Twelve years of celebrating the NW cider neighborhood
June 27, 2025 (Portland, OR) — The Northwest Cider Affiliation publicizes the winners of the 2025 Northwest Cider Cup Awards, essentially the most prestigious cider competitors within the area.
Getting into its twelfth 12 months, this annual competitors has grown into one in all North America’s most rigorous and revered cider judging occasions.
Celebrating the best ciders from Washington, Oregon, Montana, Idaho and British Columbia, the Northwest Cider Cup showcases the Pacific Northwest’s distinctive craftsmanship and cider-making custom. Ciders are judged by educated business professionals who consider every entry based mostly on look, aroma, taste, and mouthfeel—honoring the very best in every class with gold, silver, and bronze medals. Northwest Cider Cup celebrated winners at Holocene in Portland, Oregon on Thursday, June twenty sixth.
- Better of Present: Empyrical (WA) Precept, Excessive-tannin Perries
- Better of Present Runner Up: Bauman’s Cider (OR) McIntosh Single Varietal
- New Cidery of the 12 months Award: Olympic Bluffs Cidery (WA)
- Giant Cidery of the 12 months: 2 Cities Ciderhouse (OR)
- Medium Cidery of the 12 months: Bauman’s Cider (OR)
- Small Cidery of the 12 months: Empyrical (WA)
231 entries have been submitted, solely 25% of cideries entered received 57 medals have been awarded in 18 classes to 29 cideries
Winners: 18 from Washington, 16 from Oregon, 2 from Idaho and 4 from British Columbia A full listing of winners is obtainable within the Winner’s Information and https://www.nwcider.com/northwest-cider-cup/winners/
As a result of the competitors attracts from such a big cross part of the Pacific Northwest, a number of developments emerged that may doubtless be mirrored within the cider market this coming 12 months.
- Excessive-Tannin Perries noticed a 120% improve over the 2024 competitors—an indication that specialty perries are gaining momentum. This development displays each a renewed dedication from cideries prepared to experiment and the important position of farmers cultivating uncommon, high-tannin pear varieties.
- The Specialty Fortified class noticed continued growth with 71% extra entries in 2025 after rising 133% in 2024. Whereas this continued pattern reveals an curiosity in the next ABV cider, the low alcohol/alcohol eliminated class, whereas small can be rising. Each developments point out shoppers are paying extra consideration to ABV.
Fruit Submit-Fermentation Addition Candy stays the competitors’s largest and best class, up 10% this 12 months to 43 entries. This class highlights the creativity of Northwest cider makers utilizing all kinds of fruits—and stands as a spine of the area’s cider business.
Entries in Low-Tannin Dry decreased 44%, a big drop for the primary time in a few years.
About Northwest Cider Affiliation
For 15 years, the Northwest Cider Affiliation (NWCA) has introduced cideries and cider lovers collectively to study, expertise and benefit from the Northwest cider tradition. Representing greater than 300 cider professionals all through Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and British Columbia, the group is devoted to supporting, selling and rising its thriving business. For extra info, go to NWCider.com and comply with @nwcider on social media.
