Spring is unofficially cider season, as we leave the dreary winter there has never been a better time to sign up for the NW Cider Club to get their fresh spring 2022 lineup. Presented by the non-profit Northwest Cider Association the NW Cider Club is an opportunity to get the latest and/or greatest ciders from Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and British Columbia curated by the experts and shipped to your doorstep quarterly.

Each shipment in the NW Cider Club has a different theme, that could be a style of cider or offerings from a particular region. For the spring box the club will be showcasing recent winners from the Portland International Cider Cup.

Cider lovers can join or gift  a quarterly subscription, or order a one-time club box until March 9th for early April shipping. Each box is curated by a professional team of cider experts and includes four to ten ciders (see below for optional packages), tasting notes and cheese pairing ideas from Whole Foods’ fromager. Subscriptions can be stopped anytime with no cancellation fees, and shipping available to most states in the US.

“We are so excited about this season’s box. This is a chance for people to access a curated collection of award-winning ciders from one of the country’s leading cider competitions,”  says Northwest Cider Association (NWCA) Executive Director, Emily Ritchie, referring to the all-star lineup selected at the Portland International Cider Cup (PICC). PICC is an esteemed annual competition that sets the quality benchmark for cidermakers in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana and British Columbia - the country’s leading apple growing region.

NW Cider Club was launched in fall 2020 by the NWCA, a non-profit, member trade association that supports and promotes Pacific Northwest ciders to people across the nation. Cideries, who were hit hard by closures early in the pandemic, had to act fast and bring their shops online. The NWCA worked nimbly and created the club as a new direct sales opportunity for members. In little over a year the club has grown to more than 500 members across the country. 

The  Portland International Cider Cup  began nearly a decade ago, under the guidance of pioneering Pacific Northwest makers. Initially a homegrown grassroots effort, PICC has earned respect for its rigorous standards and valuable peer-to-peer feedback. Knowledgeable judges are trained to look for flaws and suss out the best representations from each category,only awarding medals when merited. PICC offers bottle shop purveyors, restaurateurs and cider lovers a guarantee of  premium quality ciders. And now, through the cider club, these winning regional ciders will be available to a wider audience.

What’s in the box:

The Winner’s Circle offerings are a thoughtfully curated selection of up to ten unique ciders from Oregon and Washington PICC winners. Here’s a taste of what’s included: 

• Finnriver Perry (Chimacum, WA) - small batch, semi-sweet, bright, quenching and delightful

• Tieton Apricot (Yakima, WA) - fresh apricot with a note of blossom, supported by sweet apple

• Liberty 55 Chain (Spokane, WA) - flavorful, deep and tannic English-inspired cider

• Seattle City Fruit (Seattle, WA) - dry, tannic cider featuring more than 40 apple varieties from Seattle’s urban core

• Peak Light Quince (Portland, OR) - notes of wild rose, honeycomb, green apple, with a crisp finish

• Yonder Bar First Anniversary Cider (Seattle, WA) - aromatic, rich, full-bodied with a touch of spice

How does it work?

Each subscription box is delivered quarterly in  April, June, September and December. There are four club choices with varying costs:

1. Elevated Club includes four 750ml (wine sized!) bottles 

2. Discover Club offers six, hand-selected Northwest-made ciders in 12 to 16.9oz cans and bottles

3. Discover 12 Club: doubles up on the Discover ciders, receiving two of each selection (a total of twelve ciders!)

4. Elevated + Discover Club: includes all 10 ciders! This newer club option is the fastest growing favorite as it includes the full flight from both clubs. 

NW Cider Club is available for delivery in 39 states. Cider fans can join anytime, but should note the quantity of each selection is limited and may sell out. Join or order by March 9th for Spring Release, shipping in early April. Sign up at nwciderclub.com

About Northwest Cider Association 

Founded in 2010, the Northwest Cider Association (NWCA) brings cideries and cider lovers together to learn, experience and enjoy the Northwest cider culture. Representing orchardists and nearly 100 commercial cidermakers from throughout Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and British Columbia, the group is dedicated to supporting, promoting and growing its thriving industry. NWCA hosts Portland International Cider Cup (PICC), Cider Symposium and runs NW Cider Club. For more information, visit NWCider.com and follow @nwcider on social media.