Cider Festivals of the Northwest

Craft cider — or hard cider — is having a moment. The beverage is surging in popularity and is currently the fastest growing alcoholic beverage category in the United States (http://time.com/82620/fastest-growing-alcoholic-beverage-category-its-not-craft-beer/). The post-Prohibition dark ages of cider lasted decades, with only a few cloyingly sweet labels available. Now, the craft cider movement is taking a firm hold, and ciders as enjoyable as fine wine are becoming more common.

Cider is incredibly popular in the Northwest, where many of the country’s apples are grown and where the population has long had an appreciation for craft beverages.

One of the best ways to discover new cideries and sample their creations is to attend a cider festival, of which there are several in the Northwest. Cider Summit is one annual festival, and they have tasting events in Seattle, Chicago, San Francisco and Portland. Other big names include the Pacific Northwest Cider Awards, a competition with accompanying festival, NW Ciderfest, which supports the Muscular Dystrophy Association, and Summer Cider Days in the seaside town of Port Townsend, Wash.

There are several smaller cider tasting events held in cities like Portland and Seattle throughout the year, making it easier than ever to sample from among the best cidermakers out there.