The annual Northwest Cider Cup, billed as “the most rigorous cider competition in North America,” is taking place this month, judging commercial ciders from across the Pacific Northwest. Formerly known as the Portland International Cider Cup, the awards party for the NW Cider Cup will be taking place on June 20 in Portland. It’s a ticketed event that is open to the public and if you’re interested in attending, you can purchase tickets online here.

Here are more details about the event from the press release:

WHAT: On Thursday, June 20th, the NW Cider Cup will unveil this year’s best Northwest made ciders, hailing from OR, WA, ID, MT and British Columbia at an awards party in SE Portland. Now in its 11th year, the NW Cider Cup is the country’s most stringent cider competition, judging ciders from the nation’s largest apple growing region.

“Mark your calendar, because this is THE competition for finding the best local and regional ciders,” says Emily Ritchie of the NW Cider Association (NWCA), the trade non-profit that organizes the Cup. NWCA partnered with OSU’s Food Innovation Center recently and conducted a study that found thousands of locals are eager to drink cider but lack the knowledge they need to find their preferred styles. The NW Cider Cup aspires to help demystify cider styles and determine quality standards in order to make it easy for consumers to select the best and find ciders they enjoy.

Competitive and highly respected, the NW Cider Cup brings in regional, national and international judges to evaluate entries and provide constructive peer-to-peer feedback to cider and perry makers. Each year, judges participate in general and sensory training, then conduct an all-day blind judging. This year’s winners will be announced at the public awards ceremony and posted on nwcider.com following the ceremony.

WHEN: 5-8pm Thursday, June 20, 2024 NW Cider Cup Awards Party

WHERE: Holocene 1001 Southeast Morrison Street, Portland, OR 97214

HOW: Visit nwcidercup.com for details, reserve your tickets for the Awards Party, or follow along on Instagram at @nwcider, @northwestcidercup and on Facebook at Northwest Cider Association.

About the Northwest Cider Cup
The Northwest Cider Cup is a prestigious award that celebrates the most outstanding ciders in one of the strongest cider regions in the country. Founded a decade ago by regional cidermakers, the Northwest Cider Cup has become the most rigorous cider competition in North America. The cup inspires quality, provides constructive feedback to cidermakers, educates cider drinkers, and amplifies the category.

Awards will be announced live that night, and posted online by the next day.