2024 U.S. Open Cider Championship

Registration is now open for the 2024 U.S. Open Cider Championship. Ciders must be registered by October 14th. This year, American and importers’ entries will be sent to Oxford, Ohio(Just outside of Cincinnati). Canadian entries will be sent to Niagara College, Ontario. These entries will need to arrive between October 14th – 25th.  Winners will be announced on November 11, 2024.

Each producer may enter a maximum of 10 Hard Ciders. The entry fee will be $75 per cider.

The U.S. Open Championships work with the Niagara College Teaching Winery and Teaching Brewery. Our judges come from England, Canada, and the United States. This year judging will be held at the new U.S. Open Venue in Ohio and in Welland Ontario.

The U.S. Open Cider Championship is the second-largest cider competition in the world, and this year marks our 10th anniversary. In 2015, the cider competition was initially part of the U.S. Open Beer Championship, but due to the overwhelming number of entries, we launched the U.S. Open Cider Championship. The first Grand National Champion was 2 Towns Ciderhouse from Corvallis, Oregon. Last year’s champion was Woodchuck Cidery from Middlebury, Vermont, winning the Champion’s Cup for the second time.

Cider Categories:
1. Modern Cider – Sweet
2. Modern Cider – Dry
3. Heritage Cider – Sweet
4. Heritage Cider – Dry
5. Traditional Cider – Sweet
6. Traditional Cider – Dry
7. Perry
8. Fruit Cider
9. Pineapple Cider
10. Cherry Cider
11. Peach Cider
12. Cranberry Cider
13. Fruit and Berry Cider
14. Applewine/ Ice Cider
15. Herbal Cider
16. Hopped Cider
17. Apple Pie Spiced Cider
18. Spiced Cider
19. Wood-Aged Cider and Perry
20. Specialty Cider and Perry
21. Anything Goes
22. Single Varietal Cider
23. Rose’ Ciders
24. Brut Ciders
25. Sangria Ciders