When I started attending Manchester Cider Club, I had no idea where it would lead.
I started attending because after a sampling at the teeniest of cider festivals, I suddenly had my eyes and palette awakened. Gone was the cider of my memories – strong, acidic, to be diluted with whatever was to hand, and often ‘enjoyed’ on a park in my teenage years. Instead there was a variety of flavours, styles, and carbonation. Maybe it helps that I’ve been tasting gin for a good few years, but I could pick out flavours. Not just ‘apple’. But tannins, and yeasty notes, herbals and florals. Things I hadn’t really associated with cider in the first place.
And this year, in thanks somewhat to the pandemic (plus a helping hand from Susanna Forbes of Little Pomona), I was able to attend my first CiderCon 2021.
CiderCon, is as the name might suggest, a huge convention held in the USA on an annual basis. Primarily for cider producers, there’s still no denying that for those of us with a fascination with the stuff from a consumer point of view would find some very useful sessions to attend. And the pandemic meant that the whole thing took place online. No plane fare to source, or accommodation to book. My bank balance was grateful.
Instead, I could settle on my sofa after work, glass of cider in hand, and listen to the opening remarks from the American Cider Association’s Michelle McGrath.
Over the next three nights we were treated to discussions around the impact of COVID on the cider economy, Japanese cookery, quince fermentation techniques, and a discussion around cider clubs. Something Manchester does rather well.
The whole platform was easy to use, and offered more than just a place to watch presentations. It was entirely interactive (so you could join in a chat via video yourself and add your own voice), there were opportunities to chat online to anyone you met during the course of the event. There was a fantastic team on hand if anything went wrong via the Helpdesk, and sections of each day were devoted to the trade show.
My favourite sessions included the discussion on experimental cider making from Dana Glei and Darlene Hayes. I was somewhat in love with Darlene’s hat for starters.
Though it centred somewhat on potential ingredients found in back gardens and countryside in the USA, it did plant seeds of ideas in my own head for the couple of kilos of crab apples I have in my freezer, along with some sour cherries and bag full of hawthorn.
It was also fantastic to have a UK discussion featuring the Ciderologist, and briefly our very own Cath Potter (she pressed the wrong button, but I don’t think any of us UK attendees minded the opportunity to say hello to her however virtually, at all).
Perhaps my favourite session was that from Dr J Jackson-Beckham of Crafted For All. The talk centred on inclusion, equality and justice in the industry. Whilst this was centred on the US, there’s no denying that the UK could do with a lot of discussion around inclusion over here too, in all areas of boozy things. Whilst I’ve attended a few events that hosted a session devoted to the subject, it’s very clear there is work to be done. A lot more trade related events could take note.
The entire event was food for thought, and I must admit I’m looking forward to watching the presentations and discussions I missed out on. As ever with a conference there were clashes, the bonus being that normally I’d just miss out, in this case, I’ll get an email with links to recordings. CiderCon 2021 will continue even after the event itself has finished.
Hopefully, next year will be ‘normal’. Drinking in person, meeting new people face to face, rather than via video screen.
I’d best get saving up!