Cider Summit Seattle Goes Virtual for 2020 with To-Go Tasting Kits

(SEATTLE –– August 3, 2020) –– Cider Summit Seattle, a popular artisanal hard cider tasting festival in South Lake Union, is launching its first-ever virtual experience in Seattle due to COVID-19. This year’s exclusively digital festival is taking a second bite of the apple to honor physical distancing while still celebrating Washington state’s cider makers.

Cider Summit is curating two options for Festival To-Go Tasting Kits: the Modern Cider kit and Bottled Classics kit. Both kits feature a variety of craft ciders, two Cider Summit logoed 6-ounce stemless tasting glasses and a bar towel, access to the guided virtual tasting, and small gifts from participating cidermakers such as pins, coasters, stickers, and coupons.

The Modern Cider kit is $42 (+ taxes & fees) and features eight ciders, including:

• Bad Granny – Ginger Lime (Wenatchee, WA)
• Herb’s Cider – Black Note (Blackberry Semi Dry) (Bellingham, WA)
• Incline Cider – Blood Orange (Tacoma, WA)
• Schilling Cider – Chaider Chai Spice (Auburn, WA)
• Seattle Cider Co. – Spiced Peach (Seattle, WA)
• Tieton Cider Works – Hazy Strawberry (Yakima, WA)
• Virtue Cider – Salut! Cider Summit Collaboration (Fennville, MI)
• Yonder Cider – Dry (Wenatchee, WA)

The Bottled Classics kit is $69 (+ taxes & fees) and features six specialty and premium ciders, including:

• Alpenfire Cider – Traditional Cuvee (Port Townsend, WA)
• Chatter Creek Cider – Rosecco (Woodinville, WA)
• Finnriver Farm & Cidery – Friends of the Garden (Chimacum, WA)
• Liberty Ciderworks – Garratza (Spokane, WA)
• Snowdrift Cider Co. – Perry (Wenatchee, WA)
• Virtue Cider – Salut! Cider Summit Collaboration (Fennville, MI)

“Washington state is the heart of our nation’s apple country, and Seattle loves its craft cider,” said Alan Shapiro, Cider Summit co-founder and producer. “While we wish we were raising a glass in person, creating a safe, at-home experience with tasting kits keeps us connected to our festival attendees and partners during the pandemic.”

The guided virtual tasting included with each kit is a Cider Festival in a (Zoom) Box and co-hosted with Northwest Cider Association (NWCA). As part of Washington Cider Week, this virtual party on Saturday, September 12 at 6 p.m. brings together several of the participating cidermakers to share tasting notes, cocktail recipes and entertainment. The at-home sipping session is meant to be shared and enjoyed.  Proceeds also provide support for NWCA to assist cideries around the region hit hard during the pandemic.

How to join the fermented fun
Tasting kits are available for pre-purchase now at CiderSummit.com. Orders must be placed by 11:59pm on August 30, 2020.

Pre-purchased kits are available for pick-up at a pop-up, contactless drive-through on Saturday, September 12 from 12 – 4 p.m. in the parking lot adjacent to Downtown Spirits at 2300 7^th Avenue, Seattle, WA 98121. Bicycles and walk-ups will be accommodated with appropriate social distancing measures and use of face masks.

Local delivery to select zip codes is available for an additional $8 per kit. Delivery outside of the local zone but within the state of Washington is available for $19.50 per kit. Packages will arrive between September 9 and 11 and someone 21-years-old or over must be available to receive the package.

Cider Summit also teamed with local retailer, Press Then Press, to make shipping available to 48 more states (all but UT). Shipping charges will be determined by location and communicated to customers in advance via Press Then Press. More details on all ordering options are available at CiderSummit.com

Fido friendly
Include your canine companion in the tasting experience with Sweet Lilly’s Chicken, Apple & Pear dog treats available as an add-on for $14. These Seattle-based all natural, organic, dog treats pay homage to the cider festival with Washington apples, organic Bartlett pears and chicken born, raised and grown in the U.S.

About Cider Summit
Founded over a decade ago, Cider Summit produces cider tasting festivals in Seattle, Portland, San Francisco and Chicago. Cider Summit Seattle’s Festival To-Go Tasting Kit is generously sponsored by Amazon, with supporting sponsors First Tech Fed Credit Union, Press then Press and Downtown Spirits and Virtue Cider. Thank you to the festival’s media partners, Cidercraft Magazine and The Stranger. The Cider Summit benefits The Institute for Myeloma & Bone Cancer Research and Northwest Cider Association. Purchase packages and learn more at CiderSummit.com and follow @CiderSummit on social media and join the conversation with #CiderSummitSEA and #CiderSummitToGo.