About the Northwest Cider Cup
Founded a decade ago by regional cider makers, the Northwest Cider Cup (formerly the Portland International Cider Cup) is one of the most prestigious cider competitions in North America. This renowned award celebrates the most outstanding ciders from the Pacific Northwest, including Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and British Columbia, a region known for its exceptional cider craftsmanship.
Recognized as the most rigorous cider competition in North America, the Northwest Cider Cup promotes quality, offers valuable feedback to cidermakers, educates cider drinkers, and amplifies the cider category across the world.
Judges are industry professionals who undergo in-depth training to thoughtfully review key elements—appearance, aroma, flavor and mouthfeel—to identify exemplary ciders in each of the categories.
As a part of the competition, each cider receives invaluable written feedback from industry professionals, which helps cidermakers refine their craft. For winners, the recognition extends beyond the award, with dedicated media coverage through paid ads and media pitches conducted by the Northwest Cider Association.
2025 Northwest Cider Cup Opens for Entries March 3!
How to Enter NW Cider Cup
- Review the NW Cider Cup 2025 Competition Guide
- Visit nwcidercup.com to register your entries online. Online entry registration runs until May 15, 2025 with options for shipping and in-person entry drop off.
- Drop your entries off in person at Northwest Cider Symposium on March 18 or review full instructions on nwcidercup.com for other options.
Key Dates – 2025 NORTHWEST Cider Cup
March 3: Competition opens for entries (Online)
March 18: Entry Drop-Off Open at NW Cider Symposium (Tacoma, WA)
March 31: Final Day to complete Judge/Steward Interest Survey
April 28: Shipping Window and In-Person Drop Off Opens (Wilsonville, OR)
May 15: Final Day for Entry Registration (Online)
May 30: Final Day for Entry Delivery and Drop-Off
June 9: NW Cider Cup Competition
June 26: NW Cider Cup Awards Party (Portland, OR) save the day to celebrate the winners!
NEW THIS YEAR
Save on Shipping Costs—Drop off your NW Cider Cup entries at NW Cider Symposium!
We’re excited to announce that for the first time ever, NWCA will accept NW Cider Cup entries at the NW Cider Symposium! This new option aims to better serve cidermakers across the Northwest region by making it easier and more cost-effective to enter the competition. Drop off your entries in Tacoma and skip the shipping costs and hassle!
HOW EARLY NW CIDER CUP DROP OFF WORKS
- Enter your ciders online starting March 3 at nwcidercup.com
- Package your cider entries carefully in a sturdy, unmarked box
- Bring your entries to the Symposium on Tuesday, March 18 – we’ll handle the transport and storage!
This is your chance to connect with the cider community, attend expert-led sessions, and drop off your NW Cider Cup entries all in one trip. Register for Symposium and submit your Cup entries below:
Northwest Cider Cup History
The Northwest Cider Cup (NWCC) was founded in 2012 by four cidermakers from Washington and Oregon. Initially named after the city hosting the competition, the Northwest Cider Cup was created to prioritize cider quality over participation awards. These founders sought to fill a gap in the cider industry by fostering constructive feedback and promoting better practices among cidermakers in the Pacific Northwest, including Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and British Columbia.
A purpose-Driven Competition
The NWCC was established with two main goals:
- Providing Unbiased Feedback for Commercial Cidermakers in the Northwest. Commercial cidermakers rely on the NWCC for blind, professional evaluation and peer reviews of their ciders. Judges keep extensive notes on highlights, tasting profiles, flaws, and imbalances. This feedback is an invaluable resource for cidermakers seeking to refine their craft and improve their market presence.
- Promote Quality Cider and Protect the Northwest Cider Category. Founders of the NWCC sought to keep flawed ciders out of the marketplace, safeguarding the reputation of the Northwest cider industry. Wine consumers and buyers tend to know when the bottle of wine they’ve just opened is corked and it does not affect their willingness to buy more wine. However, as cider is such a new category, many cider drinkers are less familiar with cider defects, which can negatively impact their perceptions of the entire category. In the Northwest we see most flawed cider that makes it to market was fermented by new cideries so the NWCC incentivizes new cideries (with a $500 cash prize) to participate and get feedback.
Evolving with the Cider Industry
Since 2012, the NWCC has been managed by the Northwest Cider Association, evolving and maturing alongside the cider industry. Over the past decade it has grown into the premiere cider competition, known for its commitment to picking the best ciders in the Northwest, rather than marketing focused participation awards.
In the past decade, the NWCA has played an important role in developing standards for each cider category (styles such as Low Tannin, High Tannin, Single Varietal, Botanical, Fruit, etc. The NWCA has trained upwards of 1000 buyers, influencers, and industry professionals to recognize the elements of great cider in each category.
Strict Standards, Prestigious Recognition
The Northwest Cider Cup is renowned for its rigorous judging process. Judges evaluate key elements of a cider—appearance, aroma, flavor and mouthfeel—to identify exemplary ciders in each of the categories. The competition is strict and some categories may forgo awards if judges determine the quality standards are not present.
By educating judges and providing a consistent lexicon for describing craft cider characteristics, the NWCC has become a trusted authority in the cider industry. Winning an NWCC award is widely regarded as a mark of distinction, signifying the best quality ciders.
