Oct 4, 2022

CiderCon 2023 returns to Chicago with full slate of activities

Registration is open for the American Cider Association’s CiderCon 2023 in Chicago.

The event, Jan. 31-Feb. 3, includes tours, tastings, educational workshops and demos. Registration is online; early rates last through Oct. 22.

After a four-year hiatus, the return of CiderCon to Chicago has been much anticipated and the American Cider Association (ACA) has been working to make the homecoming spectacular. This includes four exciting tour options: a look at Chicago’s history through the lens of taverns, a tour of the Bronzeville neighborhood in Chicago’s historical south side, a tour visiting three unique Chicago-based cideries, and a cider and architecture tour featuring the stunning works of architect Frank Lloyd Wright.

A full range of educational sessions will cover topics that include cider production, marketing, sales, branding, sensory evaluation, compliance, business strategy and orcharding. Speakers include:

• Claude Jolicoeur, author of “Cider Planet”
• Yann Gilles, cider and wine consultant
• Lester Jones, chief economist at the National Beer Wholesalers Association
• Julie Rhodes, of Not Your Hobby Marketing
• Mary Mills, of 3 Tier Beverage
• J Nikol Jackson-Beckham, Brewer’s Association and Crafted for All
• Elizabeth Ryan, Hudson Valley Farmhouse Cider
• Bryan Roth, Good Beer Hunting,
• Liz Garibay, Chicago Brewmuseum
• Elizabeth Garofalo, Red Tomato Food Hub

“We have so many amazing sessions already lined up and others in the works,” ACA Executive Director Michelle McGrath said in a news release. “We’re emphasizing cider quality, terroir and retail strategy this year.”

More information about the wide array of events and educational sessions being offered is on the CiderCon website and you can follow @cidercon on Twitter for the latest news.