CiderCon is the world’s largest professional cider conference, with attendees ranging from large and small professional cidermakers, cidery CEOs and employees, apple and pear growers, and beverage retailers and wholesalers. The 15th annual edition is coming up on February 4-7, 2025, in Chicago with a theme of “Cider’s Balanced Future: Planet, People, Profit.”
If you’re not sold on going yet, the CiderCon team announced its lineup of speakers, who will cover topics ranging from sustainability and manufacturing to business practices and people management.
“Sustainability is an important topic for cidermakers right now,” says ACA CEO Michelle McGrath. “We’re an agricultural product at heart, so we’re especially tied to the planet, the people and the small businesses developing this industry. We’ll be looking at how to nurture a collaborative industry that supports these pillars.”
CiderCon 2025 will be held at the Chicago Hilton Hotel on Michigan Avenue. Registration is now open to all. Tickets are currently $499. Onsite registration for members is $635. Public tickets are $795 until December 14th, and $859 after that. Public onsite tickets are $995.
CiderCon 2025 keynote speakers
Lily Fan / NY Liquor Commission: NY Liquor Commissioner Lily Fan was nominated to lead the New York State Liquor Authority by Governor Kathy Hochul and is the first woman to head the agency. She is an engaging and heartfelt speaker that will share how she has effectively shaped the liquor authority’s approach to support small brands.
Scott Ramsey / New York Cider Association: Executive Director Scott Ramsey brings more than 30 years of corporate and non-profit marketing, communications, event production, and strategic leadership experience to his work in promoting, advocating, and building markets for New York Cider. He will join Lily Fan for a “fireside chat” on how to successfully use a liquor authority to support a sustainable craft cider industry
Debbie Morrison / Yellow Belly Cidery: Debbie and her husband Jim are the owners of Sapsucker Farms and Yellow Belly Cidery, a 179-acre regenerative farm in Quamba, Minnesota. They are well known for seamlessly integrating the natural environment in their operation, which includes growing vegetables, fruits, honey bees, maple syrup, chickens, and of course, an apple orchard. They are a regional community hub and will share how they incorporate prioritizing the planet, people and profit at their cidery.
Cidermaking gusts from Chile
Another cool tradition at CiderCon is highlighting cidermaking from another country. This year, CiderCon welcomes several speakers from Chile, a South American region rich with apples and history.
Chile produces millions of gallons of cider from forests of heirloom cider apples each year. Most of this cider is sold under the name “chicha” but a growing movement of new cidermakers are seeking to bring cider to the forefront of the Chilean beverage industry.
The Chilean delegation will feature cidermakers, orchardists, educators, researchers, and government officials who are working to bring cider to local, national and international markets. Featured speakers include …
- Harriet Nahrwold, co-founder of Quebrada de Chucao Cidery;
- Carlos Flores, orchardist and and co-founder of Punta de Fierro Fine Cider;
- Rene Galindo, founder and cidermaker of Sidrería Tencai;
- Gicella Saldiva, family farmer and orchardist who is also president of the Chilwe Cooperative, an organic farming and cidermaking cooperative from the island of Chiloe;
- Jose Antonio Alcalde, orchardist and professor at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, and co-author of the first Chilean Cider Guide (Guía de la Sidra en Chile), 2022;
- Fabian Lara, Policy Coordinator for INDAP, the most important financial arm of the Chilean Ministry of Agriculture, responsible for helping small-holder farmers and orchardists and a BJCP certified cider judge; and
- Eli Shanks, co-founder of Punta de Fierro Fine Cider.
CiderCon in Chicago
CiderCon 2025 will also give participants a new way to engage in Chicago while visiting, including guided cider tastings, curated educational workshops, an interactive trade show and networking opportunities for all attendees.
Additionally, Chicago Cider Week will once again coincide with CiderCon 2025. The week will feature fantastic events and hospitality for cider friends visiting from far and wide, including the long-running Cider Summit Chicago that will take place at Navy Pier on Saturday, February 8. And in between, attendees can visit Chicago’s local cideries: Right Bee and Eris.
