Snow Capped Cider, a Colorado-based cider maker and apple grower led by Kari Williams, made a striking first impression at the 2024 Great American Beer Festival, securing two medals in the No/Low-Tannin Cider category during its debut year. This accomplishment highlights the quality and craftsmanship of Snow Capped Cider, emphasizing the distinctive flavors derived from Colorado-grown apples.
“Winning two medals at the Great American Beer Festival is a true honor, and we are excited to be among the first cideries to take part in this event. These awards validate our mission to showcase Colorado’s rich apple heritage, and I couldn’t be prouder of our team’s dedication to crafting exceptional cider,” said Kari Williams, Owner and Head Cider Maker at Snow Capped Cider.
The festival saw Snow Capped Cider competing against cideries and breweries from across the country, with judging conducted by experts from around the world. The Professional Judge Panel awarded gold, silver, and bronze medals, which are globally recognized as marks of brewing excellence. Judges evaluated entries based on their expertise, identifying the top three ciders or beers in each category.
Snow Capped Cider earned two medals in the No/Low-Tannin Cider category, with The Russets claiming Gold and Gravenstein taking Silver. The Russets also won a Double Gold in the Modern Sweet category at CiderCraft 2024 and was named Best in Class Heritage Cider (Sweet) at GLINTCAP 2024. Gravenstein, meanwhile, secured Platinum in the Modern Sweet category at CiderCraft 2024 and Best in Class Heritage Cider (Sweet) at GLINTCAP 2024. Snow Capped Cider was the only Colorado cidery at the Great American Beer Festival to receive multiple awards.
This latest success is part of an exceptional year for Snow Capped Cider, which earlier won two 2024 Good Food Awards for its Winesap and Porter’s Perfection ciders. At GLINTCAP 2024, the cidery was named Midsize Cidermaker of the Year and garnered the most total Gold medals, sweeping the Heritage Cider (Sweet) category, earning 18 Silvers, and securing seven Best in Class awards—the highest honor in the competition. Additionally, Snow Capped Cider achieved six Platinum wins, seven Double Golds, and 20 overall medals at this year’s CiderCraft awards.
“This year has been extraordinary. I’m deeply grateful to be part of elevating Colorado’s cider industry, and every award we’ve earned this year is a testament to our team’s passion and hard work,” said Williams.
Snow Capped Cider’s offerings are made with 100% Colorado-grown fruit, drawing from five generations of fruit-growing expertise that spans over a century. As one of the oldest family-owned orchards in Colorado, each generation has played a role in shaping the family’s legacy of orchards, vineyards, and innovation. Their historic varieties of French, American, and English cider apples are grown at elevations of 6,130 to 7,000 feet, some of the highest orchards worldwide. The unique mountain climate contributes to the crisp, vibrant flavors distinctive to the region.
About Snow Capped Cider
Our high-quality, cider-specific fruit is grown in Colorado, following traditional English and French orchard techniques, resulting in a fresh, clean taste without the need for added artificial sugars.
With a long history of pioneering in Colorado’s fruit industry, our family introduced innovative practices to enhance the natural quality, variety, and flavors of our produce. We cultivate over 100 apple and 40 peach varieties, including many heritage and cider-specific types.
Situated at the base of Grand Mesa in Colorado’s Surface Creek Valley, our orchards, at an elevation of 6,130 feet, benefit from a unique high-altitude climate that produces a crisp, well-balanced cider.
Innovation has always driven our family, from being the first in Colorado to implement trellis growing systems to adopting advanced micro-sprinkler, propane heating, and wind machine technologies. In 1986, facing a downturn in older apple varieties, Dan and Orville Williams introduced the Gala apple to the Colorado market, further cementing our legacy of innovation.
Our Colorado-grown hard ciders represent the culmination of over 100 years of fruit-growing expertise, with each generation contributing to the growth of our orchards, vineyards, and family legacy. We proudly continue our commitment to quality, innovation, and excellence with every bottle of cider. Read more about our history here.
