Chicago Cider Week 2019
It’s the best week of the year in Chicago. That one week a year where cider flows from every tap, and bars across the city are throwing parties celebrating the delicious apple based alcoholic beverage so many have come to love. That’s right folks… its CHICAGO CIDER WEEK!!!!
This year our fantastic Windy City Cider Witch, Aja, has put together a list of events you can find us (and her) at throughout the city:
Monday, Feb. 4th
Applesauced at Jake Melnick’s Corner Tap, 6-9pm: Kickoff CiderCon in the keg room with a variety of options, featuring cider from 2 Towns Ciderhouse, Original Sin, Vander Mill, Uncle John’s, Virtue, and JK’s.
Monday Funday at The Longroom, 7pm: Join us as we tap the first keg of Pinot Rosé from our Cellar Series (only 2 in Chicago) and earn raffle tickets to win tickets to our In-Ciders event at Sleeping Village. Get a pint glass with your first cider purchase! Also featuring Rhubarbarian and Boysenbarrel.
Tuesday, Feb. 5th
In-Ciders at Sleeping Village @ 7:30PM –This event is hosted by 2 Towns and Stem and features a panel of industry experts (from supplier rep to distro rep to cidermakers, cider bloggers, and the Executive Director of the United States Association of Cider Makers) talking about the past, present, and future of cider. Ticketed event, comes with can of 2 Towns or Stem Cider upon arrival.
Wednesday, Feb. 6th
Chicago CiderCon Kickoff Party at Off Color Brewing, 7-10pm: To celebrate Chicago Cider Week and the start of CiderCon 2019, we’ll be throwing a kickoff party at the Mousetrap, featuring the following ciders:
2 Towns 8th Anniversary
Angry Orchard EDU
Oliver’s Wild Farmhouse Cider
Shacksbury Vermonter
Milk And Honey Grand Cru
EZ Orchard Poire
Eden Sparking Dry
And just for fun, Off Color will be tapping Reine Des Renards, a Flemish blonde with cider aged in a Calvados foedre, which was brewed in collaboration with Ryan Burk of Angry Orchard.
Tap Takeover at Mac’s Wood Grilled, 7-10pm: featuring our head cider maker, Dave Takush. Featuring Kentucky Barrel-Aged Nice & Naughty, 2017 Riverwood (Traditions line), 2016 La Mûre (Traditions line, 2018 FoBAB Bronze winner), and Brightcider. From 7-8, if you can stump Dave with a cider question, you get swag!
Meet the Keevers at The Green Lady, 8:30pm: Featuring French-style, keeved ciders from Pilton, Angry Orchard, 2 Towns Ciderhouse, and Oliver’s Cider and Perry. Dave and other cider folks will be on hand to talk about the process, and we will have Cidre Bouché featured!
Thursday, Feb. 7th
Cider 101 Tasting & Cheese Pairing with Uncle Johns at Bitter Pops, 7-9pm: Featuring 8th Anniversary (very, very rare), Rhubarbarian, and Boysenbarrel with Kentucky Barrel-Aged Nice & Naughty on draft. Also learn about Spanish sidra and meet Susana Forbes, author of “The Cider Insider: 100 Craft Ciders to Drink Now”
Cider Party at Sheffield’s Beer & Wine Garden, 7pm: featuring Rhubarbarian and Serious Scrump draft, along with several other ciders from other producers.
Annual Ireland and UK Cider Karaoke Competition at Harrigan’s on Halsted, 9:30pm: Warm up those vocal chords, and get ready to sing! Chicago Cider Week has paired with Harrigan’s Pub and The Helen David Relief Fund for a night of fun and games at our 2nd annual cider-oke competition. All proceeds go to HDRF, and we’ll be slinging fine ciders of Thistly Cross, Aspall, and Craigie’s all night. So grab a pint and a microphone, and show us what you’ve got! – We’ll have Bright, Made, and Pacific Pineapple cans available as well, though not the prominent feature of the event.
Late Night Sinners at Clark Street Ale House, 10:30pm: Hosted by Original Sin Cider. Join us and several other producers as we celebrate cider late into the night at Chicago staple, Clark Street Ale House. Enjoy a pint glass with your first 2 Towns purchase, meet the rep, and dance the night away with some of the cider industry’s finest!
Friday, Feb. 8th @ 6pm
Cider Summit Preview Tasting at Bottles and Cans, 5-8pm: Join us at Bottles and Cans as we preview some of the hits we’ll be pouring the next day at Cider Summit, including our 8th Anniversary cider (only 5 cases to hit the city)!
Saturday, Feb. 9th @ 12pm
Cider Summit – 2 sessions, featuring 8th Anniversary, Rhubarbarian, and Pacific Pineapple