The Great Lakes International Cider and Perry Competition (GLINTCAP) marked its 19th year in 2025 as a premier showcase for cidermakers worldwide. Held from May 14-17 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, the event drew over 1,000 entries from four continents, solidifying its status as the world’s largest cider competition. Organized by the Michigan Cider Association, GLINTCAP not only crowns top ciders and perries but also fosters education, innovation, and community within the cider industry. As part of the broader Cider Week GR (May 9-17), the competition featured tastings, events, and a live-streamed awards ceremony, drawing enthusiasts and professionals alike.

A Rich History and Growing Global Appeal
Founded in 2007, GLINTCAP has evolved from a regional contest into an international benchmark for cider excellence. The competition emphasizes detailed feedback for entrants, helping to elevate the overall quality of craft ciders and perries. In 2025, entries spanned traditional apple and pear varieties to innovative hopped, botanical, and fruit-infused creations. Judges, including certified cider sommeliers and industry experts, evaluated submissions across commercial and non-commercial divisions, focusing on aroma, flavor, balance, and complexity. The event’s location in Grand Rapids, a hub for craft beverages, added to its vibrancy, with participants hailing from the U.S., Canada, Norway, Luxembourg, and beyond.

This year’s competition highlighted the industry’s diversity, with categories accommodating everything from dry heirloom ciders to sweet fruit blends and high-tannin perries. The international flavor was evident in winners like Norway’s Alde Sider and Luxembourg’s Ramborn Cider Co., underscoring cider’s global renaissance.

Commercial Division: Honoring Professional Excellence
The commercial division saw fierce competition, with standout performances across numerous categories. Special recognition went to the Cidermaker of the Year awards, divided by production size to celebrate makers at various scales.

The 2025 Great Lakes International Cider and Perry Competition Medal Winners
Modern Cider – Dry – 74 Entries
1st: Alde Sider Fra Hardanger – Alde Sider, Naa, Norway
2nd: Smart Alec – Townline Ciderworks, Williamsburg, MI, USA
3rd: City Fruit 2024 – Seattle Cider Company, Seattle, WA, USA

Modern Cider – Sweet – 66 Entries
1st: Smackintosh – Tandem Ciders, Suttons Bay, MI, USA
2nd: Thornbury Tragically Hip Road Apples Cider – Thornbury Craft Co., Thornbury, Ontario, Canada
3rd: Thornbury Honeycrisp Apple Cider – Thornbury Craft Co., Thornbury, Ontario, Canada

Heirloom Cider – Dry – 101 Entries
1st: 2024 Northern Spy – Big Fish Cider, Co., Monterey, VA, USA
2nd: Ashmead’s Kernel – Bauman’s Cider, Portland, OR, USA
3rd: Road House – Tandem Ciders, Suttons Bay, MI, USA

Heirloom Cider – Sweet – 30 Entries
1st: Chisel Jersey – Snow Capped Cider, Austin, CO, USA
2nd: Gravenstein – Snow Capped Cider, Austin, CO, US
3rd: Winesap – Snow Capped Cider, Austin, CO, USA

Tannin Forward Cider – Dry – 58 Entries
1st: Kingston Black Sv – Bauman’s Cider, Portland, OR, USA
2nd: Yarlington Mill – Snow Capped Cider, Austin, CO, USA
3rd: Kristof Farms Orchard Cider – Bauman’s Cider, Portland, OR, USA

Tannin Forward Cider – Sweet – 26 Entries
1st: Marechal – Haykin Family Cider, Aurora, CO, USA
2nd: Muscadet De Bernay – Haykin Family Cider, Aurora, CO, USA
3rd: Yarlington Mill – Haykin Family Cider, Aurora, CO, USA

Natural Cider – 16 Entries
1st: Native Son – Mount Diablo Cider Company, Lafayette, CA, USA
2nd: Koosah – Raw Cider Company, Dayton, OR, USA
3rd: Pillows & Blankets – Elder Piper Beer & Cider, Petoskey, MI, USA

Rosé Cider – 21 Entries
1st: Airlie Red – Raw Cider Company, Dayton, OR, USA
2nd: Niedzwetzkyana – Haykin Family Cider, Aurora, CO, USA
3rd: Le Bisou – Tandem Ciders, Suttons Bay, MI, USA

Low Tannin Perry – 11 Entries
1st: Winter Pear – Snow Capped Cider, Austin, CO, USA
2nd: Kuhnhenn Perry – Kuhnhenn Brewing Company, Warren, MI, USA
3rd: Parametric – Empyrical Orchard & Cidery, Snohomish, Washington, USA

High Tannin Perry – 10 Entries
1st: Principle – Empyrical Orchard & Cidery, Snohomish, Washington, USA
2nd: Pyriform – Empyrical Orchard & Cidery, Snohomish, Washington, USA
3rd: Perry Cider – Ramborn Cider Co., Born, Luxembourg, Luxembourg

Fruit Cider – Dry – 39 Entries
1st: Porters & Perry – Snow Capped Cider, Austin, CO, USA
2nd: Blush Cider – Finnriver Farm & Cidery, Chimacum, WA, USA
3rd: Cherry – Puget Sound Cider Company, Kent, WA, USA

Fruit Cider – Sweet – 83 Entries
1st: U-Pick Cherry – King Orchards, Central Lake, Michigan, USA
2nd: Cherry – Rove Winery at the Gallagher Estate, Traverse City, MI, USA
3rd: Waves Strawberry Rose Cider – Waves Cider Company, Columbia, MO, USA

Hopped Cider – 25 Entries
1st: Hopped Brut Apple – Island Orchard Cider, Ellison Bay, Wisconsin, USA
2nd: Citra Hopped Cider – Rove Winery at the Gallagher Estate, Traverse City, MI, USA
3rd: Half Nelson Hopped – Minneapolis Cider Co, Minneapolis, MN, USA

Botanical Cider – 36 Entries
1st: Lavender Honey – Tieton Cider Works, Yakima, WA, USA
2nd: Wild At Heart – Treasury Cider, Hopewell Junction, NY, USA
3rd: Time Killa Cannabis Cider – Rebel Apple LLC, Moscow, Moscow, Russian Federation

Wood Aged Cider – 30 Entries
1st: Blanc Mollet – Snow Capped Cider, Austin, CO, USA
2nd: Kristof Farms Reserve Cider – Bauman’s Cider, Portland, OR, USA
3rd: BBL Aged Kingston Black – Snow Capped Cider, Austin, CO, USA

Low & No Alcohol Cider – 11 Entries
1st: The Safeword Is “Rosé” – Bdsm Cider, Milan, MI, USA
2nd: Sidekick Non-Alc Pacific Pineapple – 2 Towns Ciderhouse, Corvallis, OR, USA
3rd: Clear View – Original – Beak & Skiff Apple Farms, Lafayette, New York, USA

Specialty Cider and Perry – Dry – 24 Entries
1st: Hopped Apricot – Snow Capped Cider, Austin, CO, USA
2nd: Yuzu Ginger Cider – Elder Piper Beer & Cider, Petoskey, MI, USA
3rd: Rockie’s Rose – Snow Capped Cider, Austin, CO, USA

Specialty Cider and Perry – Sweet – 57 Entries
1st: Banjo Blues – Smokin’ Banjo, Gatlinburg, TN, USA
2nd: Green Apple & Honey – Jasper Winery, Des Moines, Iowa, USA
3rd: Cincinnati Kids – Townline Ciderworks, Williamsburg, MI, USA

Unlimited Cider and Perry – 43 Entries
1st: Transfusion – Smokin’ Banjo, Gatlinburg, TN, USA
2nd: Honey Basil – Old Mountain Wine Company, Gatlinburg, TN, USA
3rd: Fall Feels – Two Blokes Cider, Seagrave, Ontario, Canada

Ice Cider – 20 Entries
1st: McIntosh Ice Cider – Haykin Family Cider, Aurora, CO, USA
2nd: Front Range Ice Cider – Haykin Family Cider, Aurora, CO, USA
3rd: Cuvée Spéciale De Cidre De Glace – Cidrerie Verger Bilodeau, Saint-Pierre-Ile-d’Orleans, QC – Québec, Canada

Fortified Cider – 21 Entries
1st: Pommeau – 19 Acres Cider Co., Sherwood, OR, USA
2nd: Traditional Apples In French Oak – Haykin Family Cider, Aurora, CO, USA
3rd: 10 Year Aged Pommeau – Finnriver Farm & Cidery, Chimacum, WA, USA

Spirits – 11 Entries
1st: Michigan Honeycrisp Vodka – Vander Mill, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
2nd: Founders Reserve – Ambix Spirits, Sebastopol, CA, USA
3rd: Mcintosh Eau De Vie – Haykin Family Cider, Aurora, CO, USA

Commercial Results 
PRODUCERS OF THE YEAR
Micro Cidermaker of the Year – 5,000 Gallons or Less
Empyrical Orchard & Cidery – Snohomish, Washington

Runners-Up: Puget Sound Cider Company – Kent, Washington
Michigan Wine Company – Fennville, Michigan

Small Cidermaker of the Year – 5,001 to 25,000 Gallons
Haykin Family Cider – Aurora, Colorado

Runners-Up: Tennessee Cider Company – Gatlinburg, Tennessee
Townline Ciderworks – Williamsburg, Michigan

Midsize Cidermaker of the Year – 25,001 to 500,000 Gallons
Snow Capped Cider – Austin, Colorado

Runners-Up: Bauman’s Cider – Portland, Oregon
Tandem Ciders – Suttons Bay, Michigan

Large Cidermaker of the Year – 500,001 Gallons or More
2 Towns Ciderhouse – Corvallis, Oregon

Runners-Up: Seattle Cider Company – Seattle, Washington
Beak & Skiff Apple Farms – Lafayette, New York

Canadian Cidermaker of the Year
Annapolis Cider Company – Wolfville, Nova Scotia

Runners-Up: Thornbury Craft Co. – Thornbury, Ontario
Two Blokes Cider – Seagrave, Ontario

International Cidermaker of the Year
Rebel Apple – Moscow, Moscow, Russian Federation

Runners-Up: Ramborn Cider Co. – Born, Luxembourg, Luxembourg
Alde Sider – Nå, Norway

Complete List of Medal Winners – Click Here  

More about the The Michigan Cider Association
The Michigan Cider Association (MCA) is a dynamic organization dedicated to advancing the craft cider industry across the state and beyond. Founded to unite cidermakers, growers, and enthusiasts, the MCA champions the rich heritage of Michigan’s apple industry while fostering innovation in cider and perry production. By organizing events like the renowned Great Lakes International Cider and Perry Competition (GLINTCAP), the MCA provides a global platform for cidermakers to showcase their creations, earn recognition, and receive valuable feedback. With a commitment to education, quality, and community, the association plays a pivotal role in elevating Michigan as a hub for world-class cider.

Through advocacy, collaboration, and outreach, the Michigan Cider Association supports its members by promoting sustainable practices and expanding market opportunities. The MCA works closely with local orchards and producers to ensure the vitality of Michigan’s cider scene, which contributes significantly to the state’s agricultural economy. By hosting workshops, tastings, and festivals, the association engages the public, sparking enthusiasm for craft cider and strengthening ties between producers and consumers. As the MCA continues to grow, it remains a driving force in shaping the future of cider, celebrating both tradition and innovation.