The 6th Annual Cider Summit Chicago

This year's 6th annual Chicago Cider Summit at Navy Pier boasted nearly 200 ciders from around the world, with 10 new cider producers, and approximately 70 offerings not previously served. Whether your taste buds crave sweet, dry, fruity, hoppy, bubbly – there was definitely something for everyone. An expansive setting in the AON Grand Ballroom offered plenty of space and few lines to wander around the main floor of cider, snacks and vendors. The balcony level was once again home to the Cider Cocktail Lounge featuring spirits, liqueurs, and mixed cocktails from a variety of vendors.

Cider Trend Observations:
- Rosé ciders were definitely on trend this year, with a range of interpretations on the wine style. Ciders that featured red/pink fleshed apples maintained the most crisp and authentic flavors. 
- We found many US ciders to still be a bit high on ABV, but that is starting to change with the addition of some canned session ciders. 
- "Ciders that drink like beers" (featuring adjunct flavors, spices, fruits, hops) continue to increase in mainstream popularity, while a decrease in funky, unfiltered, euro-inspired ciders seem to be happening on bottle shop shelves.

The Perfect Pairings:
Cypress Grove had a selection of 3 goat's milk cheeses that really rocked our world (especially with some of the funky European ciders). We highly recommend searching out Truffle Tremor, Midnight Moon and Humboldt Fog (Marianos, Whole Foods, Binny's, Pastoral). Smoking Goose Meatery out of Indianapolis also had an amazing plate, featuring 3 house made salames, including their South Cider Salame (goose & pork, persimmons, cider), Salame Cotto (course pork, red wine and fenugreek seeds, and Dodge City Salame (pork, fennel pollen and pink peppercorn). These guys aren't available in Chicago (yet) but you can order from their website. Their sausages worked really well with some of the dry and hopped ciders. 

Below is a recap of our "Best of" selections from the event. All of the ciders listed are available in Chicago, with the exception of Stormalong Cider (Massachusetts). Keep an eye out for Schilling Hard Cider (Seattle) who is new to the Chicago market.

Best Dry Cider

Stormalong Cider (MA)
Lengendary Dry (6.9%)
A unique blend of heirloom and bittersweet apples, traditionally fermented – resulting in an exceptionally crisp, effervecent and layered drinking experience.

Best Sessionable Cider

Vander Mill (MI)
Vandy* (4%)
Semi-sweet, crisp and super crushable for any occasion. 
*NEW!! On draft in select locations, watch for cans this Spring!

Best Semi-Sweet Cider

Angry Orchard (NY)

Rosé Cider (5.5%)

Definitely worth a taste! Fermented from French blush apples, with a hint of hibiscus flower. It is bright, floral and dry - just like your favorite glass of rosé wine.

Best Sparkling Cider

Worley's (UK)
Special Reserve Keeved (5.4%)
Naturally sweet, sparkling and rounded. Apple notes were more dessert like - caramel, spice, citrus, slight barnyard funk. A perfect cider for pairing with rich foods like cheeses and desserts.

Best European/Import Cider

Viuda de Angelon Sidra (Spain)
1947 (6%)
Light and funky/acetic, a perfect pairing with the cheese plate.

Best Barrel-Aged/Oaked Cider

Farmhaus Cider Co. (MI)
Oaked Sweater Weather Chai Cider
Light toasted oak character, earthy spice notes, with a nice balance of sharp and sweet apple flavors. 

Best Fruited Cider

Eris Brewery & Cider House (Chicago)
Van Van Mojo - Blueberry Mosaic Hopped (6.2%)

Bright, tart and balanced, with beautiful purple hues. Hop character was perfect – aromatic and citrusy without overpowering the fruit.

runner up:

Schilling – Passport: Pineapple Passionfruit Cider (6.7%)

This cider is an explosion of fruit flavors - like a vacation cocktail in a can. The combinations of fruit offer a nice balance of sweetness and acidity. 

Best Alternative Fruit – Pluot
Mission Trail Cider Co. (CA)
Hipster Hills Pluot & Malvasia (10%)
A blend of rare and aromatic Malvasia Bianca grapes fermented with tart and fruit forward pluots. Very aromatic layers of honey, flowers, stone fruit, must/tannins with a dry, wine-like finish.

Best Cider Spirit

Journeyman O.C.G. Old Country Goodness, Apple Cider Liqueur (10%)

A glass growler full of "fall in a glass" – delicious hot or cold. Michigan organic apple juice, Michigan organic cider, spices and W.R White Whiskey.

To find these ciders, check out beermenus.com and visit some of our favorite cider selling bottle shops in the city: Bottles & Cans, The Beer Temple, West Lakeview Liquors, and the suburbs: Standard Market, Binny's, Whole Foods.

The Best of Chicago Cider Summit 2017

The 5th annual Chicago Cider Summit at Navy Pier was another great success for cider makers and lovers alike. Once again blessed with a sunny, winter day – the view of Lake Michigan from the Grand Ballroom couldn't have been more beautiful for sipping cider.

In addition to 150 cider makers and the second floor cider cocktail lounge, there was a new feature this year – the "Northwest Cider Pavilion," which featured 8 cider makers from Washington and Oregon. Doughnut Vault was in attendance, sampling their Apple Cider Old Fashioned (yum!!), which paired perfectly with a tart cider, to balance the sweetness of the glazed doughnut. Once again this was one of our favorite festivals to attend, with very few lines for cider, food, or restrooms, and ample opportunity to talk with the cider makers themselves.

Below is a recap of our "Best of" selections from the event. All of the ciders listed are available in Chicago, with the exception of Mission Trail Cider Co., who is hoping to enter the market over the next year. Farmhaus has limited distribution to The Wine Goddess (Evanston, IL). Nashi Orchards is currently available at The Northman in bottles.

Best Dry Cider

Wandering Aengus (OR)
Wickson Crab Apple Cider (8.2%)
Dry, very tart, citrus notes.

Best Semi-Sweet Cider

Farmhaus Cider Co. (MI)
Brunch (Limited Release) (6.9%)
Semi-sweet cider with cinnamon and maple syrup, like apple pie in a glass.

Best Farmhouse/Wild Fermented Cider

Shacksbury (VT)
2015 Lost & Found (Limited Release) (6.7%)
A blend of foraged and cultivated apples from the Champlain Valley of Vermont. 
Very dry, unfiltered yeast character, tart green apple finish.

Best European/Import Cider

Craigie's (IRE)
Ballyhook Flyer Irish Cider (5.8%)
Dry and tart with light peat and brine character.

Best Barrel-Aged Cider

Nashi Orchards (WA)
Barrel Fermented Cider (6.9%)
Heirloom apples fermented in French oak barrels. Tart, clean and rounded.

runner up:

Starcut Cider, Erraticus 6 (6.4%)

Oak aged wild cider with Michigan apples and black currants. Dark fruit and rustic, wine-like character with a dry finish.

Best Fruited Cider

Stem Ciders Raspberry Apple Cider (6.7%)

Tart apple and raspberry flavor, with intense aroma and ruby hues.

runner up:

Cider Brothers, Pacific Coast Blueberry Zinfandel (6%)

Blueberries blended with California Zinfandel – tart, bright, dry and beautiful in color.

Best Alternative Fruit – Jerkum
Mission Trail Cider Co. (CA)
Plum Jerkum (6.5%)
A blend of 14 California Plum varietals, fermented with wine yeast.
An English-native beverage, Mission Trail is the only producer in the world currently making it. Tastes like eating a whole plum – incredibly juicy with light tannins and a dry finish. 


Best Perry
Vander Mill (MI)
Bon Chretein (6.8%)
Produced from Michigan Bartlett pears, semi-dry and juicy with a crisp finish.

Best Cider Cocktail

Woodford Reserve Spiced Cider Cocktail

Woodford Reserve Bourbon, apple cider, Seattle Cider Semi-Sweet.

To find these ciders, check out beermenus.com and visit some of our favorite cider selling bottle shops in the city: Bottles & Cans, The Beer Temple, West Lakeview Liquors, and the suburbs: Standard Market, Binnys.