You can’t talk about cider without talking about fruit — after all, apples are what it’s all about. In some ciders, apples are the star of the show with their complex and intriguing characteristics unlocked by the magic of yeast and fermentation. But in other ciders, apples are the backdrop, the supporting players there to […]

One of the most exciting things about hard cider is the amazing range of styles within the category. That so many aromas, flavors, textures and colors can come from a relatively small number of ingredients is such a special and unique part of the cider. However, with so many styles out there, it becomes really […]

Just like there are so many types of apples beyond the ones in the supermarket, there are so many styles of cider beyond what you might expect! Here at the PA Cider Guild, it is one of our goals to help educate everyone about the amazing array of cider styles that are out there. In […]

Consider how many stylistic differences you find across the world of craft beer: Hazy IPAs and dark, malty stouts (and everything in between) both live under the large umbrella of beer. The same goes for wine — how wild is it that sparkling rosé and inky Syrah are both made from grapes? Just like wine […]

We missed you this summer and hope you’ve been enjoying some incredible PA ciders to fill the void in your heart from missing PA Cider Fest. Because we were unable to host the festival due to the COVID-19 restrictions, we were also unable to make a significant donation to the PA Cider Guild, which we […]

Saturday, January 4, 2020, marked the 3rd Annual Cider Competition at the Pennsylvania Farm Show in Harrisburg. The judging took place in December, with a panel of five cider professionals from across the country coming together to taste more than 100 entries across nine different categories. It was a strong showing for the PA cider community, […]

It’s time, once again, for the statewide phenomenon that is the Pennsylvania Farm Show! This year, it’s all happening at the PA Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg, PA, from Friday, January 4 to 11, and member cideries from the PA Cider Guild will be on site, sharing local craft cider with attendees. Exciting news: For the first time ever, […]

The archetypal image of a cidery may be a small, rustic tasting room tucked into a charmingly dilapidated barn, just a few dozen feet away from the orchards where the apples were harvested. And there are definitely plenty of bucolic spots like this in Pennsylvania, which are worth a trip for the break from life’s […]

You know the old adage “seeing is believing?” Well, in the retail world, especially where food and beverage are concerned, it’s more like “tasting is believing.”There’s a reason why you see so many culinary companies in markets, pop-ups and festivals sampling their wares: When it comes to specialty goods, consumers need to experience something before […]

Every year, Pennsylvania cideries have been making huge strides — not just in terms of educating our local consumers and growing within our own communities, but also on larger platforms as well. Some cideries have expanded to nearby markets outside of Pennsylvania, such as New Jersey and New York, and some have attended national and […]

Every year at the Pennsylvania Farm Show, there are competitions to crown the best in all kinds of food categories, including home-baked goods, wine, cheese and so much more! The 2018 PA Farm Show marked the first time that cider was included in these culinary showdowns. It was so successful that we did it again in […]

Every year, hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvania residents, tourists, farmers, producers and more flock to the PA Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg for the PA Farm Show. Now in its 103rd year, the PA Farm show is set for January 5–12, 2019, and will continue its tradition as the nation’s largest indoor agricultural event, featuring 6,000 animals, 10,000 […]

The United States Association of Cider Makers (USACM) is a bit like the PA Cider Guild, except instead of focusing solely on the cider industry in Pennsylvania, it’s focused on the entire country! Its dedicated staff and board of directors has, according to the USACM website, made it their mission “to grow a diverse and successful U.S. cider […]

There are plenty of compelling reasons to join the PA Cider Guild, but chief among them is the chance to be part of a growing, vibrant community. A Guild membership means that you’re in the same league with other movers and shakers across the Pennsylvania cider scene (and beyond!), including member cideries, Associate members and Enthusiast members. Associate members are […]

It can be a lonely life for the modern-day artisan and/or small businessperson. For the cider maker, there are long days of working, head down, with apples and yeast as your only company. Hours spent in front of the computer, buried in spreadsheets and emails. Nights spent silently worrying about all of the millions of […]

At the PA Cider Guild, we appreciate each and every one of our members. Their ranks include plenty of cideriesfrom across our great state, but they also include Supporters at other levels. These are our Enthusiast-level members, who are individuals who love Pennsylvania cider and want to help uphold and promote the industry, and also our Associate […]

As with any industry that’s involved with alcohol, there are a lot of laws and regulations surrounding craft cider, decided and overseen both at a state and federal government level. Things in legislative realms tend to happen either very quickly or very, very slowly, and for producers and consumers alike, the laws around cider can […]

There are a lot of ways to be creative and innovation when making cider. After all, half the battle of creating any artisan product is problem-solving. But no matter how outside-the-box your methods, one thing is set in stone: You can’t make good cider from bad apples. It just isn’t possible. Quality ingredients are paramount […]

Making any craft product starts with quality ingredients. For chefs, that’s farm-fresh produce; for bakers and brewers, it’s top-of-the-line milled grains. For cider makers, it’s all about the apple. All ciders, even those with other fruits or yeasts added, are almost entirely made from apple juice, so skimping on the integrity of that juice is […]

People often think of apple pie as the ultimate all-American food, but we’d like to propose a beverage to go along with that pie: hard cider. Currently, 1 out of every 10 farms in the mid-Atlantic through New England regions is an orchard cidery, and the average American consumes 35 gallons per year of hard […]

The PA Cider Guild (PACG), established in 2014, is a trade organization founded specifically to bring together cidermakers, cideries, cider enthusiasts and associated businesses to create a united voice in the state of Pennsylvania. There are dozens of cideries and cider producers, with an annual economic impact in our great state of more than $25 million. In a […]