We are now accepting submissions for our fifth annual Best of the Northwest issue! Out in October, this issue will feature the top picks for wine, beer, spirits and cider the region has to offer and will announce the winners in print to more than 120,000 readers. The top three winning submissions of each category will be awarded medals and the issue will also cover industry leaders, trends, travel and products.
The beverages will be tasted blind, with a panel comprised of the Northwest’s top palates, judges and professionals, whose verdict we will relay onto the pages of the issue. Our goal is to provide our readers with unique and original content pertaining to the best of Northwest beverages and create an overall greater consumer awareness and appreciation of our area’s liquid assets.
If you are interested in submitting your cider to our blind tasting panel, please use the following rules for entry:
1) Cost of entry is $35 for each individual product submission. Payment is accepted by check at the address listed below, or credit card by clicking here (or by copying the link below into your browser*). The applicable fees must be paid with submission to be entered in the judging.
2) Please fill out the linked submission form by clicking here (or by copying the link below into your browser**). Each form provides for up to five (5) submissions. If you are submitting more than five (5) products, submit one form and start a second (or third) until you are finished. The submission will not be entered in the judging if the form is not included.
3) Send four (4) samples of each submission for 500ml or less, two (2) samples for 22-ounce or 750ml bottles or one (1) growler.
4) Do not send more than two (2) submissions per category. For example, if you produce multiple specialty ciders, please only send two as that is all that will be judged for that category.
5) For the categories involved with pricing, it is based on suggested retail price for the full unit. As in, if this cider only comes in 4-packs, please provide that price.
6) The product must be currently available in the calendar year of 2016 or by March 1st of 2017.
7) All products must be produced in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Alaska or British Columbia.
8) Submission receiving deadline is Wednesday, June 15.
Note: if you do not currently bottle and will be sending a growler, please call Kristin Ackerman at 206-467-4578 to coordinate.
*Credit card payment link: https://sipmagazine.com/2016-cider-submission
**Submission form link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1x9j-lubgPRLNbWs_nV1YuVnOccF5lXXlnvZiG6Eno5g/viewform
THE CATEGORIES ARE:
Traditional Apple (Old World, slow fermentation production, typically 3+ months)
Modern Apple (New World, fast fermentation production, typically 1 month or less)
Perry (100% fermented pear, can be labeled as pear cider as long as it is all pear juice)
Fruit-infused
Hopped
Barrel-aged
Dessert cider (ice cider, pommeau and fortified ciders, no straight distillates)
Single varietal (must be 80% varietal)
Spiced/Botanical (spices, ginger, herbal, etc.)
Specialty (squash, coffee, rhubarb, pepper, etc.)
Sparkling (naturally carbonated, méthode champenoise, methode ancestral, bottle conditioned)
Ship all entries and check payment to the following address:
Sip Northwest Magazine
Attn: Best Of
1333 N. Northlake Way, Suite E
Seattle, WA 98103
For personal delivery, please call 206-467-4578.
For shipments from British Columbia that do not have compliance with Washington State, please reach out to Erin James at erin@sippublishing.com for further direction on where to ship to in BC. All entries must be received to that address by June 13.
Sip Northwest is an award-winning publication covering the wines, beers, ciders and spirits of the Pacific Northwest. Please join us in finding the best of the year to highlight and showcase in this issue. Thank you!
