2011 Great Lakes International Cider & Perry Competition Results

The Great Lakes Cider & Perry Association is pleased to announce the results of the Sixth Annual Great Lakes International Cider & Perry Competition (GLINTCAP) held on April 2, 2011, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. This year’s GLINTCAP showed significant growth, drawing 265 entries from a wide swath of North America, from Washington to Nova Scotia and from Quebec to Texas. This year also showed a significant increase in the number of entries from overseas.

This competition includes categories for both commercial producers (those who may lawfully sell their products) and non-commercial producers (home hobbyists and commercial establishments such as cider mills that press fresh juice but are not licensed to sell fermented products). With 19 categories of entry the competition is unique in its high level of inclusiveness. Fermented products of all kinds are welcome: ciders, perries, meads, beers, and commercial distillates, provided that they are made with apples or pears.

All judging was conducted using blind panels. Judges were a combination of professional and amateur cider and perry makers, professionals from related industries, BJCP-certified judges, experienced non-BJCP judges, as well as academics and other professionals with ties to the food and beverage industry.

We wish to give thanks to our returning panel of regular judges, to those who joined us this year for the first time, and special thanks to our guests who helped provide a wider geographical reach in the judging : Ben Watson of New Hampshire, author of Cider: Hard and Sweet; Dick Dunn, of Colorado, administrator of the Cider Digest; and Dave White of Washington, cider blogger extraordinaire and the person behind the growing North American Cider Map Project. We wish to thank Competition Organizer Rex Halfpenny and Registrar Jeff Carlson for their many hours spent planning, organizing and running the competition. We also thank the Prime Time Brewers for their voluntary assistance as stewards, invaluable in keeping the Competition blind and fair. Thanks also to our friends at Siciliano’s Market for their tireless assistance in taking receipt of a mountain of entries dropped off and shipped from afar.

Finally, we wish to thank all participants for their many helpful suggestions of how we may continue to improve the Competition. We consider all feedback carefully and look each year for how we may use this information to ensure that the Competition is meaningful and relevant to consumers and producers alike.

Results are shown below. Congratulations to all!