2026 NW Cider Cup Award Winners & Recap

The 13th annual 2026 Northwest Cider Cup awards were announced at a ceremony at Portland, Oregon’s Holocene on Thursday, June 25th. Founded by cidermakers, the regional awards organized by the Northwest Cider Association celebrates the best ciders and perries from across the Pacific Northwest. Accepting commercial entries from Washington, Oregon, Montana, Idaho, and British Columbia, the range of ciders and perries competing this year reflects the depth and diversity of Pacific Northwest cider culture. Each entry is evaluated by trained industry professionals on appearance, aroma, flavor, and mouthfeel — with gold, silver, and bronze medals awarded to the best in every category. BEHIND THE MEDAL Every entry is evaluated through a rigorous blind tasting process by a diverse panel of trained judges, more than half of whom are American Cider Association Certified Cider Professionals. Judges assess appearance, aroma, flavor, mouthfeel and overall balance to identify truly exceptional cider

by Ezra Johnson-Greenough · source ↗