Virginia Cider Week 2013 will showcase locally fermented ciders from across the Commonwealth.
From Nov. 15-24, a bevy of tastings, workshops and other events invites cider lovers to experience this historic craft firsthand while fostering economic growth and tourism. This year marks the second annual Virginia Cider Week. In 2012, Gov. McDonnell made a Virginia Cider Week Proclamation making Virginia the first state to have an officially proclaimed “Cider Week.”
Virginia is currently the sixth-largest apple-producing state by acreage in the country, and cider is a rich part of the state’s heritage. Cider was especially popular in 18th and 19th century Virginia, when it was enjoyed by some of our most notable residents, including Thomas Jefferson, John Adams and George Washington. Cider production came to a halt with Prohibition, but today’s Virginia cider makers are reviving tradition by growing the original cider apple varieties and crafting hard cider with modern fermentation methods.
The packed week will kick off with the “Drink This with That Cider & Food Pairing Workshop on Friday, Nov. 15 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Early Mountain Vineyard in Madison. This year’s Cider Week will wrap up with a final event, Ciderfest, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 25in Keswick. Throughout the week there will be tastings, workshops, tours and other offerings at restaurants and cideries across Virginia. For the full schedule of events, tickets and additional information, visit www.ciderweekva.com.