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.

The Best of Cider Summit Chicago 2016

This year's annual Cider Summit at Navy Pier was bigger and better than ever, expanding to the second floor balcony with a selection of cider cocktails from The Northman, Woodford Reserve and Uncle John's. This year boasted 140 ciders with approximately 10 new Producers since last year's event. We found this year to be supremely enjoyable 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" winners of the event.

Best Dry Cider

Farnum Hill Extra Dry Cider (7.5%)

Best Semi-Dry Cider

EZ Orchards Semi Dry Cider (6.4%)

Best Farmhouse/Wild Fermented Cider

Shacksbury Arlo (6.2%)

Best European/Import Cider

Manoir de Grandouet Cambremer Cidre de Tradition AOP Pays d’Auge (4.5%)

Best Barrel-Aged Cider

Vander Mill Green Mill Barrel-Aged Cyser (6.8%)

Best Fruited Cider

Starcut Ciders Squishy (7.5%)

Seasonal Hard Cider made with Northern Michigan Cherries, tart and dry finish

runner up:

Cider Brothers, Pacific Coast Apple with Wild Cherry

Semi-dry, stone fruit and spice, tastes like cherry pie

Best Newcomer to Chicago

Starcut Ciders (by Shorts Brewing), Elk Rapids, MI

Now available throughout the Chicagoland market

Best Cider Cocktail

The Northman "Ginger Snap"

Few Bourbon Whiskey, Vander Mill Ginger Peach cider, ginger syrup, soda water

Cider Summit view from the balcony

Kim (Hail to the Ale), David (Shacksbury Cider), Craig aka "John Apple" (ABV Chicago)

left: Uncle John's Old Fashion cider cocktail. right: The traditional Spanish long pour.

For more on tasting cider, check out our latest podcast appearance on ABV Chicago, Episode 109 "Cider House Rulez" where we taste 6 ciders from across the US, talk about the cider making process, and share a whole lot of laughs in the process.

Curious about the cider making process or learning more about apple varieties? Take a look at our Amazon book list devoted to Apples & Cider.

Check out your local bottle shops, as the selections of cider continues to grow. Don't see what you're looking for? See if they can request it or email the cideries for availability. The more demand, the better!

Guest Podcast Appearance on ABV Chicago: Episode 109

In preparation for the upcoming Chicago Cider Summit at Navy Pier (February 27th), we join Craig and Ryan of ABV Chicago Podcast series to talk all things cider making and tasting, along with some crazy banter and a lot of laughs. We hope you enjoy it!

Episode 109 – Cider House Rulez

 abvchicagoFebruary 24, 2016Audio

We enter unfamiliar territory on this one by doing our first-ever cider show. Kim Leshinski of Hail to the Ale and MC Johnsen of Worth 1000 Beers join us to educate us on these fermented apple beverages. You’ll learn a lot about how ciders are made, apple varieties, local cider sources (including Broken Nose Cider), heirloom apples, and “the long pour.” We go from “cider stupid” to just plain stupid at times, as the diversions here are frequent and give Craig a good core workout. And Ryan is made to feel stupid by being the only one familiar with Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader. Listen and let us be the apple of your…ears?

Click to listen: ABV Chicago Episode 109 – Cider House Rulez

Ciders reviewed:

Farnum Hill Dooryard Cider
Shacksbury Farmhouse
Bantam The Americain
Uncle John’s Apple Hard Cider
Vander Mill Chapman’s Blend 2014
Wandering Aegnus Wanderlust