Tastings and workshops during CiderWeek VA festival Nov. 14-23

Governor Terry McAuliffe has announced that November 14-23 will mark the third annual CiderWeekVA festival continuing the tradition of sharing delicious, locally fermented, artisanal ciders from across the Commonwealth. 

This annual celebration of craft cider brings together ten Virginia cideries for a bevy of delicious tastings, workshops, and other events to engage, entertain, and educate participants about Virginia’s fast-growing cider industry.

McAuliffe was quoted as saying in a press release, “Apple production and related value-added processing, such as cider production, have long been key components of Virginia’s diverse agricultural economy, the largest industry in the Commonwealth.  Supporting the rapidly expanding cider industry is critical to our work to build a New Virginia Economy and ensure Virginia remains one of the top apple-producing states in the nation.”

Virginia Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Todd Haymore will recognize CiderWeekVA at a tour and media availability Nov. 13 at Bold Rock Cider’s new state-of-the-art cidery in Nelson County.  Creating 32 new jobs for the county in just two years, Bold Rock has quickly become one of the largest craft cideries on the East Coast, producing 250,000 cases a year.  The company’s products can be found at more than 800 retail outlets and restaurants between Pennsylvania and North Carolina.

“Cider is one of the fastest growing segments of the nation’s alcohol beverage industry with production rising from 9.4 million gallons in 2011 to approximately 32 million gallons in 2013, an impressive 240 percent increase,” said Secretary Haymore. 

In 2012, Virginia became the first state to have an official gubernatorial “Cider Week” proclamation.  This year continues the tradition, bringing wider recognition to a historic craft that increasingly fosters economic growth, job creation, and tourism in the state, most significantly in rural areas.

CiderWeekVA spokesman Diane Flynt, owner of Foggy Ridge Cider in Dugspur, will be joined by nine other Virginia cideries during the week-long event promoting the cider industry.  Participating cideries include Winchester Ciderworks in Winchester, Cobbler Mountain Cellars & Cider in Delaplane and Corcoran Vineyards & Cider in Waterford as well as Albemarle Ciderworks in North Garden, Bold Rock Cider in Nellysford, Castle Hill Cider in Free Union, Blue Bee Cider in Richmond, Potter’s Craft Cider in Free Union and Old Hill Cider in Timberville.