Before the end of December, generally, they experience their first thawing. Those which a month ago were sour, crabbed, and quite unpalatable to the civilized taste, such at least as were frozen while sound, let a warmer sun come to thaw them, for they are extremely sensitive to its rays, are found to be filled with a rich, sweet cider, better than any bottled cider that I know of, and with which I am better acquainted than with wine. All apples are good in this state, and your jaws are the cider-press.

Henry David Thoreau

We’re back to the 4th Annual BC Cider Festival – at The Pipe Shop, foot of Lonsdale in North Vancouver, BC.

(where ships have always been built, especially for WW2)

The BC Cider business continues to grow and create.

BC has always had a history of tree fruits.

The first thing planted seemed to have been apples and pears.

The first thing the wine industry wanted was the soil the fruit farmers were growing in and started cutting down  BC orchards.

Thankfully, educated minds began realizing there was value and heritage in that BC fruit.

Cider has continued to rise in popularity and when craft beer revealed their playbook, the cidermakers followed.

I believe there were some 45 ciders in attendance this year. Most are from BC but also Sweden and Spain.

Cidermakers are crazy, fun people. Hard workers.  Aware of the history and heritage of BC tree fruit. Very passionate about making better and better cider.

Every guest below is either the creator of the festival,  Cidermaker or Owner of their Cidery.

Shawn and Kelly Pisio – Co-founders of BC Cider Festival

Kate Garthwaite – Left Field Cider (Logan Lake)

Christine Hardy – Riley’s  Cidery (Bowen)

Gerta Lattey – Salt Spring Cider (Salt Spring Island)

Clinton McDougall – Sunday Cider (Gibsons)

Mathew Vasilev  – Twin Island Cider  (Pender)

www.sundaycider.com

www.leftfieldcider.com

www.rileyscider.com

www.TwinIslandCider.com

www.bcciderfest.ca

Next Week – Part Two with

Bruce McKinlay – Valley Cider (Duncan)

Jennifer Molgat – Wards Cider

Shawn and Kelly Pisio – The Wrap-up

 

STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON

Unsworth Vineyards

Hillside Winery

Moon Curser

Mt Boucherie

Okanagan Wine Fests

Bartier Bros.

The Ones

Meyer/Mayhem

Fort Berens

Ruby Blue

Wine of the year

* Quails Gate Chardonnay vertical