Q&A with Rob: Why We Started the Maryland Cider Association

As we head into our fifth CiderFest, we caught up with Rob - the founding organizer of the Maryland Cider Association - for a behind-the-scenes look at how it all started, what makes us different, and where we’re headed next.

🍎 Why did you start the Maryland Cider Association? What need were you trying to fill?

The idea for a cider association grew out of conversations between local cider makers about putting on a festival. Wine festivals had been around for a long time, and beer festivals had exploded in popularity, but cider was usually just a one-off at those events, if it was there at all.

We felt that cider needed its own space - to stand up and stand out as a unique category in the craft beverage world. The response to that first festival was incredible. That’s when we knew we needed to build something more lasting. The Association was the next step.

🍎 What do you hope people walk away with after attending a CiderFest?

I hope they leave having discovered something new - something that surprised them or challenged their perception of what cider can be.

🍎 How do you define the mission of the Association?

We're here to promote the local craft cider industry, to celebrate and support Maryland producers, and to uplift the broader value-added agriculture chain behind them.

We aim to support all cider makers across the state - from orchard-based farms to urban cideries, from those producing only cider to breweries, meaderies, and wineries looking to add cider to their lineup. There’s room for everyone here.

🍎 Tell us about that first event. What was it like?

It was a total learning experience. We hadn’t officially formed the Association yet, so we relied on partners to help get it off the ground.

One thing we were really mindful of: making sure participating producers wouldn’t lose money. Most Maryland cideries are small, and we couldn’t ask them to take a hit just to show up. The feedback from both attendees and producers was overwhelmingly positive - and if anything, we underestimated the interest.

🍎 What kind of people do your events attract?

Curious, adventurous people. We hope everyone who attends feels welcome and leaves with a better understanding of just how diverse and exciting cider can be.

🍎 How is CiderFest different from other food and drink festivals?

We see cider as the bridge between wine and beer. It can be just as complex and expressive as a wine, usually with a lower ABV. Or it can be funky and approachable like beer.

We curate the festival with broad appeal from traditional ciders to apple-adjacent products like:

• Cysers (cider-mead hybrids)

• Grafs (cider-beer blends, sometimes called snakebites)

• Apple-based distilled spirits

And just as importantly, we work hard to support our producers. We don’t charge a ‘pay-to-pour’ vendor fee, and we strive to fairly compensate cideries for the time, energy, and product they bring to each event.

🍎 What does the future look like for the Association?

Our main rhythm is two festivals per year - one in the spring (Blossom Season) and one in the fall (Harvest Season) to bookend the orchard cycle.

In between, we’re planning smaller events like cider + food pairings to highlight local producers year-round. Long term, we’d love to collaborate with our neighbors in Virginia and Pennsylvania to create a regional cider experience.

Maryland may be small, but it has a rich (and nearly forgotten) history of apple and cider production. Part of our mission is to reintroduce that legacy—and make it part of our future.

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