ALBANY — The inaugural Northeastern Cider Conference (NCC) will be held in Albany, New York, Tuesday, March 24 through Thursday, March 26, as an opportunity for cider makers to network, share knowledge and learn from each other.
Hosted by the New York Cider Association (NYCA) in partnership with the Glynwood Center for Regional Farming and Angry Orchard Hard Cider, the NCC was created with the intention of meeting the unique regional needs of the Northeastern cider community.
THE PROGRAMS
“This conference will provide apple growers and cider makers with the most up-to-date technical information available from researchers and experienced producers,” says pomologist Greg Peck, Assistant Professor of Horticulture at Cornell University. “It’s going to be an incredible learning experience for both new and existing cider businesses throughout the Northeast.”
Tuesday will kick off with an evening cider tasting reception, while Wednesday and Thursday will host the bulk of the programming. Registration is $210 and includes all panels, the cider tasting, buffet breakfast both days, and buffet lunch on Wednesday. Sessions will cover topics as wide ranging as orchard biodiversity, microbial impacts on cider, branding and packaging, co-fermentation, how to elevate apple character, tasting room optimization and a sensory lexicon.
The programming for the three-day conference will include four educational tracks — Growing, Fermenting, Midstream (distribution, packaging, etc.) and Downstream (retail, education, promotion) — across 25+ panels, conceptualized by planning committees of Northeastern cider professionals.
A wide variety of respected cider industry presenters and panelists will lead the sessions, including:
Jeff Baker – Farrell Distributing, VT
Soham Bhatt – Artifact Cider Project, MA
Mike Biltonen – Know Your Roots, NY
Kendall Blizzard – Ithaca Tourism, NY
Terence Bradshaw – UVM, VT
Tatiana Bruno – Hen of the Wood, VT
David Buchanan – Portersfield Cider, ME
Ryan Burk – Angry Orchard, NY
Tim Buzinski – Artisan Wine Shop, NY
Ben Calvi – Vermont Cider Company, VT
Q. Cassetti – Q. Cassetti Design and Illustration, NY
Alex Chmieliski – Iron Heart Mobile Canning, NH
Jon Clements – UMASS, Amherst, MA
Alejandro Del Peral – Nine Pin Cider, NY
David Dolginow – Shacksbury Cider, VT
Karl DuHoffman – Orchard Hill Cider, NY
Page Flori – Boutique Wines, Spirits and Ciders, NY
Chris Gerling – Cornell University, NY
Pat Gibney – Cornell University, NY
Deidre Heekin – La Garagista Winery, VT
John Hoyos – Cider Like Wine, NJ
Megan Larmer – Glynwood, NY
Eleanor Leger – Eden Specialty Ciders, NY
Nicole LeGrand Leibon – Silo Distillery, VT
Melissa Madden – Open Spaces Cider, NY
Peter Mitchell – Headwater Cider, MA
Anna Katherine Mansfield – Cornell, NY
Dana Masterpolo – Bantam Cider, MA
Cheray McFarland – Citizen Cider, MA
Ian Merwin – Black Diamond Cider, NY
Marcos Miñarro – Entomologist, Asturias, Spain
Ryan Monkman – FieldBird Cider, Ontario, Canada
Christopher Oakes – LynOaken Farm, NY
Brighid O’Keane – Cider Institute of North America
Brendan Palfreyman – Intellectual Property and Craft Beer Attorney, Harris Beach, PLLC, NY
Greg Peck – Cornell University, NY
Steve Pennings – Pennings Farm Cider, NY
Kari Peter – Penn State University, PA
Dan Pucci – Wassail, NY
Mark Ray – Stowe Cider, VT
Ben Roberts-Sano – Stormalong Cider, MA
David Rosenberger – Cornell University, NY
Ron Sansone – Spoke and Spy Cider, CT
Alan Sax – Cider Days, MA
Steve Sellin – South Hill Cider, NY
Eric Shatt – Red Byrd Orchard Cider, NY
Ezra Sherman – Eve’s Cidery, NY
Carla Snyder – Penn State University, PA
Cortney Stahl – Cornell University, Star Cider, NY
Laura Staley – Island Creek Oyster Bar, VT
Autumn Stoscheck – Eve’s Cidery, NY
Leif Sundstrom – Sundstrom Cider/ Schatzi Wine, NY
Scott Topel – Windridge Farm, PA
Ben Watson – Cider Days, Chelsea Green Publishing, NH
Jordan Werner Barry – Heritage Radio Network, Vermont Magazine, VT
Tyler Willie – Iron Heart Mobile Canning, NH
Edwin Winzeler – Penn State University and Ploughman Cider, PA
Ria Windcaller – Cider Chat Podcast/ Totally Cider Tours, MA
Steve Wood – Farnum Hill, NH
Lindsey Zahn – Lehrman Beverage Law, PLLC, NY
David Zakalik – Cornell University, NY
A trade show will also be held for makers and growers to see the latest and greatest in cider production and business. Confirmed trade show vendors to-date are:
1911 Established
Apex Flavors, Inc.
Criveller Group
CryoPure
DejaBrew
Embark Craft Ciderworks/Lagoner Farms
G&D Chillers
Iron Heart Canning
NYS Dept. of Ag. and Markets
New York Apple Association
Niagara Label
OESCO
Vance Metal Fabricators
Waterloo Container
COMMUNITY SPIRIT
“The cider industry has evolved and expanded rapidly over the past decade, and with the extraordinary growth it has become ever clearer that Northeastern cider and its makers have unique needs and interests,” says Megan Larmer, director of regional food at Glynwood. “The time is ripe for this community to gather for intensive learning and to build the cooperative spirit pioneered by the region’s earliest makers.”
The New York Cider Association (NYCA) is excited to lend its expertise in cultivating the cider community to have an impact across the region. NYCA has been an independent trade association since 2015 and is one of the leading associations in the country. Leading innovation in the sector, NYCA has developed the Merlyn Dryness Scale, a logo to identify cider made from 100% NY state apples, built a campaign for New York cider brand identity, organized the Great American Cider Competition in partnership with the Raise a Glass Foundation, produces four different cider weeks across the state, and actively works with the New York legislature in supporting the state’s cider producers.
“Our hope is that folks who come to this conference will walk away with practical knowledge that helps them to better achieve their goals as growers, cider makers and beverage professionals,” adds David DeFisher of Rootstock Ciderworks and board president of the NYCA. “Beyond that, we hope they feel connected to this vibrant community and have a great time.”
For more information and to register, visit the NYCA’s website: newyorkciderassociation.com/
The inaugural Northeast Cider Conference is made possible because of ongoing support from Founding Sponsor Glynwood, an agricultural nonprofit organization based in Cold Spring, NY with a mission to ensure the Hudson Valley is a region defined by food, where farming thrives.
The Northeast Cider Conference’s is made possible by the generous sponsorship of:
Core Sponsor
Platinum Sponsor:
Food/Beverage Sponsors: New York Apple Association, and Waterloo Container
–New York Cider Association
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