week will close out with a big finish at Scenic Road Cider Co in Kelowna (770 Packinghouse Rd) on October 22nd from 2 to 5 pm. Cidermakers from across BC will be in attendance to provide tastings of their ciders. Tasting tickets can be purchased at the event. Watch the calendar at www.nwcider.com as events are added. When applicable, tickets and reservations are strongly encouraged for some events, such as the BC Cider Week Kick-off and cidermaker dinners.

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 70 commercial cidermakers from throughout Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and British Columbia, the group is dedicated to supporting, promoting and growing this 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 about the Northwest Cider Association, visit www.nwcider.com, or follow the growing organization on Facebook and Twitter (@nwcider).

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Media Contact:
Emily Ritchie
emily@nwcider.com
503-887-8960