2016 Portland International Cider Cup Award Winners

When Oregon Cider Week ended last month on Jun 26, Reverend Nat’s Hard Cider hosted the annual Portland International Cider Cup (PICC). This competition brought in 25 cideries from four states and Canada with all entries being judged. Last night the Northwest Cider Association and PICC announced the winners at the sold out Inaugural PICC Awards Party that was held at Widmer Brothers Brewing and hosted by Square Mile Cider.

The festivities began at 5:30pm up above the Widmer Brothers Pub in its private Great Room. Upon arriving, attendees that were predominately cider industry folks were treated to a cider cocktail, Balm of Gilead, created by Darlene Hayes, PICC judge and author of Cider Cocktails – Another Bite of the Apple. Then inside the Great Room all seven Gold Medal winning ciders were pouring anonymously and were all donated by the winning cideries.

During this year’s judging, over 100 ciders were entered in the 13 different categories with only 11 of the categories awarding medals. Judges ended up selecting eleven bronzes, eight silvers, and seven gold medals as well as a runner up and Best of Show cider. The category with the largest amount of entries was Fruit Cider with 27 entries.

Carolyn Winkler of Reverend Nat’s Cider led the awards ceremony with the assistance of Emily Ritchie, Executive Director – Northwest Cider Association. Carolyn led off the ceremony by announcing all of the Bronze and Silver Medal winners. She then led into the Small Cidery of the Year and the Large Cidery of the Year. To be considered a small cidery, one must produce under 10,000 gallons of cider and a large cidery has to produce more than 10,000 gallons of cider. Points were calculated by being awarded 5 points for a Gold Medal, 3 points for a Silver Medal, and 1 point for a Bronze Medal. Apple Outlaw won Small Cidery of the Year while 2 Towns Ciderhouse won Large Cidery of the Year. Montana Ciderworks also took home the coveted Cup as it won Best of Show.

Past cup winners include Left Field Cider’s Pear Cider in 2015, Apple Bandit, now Apple Outlaw, for its Original Cider in 2014, and Merridale Ciderworks for its Cyser in 2013.

Here are the 2016 Portland International Cider Cup Winners.

Best of Show
Montana Ciderworks – Darby Pub Cider (Modern Sweet Cider)

Runner Up
Cider Riot! – 1763 (English Dry Cider)

Cideries of the Year
Large Cidery of the Year – 2 Towns Ciderhouse
Small Cidery of the Year – Apple Outlaw

2016 Portland International Cider Cup Medal Winners:

Modern Dry Cider
Gold: 2 Towns Ciderhouse – Riverwood 2013
Silver: Hopworks Urban Cidery – HUB Hard Cider
Bronze: Faustino Estate Cidery – Faustino Dry Apple

Modern Sweet Cider
Gold: Montana Ciderworks – Darby Pub Cider
Bronze: Snowdrift Cider – Red
Bronze: Twisted Hills Craft Cider – Calville’s Winter

English Dry Cider
Gold: Cider Riot! – 1763
Silver: No Award
Bronze: Liberty Ciderworks – Porter’s Perfection SV

Hopped Cider
Gold: Square Mile – Spur & Vine
Silver: ^5 Cider – Strawbasauras Hop
Bronze: No Award

Wood/Oaked Cider
Gold: Elk Horn Brewery – Bourbon Barrel Wild Cider
Silver: Apple Outlaw – Heritage Rye Barrel Aged
Bronze: Finnriver Farm and Cidery – Oak and Apple

Fruit Cider
Gold: Bull Run Cider – Strawberry Fields
Silver: 2 Towns Ciderhouse – 2 Thorns
Bronze: Faustino Estate Cidery – Faustino Apple Plum

Modern Perry Cider
Gold: Finnriver Farm and Cidery – Perry
Silver: Snowdrift Cider – Seckel Perry
Bronze: WildCraft Cider Works – Elderberry Perry

Heritage Dry Cider
Gold: No Medal
Silver: Apple Outaw – Wickson
Bronze: Wandering Aengus Ciderworks – Wandering Aengus Golden Russett

Heritage Sweet Cider
Gold: No Medal
Silver: Twisted Hills Craft Cider – Kingston’s Twist
Bronze: Montana Ciderworks – North Fork Traditional’’

Spiced/Herb Cider
Gold: No Medal
Silver: Apple Outlaw – Ginger Bite
Bronze: Hopworks Urban Cidery – Professor Plum

English Sweet Cider
Gold: No Medal
Silver: No Medal
Bronze: Carlton Cyderworks – Citizen

Congratulations go out to all of the winning entries. Look for three more Northwest Cider Association events in the coming months. This includes Summer Cider Day on August 6, 2016 in Port Townsend, WA, Washington Cider Week from September 8 – 18, 2016, and BC Cider Week from October 15 – 22, 2016.