Every year at the Pennsylvania Farm Show, there are competitions to crown the best in all kinds of food categories, including home-baked goods, wine, cheese and so much more! The 2018 PA Farm Show marked the first time that cider was included in these culinary showdowns. It was so successful that we did it again in 2019! While we want to support all of the amazing cideries in the state, we’re excited to share the winners of the PA Farm Show Cider Competition!
2019
Best in Show: Winner of the Secretary’s Cup
• Big Hill Ciderworks, Manchurian Cider (Gardners, Adams County)
Modern Cider
• 1st Place: Arsenal Cider House, Gold Rush (Pittsburgh, Allegheny County)
• 2nd Place: Arsenal Cider House, Picket Bone Dry
• 3rd Place: Killarney Cidery & Sugarhouse, Cill Áirne (Laporte, Sullivan County)
Heritage Cider
• 1st Place: Big Hill Ciderworks, Manchurian Cider
• 2nd Place: (Tie) Big Hill Ciderworks, Dolgo Crabapple
• 2nd Place: (Tie) Big Hill Ciderworks, Kingston Black
• 3rd Place: Good Intent Cider, Wickson (Bellefont, Centre County)
Sour Cider
• 1st Place: Big Hill Ciderworks, Farmhouse
Fruit Cider
• 1st Place: Ploughman Cider, Bluebird Day (Biglerville, Adams County)
• 2nd Place: Stone & Key Cellars, Cherry Pie Cider (Montgomeryville, Montgomery County)
• 3rd Place: Big Hill Ciderworks, Fresa Amarga
Hopped Cider
• 1st Place: Ploughman Cider, Lupulin Lummox
• 2nd Place: (Tie) Good Intent Cider, Hop Tide
• 2nd Place: (Tie) Levengoods of Lancaster, Hopped Cider (Lancaster, Lancaster County)
• 3rd Place: Hale & True Cider Co., Hail to the Hop (Philadelphia, Philadelphia County)
Spiced Cider
• 1st Place: Arsenal Cider House, Snowbound Cinnamon
• 2nd Place: Cassel Vineyards of Hershey – Apple Pie Hard Cider (Hummelstown, Dauphin County)
• 3rd Place: Arsenal Cider House, Grants Flying Pumpkin
Wood- Aged Cider
• 1st Place: Killarney Cidery & Sugarhouse, Heritage
• 2nd Place: Big Hill Ciderworks, Golden Russett
• 3rd Place: Wyndridge Farm, Northern Spy (Dallastown, York County)
Pretty much all of the cideries who won have tools on their websites to help you locate where to find their wares. Many of them can be found in better bottle shops and sometimes at local farmers markets, as well.
If you want to go back a bit further, here are the winners from the first-ever PA Cider Competition:
2018
Best in Show
• Big Hill Ciderworks, FuManchurian
Modern
• 1st Place: Kurant Cider, Bees (Philadelphia, Philadelphia County)
• 2nd Place: Wyndridge Farm, Original
• 3rd Place: Original 13 Ciderworks, Atacama (Philadelphia, Philadelphia County)
Heritage Cider
• 1st Place: Big Hill Ciderworks, FuManchurian
• 2nd Place: Ploughman Farm Cider, Rosedale
• 3rd Place: Wyndridge Farm, Crafty Cider Heritage Reserve Northern Spy
Sour Cider
• 1st Place: Big Hill Ciderworks, Marmalade
• 2nd Place: Big Hill Ciderworks, Farmhouse
• 3rd Place: Frecon Farms, Farmhouse Sour (Boyertown, Berks County)
Fruit Cider
• 1st Place: Big Hill Ciderworks, Kriek
• 2nd Place: Ploughman Cider, Pinot N’Arlet
• 3rd Place Ploughman Cider, Kenspeckle
Hopped
• 1st Place: Ploughman Cider, Lupulin Lummox
• 2nd Place: Kurant Cider, Earth
• 3rd Place: Wyndridge Farm, Crafty Cider Crafty Hopped
Spiced
• 1st Place: Kurant Cider, Spice
• 2nd Place: Big Hill Ciderworks, Michaux Mule
• 3rd Place: Ploughman, Muhibbah
Wood-Aged
• 1st Place: Frecon Farms, Hogshead
Congratulations to all of the cider makers who work tirelessly to push the category of Pennsylvania cider further. We at the Pennsylvania Cider Guild are proud to represent and support you!
Not a member yet? For more information on how to get involved with the Pennsylvania Cider Guild, visit our website, follow us on Facebook and sign up for our email newsletter for updates.
— Emily KovachPhoto Credit: Richard Ashenfelder for PA Eats