Winners Announced for 2025 Ontario Cider Competition:
On February 19, 2025, the team at Drink Ontario Apples attended the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Convention where awards were announced for the 10th Annual Ontario Cider Competition by Janice Ruddock, Executive Director, Ontario Craft Cider Association.
Cideries from across the province participated and only ciders made from 100% Ontario apples qualify in these four categories.
I. Modern: Modern Ciders are made from 100% Ontario apples only with no other fruits permitted. Sweet ciders must not be cloying. Dry ciders must not be too austere. They can be carbonated either naturally or artificially, with a residual sugar between 10 – 50 grams per litre and an alcohol per volume of 5 to 8 %.
II. Specialty Cider – Hopped: Hopped Ciders are made from 100% Ontario apples infused with hops. (Hops are the flowers or seed cones of the Humulus Iupulus plant typically used in craft beer brewing to add bitterness, aroma and flavour. These ciders can be carbonated either naturally or artificially, with a residual sugar between 10 – 50 grams per litre and an alcohol per volume of 5 – 10%.
III. Special Cider – Fruit, Botanical or Barrel Aged: Ciders in this category can be made sith added fruit or fruit juices such as other orchard fruits or berries. Botanicals may include spices, herbs, and vegetables. Barrel Aging is a process where cider is aged or fermented in (typically oak) barrels to develop complexity, depth and character. The ciders in this category can be carbonated either naturally or artificially, with a residual sugar between 10 – 50 grams per litre and an alcohol per volume of 5 – 10%.
IV. Traditional/Heritage Cider: This category includes cider made using bittersweet/bittersharp apple varieties, often referred to as Heirloom Varieties. Heritage apples are uniquely cultivated to make cider and are dissimilar to the varieties found in your grocery store. These ‘old world’ apples often have higher tannins and more acidity which add more complexity to cider. They may also include wild/crab apples locally sourced for added acidity/tannin balance. Methods of production can include spontaneous fermentation and will commonly undergo malolactic fermentation (MLF). The ciders in this category range from still to sparkling (either naturally or artificially), with a residual sugar between 1 – 35 grams per litre and an alcohol per volume of 6 – 10%.
And now the 2025 Winners!
Modern
1st – Thornbury Craft Co., Thornbury Craft Co. Premium Apple Cider
2nd – Coffin Ridge Boutique Winery, Forbidden Dry Cider
3rd – Fielding Craft Cider Co., Dry Hard Cider
Specialty – Hopped
1st – Howell Road Cider Co., Hops
2nd – Ardiel Cider House, Ardiel Big John Hop Cider
3rd – Coffin Ridge Boutique Winery, Forbidden Hopped Cider
Specialty – Fruit/Botanical/Barrel Aged
1st – Fielding Craft Cider Co., Cherry Rosé Cider
2nd – Thornbury Craft Co., Thornbury Craft Co. Wild Blueberry Elderflower Apple Cider
3rd – 1818 Farm & Cidery, Paradise Road
Heritage/Traditional Craft Cider
1st – 1818 Farm & Cidery – Vulture
2nd – Howell Road Cider Co. – Russet Spy 3rd – Dirty Dog’s Cider Company – Snow
