Cider Summit Chicago has once again returned to Navy Pier’s AON Grand Ballroom for their 10th annual festival on Saturday February 3rd, and Team Gregula had a fangtastic time sampling some crisp ciders and other luscious libations.
This year was different than in past years in that there was only one general admission session (2PM-6PM) instead of the usual two (12PM-3PM & 4PM-7PM). The good was that everyone got an extra hour of drinking, the bad was that it was MAJORLY crowded! Very annoying and claustrophobic for us, plus spending time in super long lines meant we had less time to sample as many ciders and liquors as we would have liked. The two session format was way better in my opinion. Don’t worry, I can drink faster haha.
We were excited to see that there were a huge variety of ciders and fruit based spirits to try, over 150 including regional favorites and international classics. So without further ado…here are the reviews for some of what we sampled!
Our first tasting was at J. Seeds, where we tried their Apple Cider Whiskey. It smelled very appley and the flavor was strong and sweet. This whiskey would definitely pair well with Coke, but we ended up mixing it with Topo Chico fizzy mineral water and it tasted great!
Next up was Big O Ginger Liqueur who paired up with Northman Rosé Cider to create a tasty concoction called The Big Shouldered Ginger. This was a delicious refreshing treat, the ginger flavor was not overpowering and mixed with the cider, it was neither too tart or sweet. Great for summer parties!
No trip.to Cider Summit Chicago would be complete without a visit to Misbeehavin’ Meads’ booth. They always have something sweet and tasty and their offerings did not disappoint. The Caramel Apple Ciider was a fab-BOO-lous treat with a flavor reminiscent of apple pie and light caramel notes. We also tried Children of the Sixth Dimension (double points for the name!) which was a raspberry apple wine which was berrylicous, would be amazing as a dessert wine.
B. Nektar is one of the most popular vendors at the event with the longest lines, but the wait is always worth it! I tried the Zombie Killer, which had honey and sherry in it and it was tart and juicy. G had the Orange Cream Delight, which on initial tasting had kind of an alcohol medicine flavor. However it did have a good aftertaste like a creamsicle, so that was quite enjoyable. Stupid Man Suit was the best name for a drink ever but we unfortunately didn’t get to try it.
We did stop for munchies, wish I had taken down the vendor’s name but I have to say their sweet treats were what we needed in our tummies after all the alcohol!
Another great thing about Cider Summit Chicago is the awesome view of the lake.
Stopped by Blake’s Hard Cider Co. to try their Watermelon Heatwave which had a sweet watermelon flavor upon initial tasting with a slightly spicy after finish which buzzed my lips, but wasn’t too painful.
Stem Ciders had some interesting flavors on hand, including a Hibiscus cider, which had a sweet and flowery taste which made me feel like springtime. Their Apricot Haze was tart and refreshing, more of a summertime libation.
I wish I had more time to review everything we tried, but I’d probably be here for days haha! Virtually everything did not disappoint even if some were a little bit too strong, but maybe that’s what you’re looking for. *wink*
A fun and productive day sampling cider and other goodies was had by all, and we managed to stay reasonably sober. Cider Summit Chicago was definitely a success even wirh rhe enormous crowd in attendance. We highly advise all hard cider fans to check this fest out when it comes back in 2025.
**THREE FANGS UP**
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