ABOUT THIS EPISODE
The announcement that CiderCon 2027 will be co-located with the Craft Brewers Conference sparked one of the most active online discussions the cider community has seen in years.
In this episode of Cider Chat, ACA Board President Christine Walter joins host Ria Windcaller to discuss why the decision was made, the financial realities facing CiderCon, how the conference will operate alongside the Craft Brewers Conference, and what it means for the future of the American Cider Association.
The conversation also explores cider's identity, the role of orchard-based producers and commercial brands, the ACA's current leadership structure, and whether this partnership is intended to become a long-term model.
Whether you're planning to attend CiderCon 2027 or simply want to better understand the thinking behind one of the cider industry's biggest announcements, this episode offers an in-depth conversation on where things stand today.
Time Stamps
00:00 Why CiderCon Is Co-Locating
00:15 Meet Your Host
01:31 CiderCon 2027 Shakes Up Ciderville
03:29 News Out and About Ciderville
04:51 French Cider Tour Update
08:48 Setting Up the Conversation
10:46 The Future of the American Cider Association
12:41 Why the ACA Chose This Partnership
16:25 Survey Results and Other Options
21:25 Protecting Cider's Identity
21:47 How Co-Location Will Work
28:30 Why Now? Lessons From Providence
32:37 Concerns About Beer Culture
34:46 Safety, Inclusion, and Progress
38:15 Headlines, Keynotes, and Programming
40:36 What Cider Can Learn From Beer
43:42 Big Cider, Small Cider
47:43 Messaging, Tours, and Community
51:46 Leadership and Financial Challenges
56:22 National Conference or Regional Future?
1:01:12 A One-Year Experiment?
1:03:56 An Invitation to Show Up
1:07:08 Host Reflection
1:09:21 Until Next Time in Ciderville
🍎 Find the full show notes for Episode 508 at CiderChat.com
Direct Link: https://ciderchat.com/podcast/aca-cidercon-2027-questions/
🎙️ Listen wherever you get your podcasts and don't forget to subscribe so you never miss what's coming next in Ciderville.
▶️ Prefer to watch? Find Cider Chat on YouTube for more cider stories, orchard adventures, and global cider culture.
💛 Enjoy cider? Help keep #ciderGoingUP. Your support helps keep Cider Chat on the air and makes it possible to share more conversations like this one.
Become a patron at: https://patreon.com/ciderchat
