Can San Francisco Become The Next Big Market For Cider?
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) - Those who love cider and those who may be just curious about the alcoholic beverage will have the opportunity to learn from the experts on April 25 as San Francisco hosts the Cider Summit.
The event is organized by SBS Imports and the Seattle Beer Collective. Co-founder Alan Shapiro said Cider Summit started in Seattle in 2010.
"The following year we expanded to Portland and in 2013, we expanded to Chicago. And last year we did our first Bay Area festival in Berkeley. The mission from day one is to raise awareness of primarily artisanal cider and give an opportunity for some of the smaller producers to get their brand some exposure and hopefully connect with a large number of consumers," Shapiro said.
While the cider category has not exploded like craft beer in the Bay Area, Shapiro said he feels like the region is ready. "I really think the Bay Area is the next big exploding cider market. The Bay Area is a handful of years in terms of category development behind Oregon and Washington, but just in the last year-and-a-half or so, there have been a number of new entrants in the cider category," Shapiro said. "That's part of category building in any region. It's very hard for just one brand to do it on its own. With more people coming in and bringing their imagination and talent to cider, it tends to foster more regional awareness. I think you're going to see a huge growth curve in Northern California and especially the Bay Area in terms of cider over the next 3-5 years."
He pointed to the growth of Tilted Shed Ciderworks out of Sebastopol as just one example.
In terms of the Cider Summit, Shapiro said it gives the "cider curious" a great chance to try different varieties of cider, and is a great starting point for those who might not be too familiar with the alcoholic beverage.
The Cider Summit will be held on Saturday, April 25 from 12:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. at the Civil War Parade Ground in the Presidio.
Tickets are $35 in advance and include a souvenir tasting glass and 10 tasting tickets. Tickets can be purchased online or at San Francisco Whole Foods Markets. Dogs and minors are also welcome.
