Account Registration
Registration is closed.
Entry Registration
You will be able to add your entries to the system beginning Wednesday, April 10, 2024 7:30 AM, PDT through Wednesday, May 15, 2024 11:30 PM, PDT.
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Entry Fees
$105.00 (USD) per entry.
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NW Cider Cup Styles Accepted
If a style's name is hyperlinked, it has specific entry requirements. Select or tap on the name to view the subcategory's requirements.
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Pay Entry Fees
After creating your account and adding your entries to the system, you must pay your entry fee(s). Accepted payment methods are:
- Credit/debit card and e-check, via PayPal
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Entry Acceptance Rules
Number of Bottles Required Per Entry: 6
Each entry will consist of:
- THREE capped or corked bottles if 750 ml or larger
- FOUR capped or corked bottles/cans if 500 ml, 22 oz, 16 oz, or other size larger than 12 oz
- SIX cans/bottles if 12 oz or less
You MUST pay your entry fee for your entries to be confirmed.
Please fill out the entry forms completely. Be meticulous about noting any special ingredients or processes that must be specified per the NWCC Style Guidelines. Failure to note such ingredients may impact the judges' scoring of your entry.
Judges will receive the information you put on your entry forms so only include the required and specified optional info, nothing more and nothing less.
Please make sure to enter your ciders in the correct categories. If you have questions about what the correct category might be, contact Jana at janad@nwcider.com.
Cideries may enter as many ciders per category as they want. Please only enter each cider into a single category.
Northwest Cider Cup history This competition was founded in 2013 by Nat West of Reverend Nat's Hard Cider, Mark Crowder of (noncommercial) Rain Barrel Ciderworks, and Abram Goldman-Armstrong of Cider Riot!, with early assistance from Nick Gunn of BenchGraft (and formerly of Wandering Aengus) and Dave White of Whitewood cider.
The NWCA took over the running of this competition in 2016. The board recognizes the importance of unbiased cider evaluation and the benefits of medals as a marketing tool for member cideries.
Have a question? Let us know! Email MJ at nwcidercup@nwcider.com or Jana at janad@nwcider.com.
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Shipping Info
Entry bottles accepted at our shipping location from Monday, April 22, 2024 9:30 AM, PDT through Wednesday, May 15, 2024 4:30 PM, PDT.
Ship entries to:
Northwest Cider Cup C/O B-Line Urban Delivery
1140 SE 7th, Portland, OR 97214
Packing and Shipping
Carefully pack your entries in a sturdy box. Line the inside of your carton with a plastic trash bag. Partition and pack each bottle with adequate packaging material. Please do not over pack!
Write clearly: Fragile. This Side Up. on the package. Please only use bubble wrap as your packing material.
Enclose each of your bottle labels in a small zip-top bag before attaching to their respective bottles. This way it makes it possible for the organizer to identify specifically which entry has broken if there is damage during shipment.
Every reasonable effort will be made to contact entrants whose bottles have broken to make arrangements for sending replacement bottles.
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Judging Sessions and Dates
Competition judging dates are yet to be determined. Please check back later.
Best of Show
Winner of the Best of Show will be given the Cup with their cidery and cider name engraved on the plinth to display in their cidery for the upcoming year.
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Awards
Category Medals:
Gold, silver and bronze medals may be awarded to the top ciders in each category. Judges may decide to award no medals or a combination of specific medals. For instance, there may be a bronze medal to the top scorer in a category and no silver and gold medals. A maximum of one gold, one silver and one bronze may be awarded per category. This award system is in contrast to GLINTCAP which awards medals based on points with multiple gold, silver and bronze awards per category.
Other Awards:
Best of Show: Gold medals from each category will advance to the Best of Show competition for which a single winner will be selected by the lead judges from each judging group.
Large Cidery of the Year: The cidery awarded the most number of medal points (weighted with gold as 5 points, silver as 3 points, and bronze as 1 point) producing over 250,000 gallons per year in the previous tax reporting year will win the Large Cidery of the Year award. Entrants must specify total annual production in gallons to be eligible for this award.
Medium Cidery of the Year: The cidery awarded the most number of medal points (weighted with gold as 5 points, silver as 3 points, and bronze as 1 point) producing over 10,000 gallons per year but less than 250,000 gallons per year in the previous tax reporting year will win the Large Cidery of the Year award. Entrants must specify total annual production in gallons to be eligible for this award.
Small Cidery of the Year: The cidery awarded the most number of medal points (weighted with gold as 5 points, silver as 3 points, and bronze as 1 point) producing under 10,000 gallons per year in the previous tax reporting year will win the Small Cidery of the Year award. Entrants must specify total annual production in gallons to be eligible for this award.
Best New Cidery of the Year: The new cidery awarded the most number of medal points (weighted with gold as 5 points, silver as 3 points, and bronze as 1 point) will win the Best New Cidery of the Year award. Entrants must specify a company start date after May 1, 2022 to be eligible for this award. This awards also comes with a $500 cash prize!
Additional prizes may be awarded to those winners present at the awards ceremony at the discretion of the competition organizers.
Results will be posted to the competition web site after the ceremony concludes.
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Awards Ceremony
Portland Cider Company
8925 SE Jannsen Rd, Clackamas, OR 97015, United States
Thursday, June 20, 2024 6:00 PM, PDT
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Practice for judges.
Entry Info: ABV.
Cider made from fermenting apples. Exhibits characteristics of ciders commonly made from low tannin apples (formerly listed as dessert or culinary). Low tannin ciders may be higher in acidity. High tannin characters, such as heavy astringency or associated mouthfeel should not be notably present. FG < 1.007 (< 1.8 Brix).
Entry Info: Entrants MUST specify ABV.
Cider made from fermenting apples. Exhibits characteristics of ciders commonly made from low tannin apples (formerly listed as dessert or culinary). Low tannin ciders may be higher in acidity. High tannin characters, such as heavy astringency or associated mouthfeel should not be notably present. FG > 1.007 (> 1.8 Brix).
Entry Info: Entrants MUST specify ABV.
Cider made from fermenting apples. Exhibits characteristics of ciders commonly made from high tannin apples (i.e. bittersweet/bittersharp, formerly listed as heirloom or cider apples). May include wild or crab apples. Tannins and some astringency should be present. Sweetness, acid and tannins should be in harmony. FG < 1.007 (< 1.8 Brix).
Entry Info: Entrants MUST specify ABV.
Cider made from fermenting apples. Exhibits characteristics of ciders commonly made from high tannin apples (i.e. bittersweet/bittersharp, formerly listed as heirloom or cider apples). May include wild or crab apples. Tannins and some astringency should be present. Sweetness, acid and tannins should be in harmony. FG > 1.007 (> 1.8 Brix).
Entry Info: Entrants MUST specify ABV.
Cider made from fermenting apples. Ciders whose color is derived entirely from red-fleshed and/or red-skinned apples (i.e. Mountain Rose, Airlie Redflesh, Redfield, Cranberry, Dolgo, Geneva Crab, Niedzwetzkyana, Pink Pearl). May have a blend of non-red fleshed apples and red fleshed apples. Ciders whose color is derived in whole or in part from added ingredients (blueberries, grape skins, rose petals, etc.) should be entered in Fruit or Botanical. FG < 1.007 (< 1.8 Brix).
Entry Info: Entrants MUST specify ABV.
Entrants MUST specify apples used.
Cider made from fermenting apples. Ciders whose color is derived entirely from red-fleshed and/or red-skinned apples (i.e. Mountain Rose, Airlie Redflesh, Redfield, Cranberry, Dolgo, Geneva Crab, Niedzwetzkyana, Pink Pearl). May have a blend of non-red fleshed apples and red fleshed apples. Ciders whose color is derived in whole or in part from added ingredients (blueberries, grape skins, rose petals, etc.) should be entered in Fruit or Botanical. FG > 1.007 (> 1.8 Brix).
Entry Info: Entrants MUST specify ABV.
Entrants MUST specify apples used.
Made from pears, not apples and without apple additions. Typically crafted from perry pears, grown specifically for fermentation rather than eating.
Entry Info: Entrants MUST specify ABV.
Entrants MAY specify pears used.
Made from pears, not apples and without apple additions. Typically crafted from perry pears, grown specifically for fermentation rather than eating.
Entry Info: Entrants MUST specify ABV.
Entrants MAY specify pears used.
Ciders must exhibit some flavors or aromas of wood aging. Wood and oak flavors should complement the base cider.
Entry Info: Entrants MUST specify ABV.
Entrants MUST specify wood used, including the type of wine, beer or spirits barrel, if applicable.
Entrants MAY specify apples and process used.
Cider made from a single apple variety or perry made from a single pear variety.
Entry Info: Entrants MUST specify ABV.
Entrants MUST specify apple or pear variety used.
Co-Fermented Ciders are made from apples fermented with other fruit(s). Co-Fermented Perries are made from pears fermented with other fruit(s).
Entry Info: Entrants MUST specify ABV.
Entrants MUST specify all fruits used.
Entrants MUST specify primary fruit.
Post Fermentation ciders and perries have other fruit(s) added after fermentation. FG > 1.007 (> 1.8 Brix).
Entry Info: Entrants MUST specify ABV.
Entrants MUST specify all fruits used.
Entrants MUST specify primary fruit. FG > 1.007 (> 1.8 Brix).
Post Fermentation ciders and perries have other fruit(s) added after fermentation. FG < 1.007 (< 1.8 Brix).
Entry Info: Entrants MUST specify ABV.
Entrants MUST specify all fruits used.
Entrants MUST specify primary fruit. FG < 1.007 (< 1.8 Brix).
Cider or perry with the addition of hops.
Entry Info: Entrants MUST specify ABV.
Entrants MUST specify hop variety or varieties.
Entrants MAY specify apples or pears used.
Cider or perry made with herbs. For the competition purposes, Herbs typically refer to the leafy, fresh part of a plant. Examples of herbs include: basil, lemongrass, lavender, mint, and rosemary. Herbs used must be in balance and the flavor of cider or perry must be present.
Entry Info: Entrants MUST specify ABV.
Entrants MUST specify herbs and and/or spices used.
Entrants MAY specify apples or pears used.
Cider or perry made with spices. For competition purposes, spices refers to the root, stem, seed, fruit, flower or bark of the tree or plant (often dried not fresh). Examples of spices: cardamom, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, nutmeg, pepper, turmeric, ginger, mace, saffron, vanilla, black pepper. Spices used must be in balance and the flavor of cider or perry must be present.
Entry Info: Entrants MUST specify ABV.
Entrants MUST specify spices and/or herbs used.
Entrants MAY specify apples or pears used.
Fortified Cider is cider that has been strengthened in alcohol either before or after fermentation, including by the addition of spirits. Fortified Cider encompasses pommeau, products made in a style similar to pommeau, and other products that emulate fortified wine styles such as apple wine and vermouth made with a base of apples and/or pears.
Entry Info: Entrants MUST specify ABV.
Entrants MUST specify the process used.
Entrants MAY specify apples or pears used.
Low ABV ciders may be made with different processes, including rehydration of apple pomace for pressing and fermenting. Ciders that have been fermented and have alcohol removed will be expected to have some complexity beyond that of fresh juice. ABV range: 0.5% - 4.5%.
Entry Info: Entrants MUST specify ABV.
Entrants MUST specify process used (i.e., alcohol removed or ciderkin production).
Entrants MAY specify apples or pears used.
ABV range: 0.5% - 4.5%.
A cider or perry not suitable for any other category. Made with a variety of process techniques or international cider making techniques.
Entry Info: Entrants MUST
specify ABV.
Entrants MUST specify processes and ingredients that make the cider not suitable for any other category.
Entrants MUST specify commercial yeast cultures or wild yeast processes (i.e., wild ferment, brettanomyces, or lactobacillus)
Entrants MUST note additions such as added sweeteners (i.e., honey or molasses).
Entrants MAY specify apples or pears used.