Oxford, Ohio(November 14) – In the ninth annual U.S. Open Cider Championship, cideries, wineries, and breweries from Canada to California entered over 240 ciders representing 29 different styles. The first round of judging was held in Welland, Ontario. The final round of judging was held at the U.S. Open Event Center in Oxford, Ohio. The judges were from the United States, Canada and England. Judging in the U.S. Open Cider Championships is blind, and the judges do not know what ciders they are tasting.
Vermont Cider Company from Middlebury, Vermont was named Grand National Champion by winning three gold medals, two silver medals, and a bronze. They became the second 2-time Grand National Champion at the U.S. Open Cider Championship. Their gold medal winners were: Woodchuck Cider Granny Smith Cider, Wyders Imperial Grapefruit Cider, and Wyders Pear Cider.
Thornbury Craft Company from Ontario placed second while Glacial Till Vineyard & Winery in Palmyra, Nebraska was third overall.
Top 10 Cideries at the U.S. Open Cider Championship
- Vermont Cider Co. – Vermont
- Thornbury Craft Co. – Ontario
- Glacial Till Winery – Nebraska
- Black Apple Hard Cider – Arizona
- Ciderboys Cider Co. – Wisconsin
- Schilling Cider – Washington
- Incline Cider – Washington
- Bold Rock Hard Cider – North Carolina
- Bent Ladder Cider – Ohio
- Cider Corps – Arizona
Top 10 Cider Names:
- Brewery School Drop Out - Cherry Street Brewing – Georgia
- How Bout Dem Apples: Akron Palmer – Missing Falls Brewery – Ohio
- The Bung is Too Big – Five Maidens Cider – Pennsylvania
- Dry Me! – Black Apple Hard Cider – Arizona
- Hopposites Attract – Winchester Ciderworks – Virginia
- Cranny Granny – D’s Wicked Cider – Washington
- Meteor Sour – High Limb Cider – Massachusetts
- Hellbender Hopped – Tumbling Creek Cider Company – Virginia
- Skeleton Grin – High Limb Cider – Massachusetts
- Pearsecco – Vermont Cider Company – Vermont
2023 U.S. Open Cider Championship Medal Winners – Click Here
Best Kōkua IPAs
To help the folks who had their homes and businesses destroyed by Maui wildfires, the U.S. Open donated all the Pineapple Cider entries to the Maui Brewing Kōkua Relief Project. We also worked with breweries across the country who brewed Kōkua IPA, a session IPA whose profits went to the relief fund. Some of these breweries submitted their IPA to our competition and we donated the entry fee to Maui relief efforts. Kōkua IPA and Kōkua Session IPA were judged in separate categories, alongside the wide array of cider entries at the U.S. Open Cider Championship. Tasting one beer recipe brewed by many different breweries from across the country is a unique, exciting prospect for judges. Here are the results.
Kokua Session IPA
- GOLD – Twin Creeks Brewing – Virginia
- SILVER – Aspire Brewing – New York
- BRONZE – Shovel Town Brewery – Massachusetts
Kokua IPA
- GOLD – HighGrain Brewing – Ohio
- SILVER – Forbidden Peak Brewery – Alaska
- BRONZE – Movement Brewing – California
- BRONZE – Buck Wild Brewing – Texas
