CIDER SPOTLIGHT
WOMEN OF CIDER | profile
WHAT WERE YOU DOING BEFORE? Prior to Sea Cider, I was an International development consultant focused on economic development and environmental management. I worked in places such as Ethiopia, Ukraine, Nepal, and South Africa.
CIDER IS A POPULAR DRINK AMONG WOMEN, BUT IT APPEARS THE MAJORITY OF CIDER MASTERS ARE MEN. IS THAT TRUE IN BC? IS THAT CHANGING? The good news is that women are gaining ground in cidermaking, and women in BC are leading the way in North America. Not only are more and more women leading cidermaking, but more and more women are entering leadership positions in cider industry associations.
SEA CIDER HAS EXPANDED BEYOND THE CORE AND LIMITED RELEASES AND HAVE CREATED SOME SPECIAL SERIES. WHAT ROLE DID YOU PLAY IN THESE? I tend to be the one that comes up with product ideas, which then get debated by everyone. Not every idea goes to market. When we come up with a new product, all our teams are involved—sales, marketing and operations—to fine tune the concept and turn it into a reality.
A CONVERSATION WITH KRISTEN NEEDHAM OWNER, FOUNDER & CIDER MAKER - SEA CIDER
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>> LUNDY DALE
s the craft beer industry continues to grow, so too has the cider industry. In 2020, there are over 50 cideries in BC and growth seems to be continuing. Breweries have taken notice and have jumped onto the wagon by creating their own line of cider to complement their beer line; Central City Brewers and Distillers, Whistler Brewing, Tree Brewing and Persephone Brewing are just four of the larger examples. There are differences and similarities between the craft cider and beer industries. We don’t see collaborations occurring between cideries, but there are many specialty ciders: barrel aged, with fruit,
berries, herbs and even hops added. Cider festivals are becoming more popular, along with cider cocktails and food pairings. Now 13 years old, Sea Cider Farm & Ciderhouse not only has their orchard of organic and heritage apples, they now have a barrel-aged series as well as cider liqueurs. Introducing Kristen Needham, the woman behind Sea Cider!
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN THE POSITION? WHAT ROLES DO YOU PLAY? I am the founder, owner, general manager and cider master. I embarked on this adventure 20 years ago and have worn every hat in the business, from tree pruner and apple picker to yeast whisperer and lab technician.
WHAT BROUGHT YOU INTO THE INDUSTRY? I inherited an apple orchard and fell in love with cider culture as a boarding school student in Wales, where I lived as a teenager.
HOW WERE YOU TRAINED? By the pros! The renowned Peter Mitchell was my instructor and mentor. Now I am trying to share some of what I learned; I am a founding member of the Cider Institute of North America, which is building certification programs in cidermaking.
HOW DID YOU DISCOVER YOUR PASSION FOR CIDER? After many sips, and many cidermaking trials, beginning in my kitchen decades ago. I think what piqued my interest in particular was the fascinating history of cider apple cultivars and some of the eccentric characters, from royalty to rogues, who discovered new varieties over time. Continued on page 32 S P R I N G 2020 WHAT'S BREWING 31
