If you didn’t know, last year Boise had its first ever Idaho Cider Festival. It was such a great success that it's coming back for a second annual event. Today’s story is all about the festival, Boise’s cider scene, and Idaho’s first (and only) pommelier. It was written by Sonya Feibert Kuhn. You can listen to me read it on the podcast. Cheers!

Idaho Cider Fest is back

By Sonya Feibert Kuhn

Alongside orange leaves and pumpkin spice lattes, there may be nothing as emblematic of autumn as apples. With some chemistry and creativity, these pome fruits (pears and quinces are also part of the family) transform into sparkling glasses of cider. What better time to have a cider celebration in downtown Boise?

For current and soon-to-be cider lovers, your fall wishes are granted with the second annual Idaho Cider Fest, returning to Bannock Street in downtown Boise on October 5th with more cideries, cider, and space.

The cider fest last year was the first of its kind in Idaho and exceeded the expectations of its founders. “We didn’t expect it to be nearly as big,” Molly Leadbetter of Meriwether Cider told me of last year’s event, which took place in Freak Alley. “It was packed the whole time. We went through all the cider. It made me realize Boise is ready for a cider fest. All the cideries had a great time, everyone was really jazzed, so we knew we had to do it again, bigger and better.”

Molly, who led and organized the first Idaho Cider Fest, is part of the family-led team that owns and operates Meriwether Cider, Idaho’s oldest cidery. Meriwether has two taprooms, one in Garden City and one downtown, in front of which the Fest will take place this year.

Molly is also Idaho’s first and only (though not for long if she has it her way) pommelier (pronounced just like sommelier with a ‘p’), cider’s equivalent of a sommelier or cicerone. The 3-hour certification exam includes written and sensory analysis portions, involved flashcards, adventures in smelling fruit, and immersing herself in the history and science of orcharding and cider making. “I made my mom run through my flashcards with me while we were on vacation,” Molly said of the intensive preparation.

She’s excited to pour her cider knowledge and passion into the second annual Idaho Cider Fest. What can you expect this year? For starters, there will be almost twice as many regional cideries coming from Idaho, Washington, Oregon, California, Colorado, and Montana. A few of the participating cideries include Highpoint Cider out of Victor, Idaho; Seattle Cider Company and Schilling Cider, both from Seattle; Stem Cider from Colorado; 2 Towns Ciderhouse from Corvallis, Oregon; Bend Cider and Avid Cider from Bend, Oregon; and Western Cider, from Missoula, Montana. Each cidery will bring two of its ciders for a total of 28 ciders at the fest.

This year’s fest will expand across the entire block of Bannock from 8th to 9th Streets. In the spirit of a true block party, the cider fest is bringing in its neighbors, including food from Nara Ramen and Funky Taco; booths from City Peanut Shop, Lee’s Candies, and Shift Boutique; and beer from Mad Swede.

Tokens are $3 each for a 4-ounce pour of cider. There are no tickets required for the event, so stop by for a pour or two on your way to dinner on 8th Street, or bring the family, enjoy some food and yard games from DT Plays, and stay for the afternoon.

Molly shared more about the idea behind the Idaho Cider Fest, the selection process for cideries, and what it’s like to be a pommelier.

Where did the idea for Idaho Cider Fest come from?

I’ve worked for the Alefort team for several years doing their cider programming. We’re really lucky to be in between wine and beer, so we get invited to all the beer fests, and all the wine fests. We love these festivals, and I started to wonder, why doesn’t cider have its own event? We wanted a place where cider could sit front and center, a moment for people who drink and love cider. Idaho has never had a cider-centric event. There are a couple in Oregon and Washington, where there are denser cideries. I decided that it was time. Being the only cidery in town, I realized it was up to us.

How do you pick cideries for the festival?

We looked at what was available, and who was making good cider I would be proud to have on tap. We have a pretty strict rule when cideries apply for the festival. The first question on the form is an attestation that their ciders don’t contain any artificial or unnatural flavors, don’t have dyes, and don’t have sorbates. All the ciders are made with real ingredients. Ciders have to be distributed in Idaho, so there are cideries I wish could be here who can't. Western Cider, out of Missoula, Montana, just started distribution here, so we’re excited to have them this year. Everyone who came last year was jazzed to come back.

What’s it like to be Idaho’s first pommelier (congratulations!)?

It’s been really great. It was so heartwarming to see how excited everyone was. It was like we did it as a community. It felt like this community achievement. To have Idaho represented feels like something for everybody to be proud of. That was just the best.

It opened other doors. I’m doing more outreach and teaching classes at the Idaho Botanical Garden. I have another one in October. There are regional pommelier groups, and Idaho is in the Northwest group, the biggest. There are tons in Oregon and Washington. We get to meet and discuss cider topics with other pommeliers.

I’m hoping to lead the way. There are a lot of awesome people in cider in Idaho who are so knowledgeable. I hope this is the beginning of having pommeliers in Idaho.

On October 16, Molly is teaching a cider-tasting workshop at the Idaho Botanical Garden. You can learn more and sign up here.

As Molly told me, Idaho’s cider industry is small yet mighty and growing thanks to events like the Idaho Cider Fest and now, welcoming Idaho’s first pommelier. “We have a mighty team of cideries in Idaho who are all top-notch, all winning awards,” Molly said. “I’m excited to keep expanding that and keep us competitive so that Idaho is known as a place where good cider comes from.”

For a taste of good cider, come to the Idaho Cider Fest on October 5th.

All the Juicy Deets for the Idaho Cider Fest

• Saturday, October 5th from 12-6pm
• Located on Bannock Street between 8th and 9th in downtown Boise
• Open to all ages
• $3 per token, no ticket required for entry
• 28 ciders from Idaho and other regional cideries
• Beer from Mad Swede and a variety of nonalcoholic options, including Meriwether’s nonalcoholic cider, Wild Abandon
• Bring your own reusable cup (the cheapest option—just no glass, please!), buy a festival cup for $4, or get a recyclable metal cup for 50 cents
• Food from Funky Taco and Nara Ramen
• Yard games from the Downtown Boise Association DT Plays

Thanks for reading!

With love from Boise,

Marissa

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This story was written by Sonya Feibert Kuhn, a writer, improviser, and performer in Boise. She's an avid Treeforter and an enthusiastic patron of and participant in the storytelling and comedy scenes. On sunny days, find her in the foothills hiking with her pup, Chloe, and partner, Mitch.

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