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Craft Cider Making: Fundamentals of Hard Cider Production

Course registration has reached capacity. However, if you are interested in joining please contact the PACE Office at 541-737-4197 or pace@oregonstate.edu.

Taught by OSU Fermentation Science experts, this cider-brewing course introduces you to everything you'll need to successfully produce amazing hard cider. 

You will learn the fundamentals of cider-making, and essential information on:

  • apple and pear varieties
  • apple and pear processing
  • cider chemistry
  • cider fermentation
  • sensory analysis
  • pasteurization
  • carbonation and more!

DID YOU KNOW: OSU is one of only a few U.S. institutions that offers training on brewing hard cider. Graduates of this cider production course have gone on to great acclaim and success (like Lake City Cider and Soundbite Hard Cider.) 

Engage with Peers and Implement Your Dream

This cider workshop is open to everyone -  no prerequisites or admission requirements. 

In this hands-on learning workshop, you'll get to engage with your instructors and peers and you'll be able to see (and taste) your results!

Cider Making Workshop

You'll get the rare opportunity to spend five days learning the fundamental techniques of cider making in OSU's fermentation labs and you'll get to learn from industry experts and renowned professionals.

In addition to hands-on lab training, you will also visit a local cidery and orchard, provided there is time.

The Willamette Valley is home to many excellent cideries and has a strong culture of innovation in this area. Visiting the area will allow you to tap into this culture and benefit from this first-hand knowledge.

Learn the Science of Cider Making

The course involves hands-on, practical lab work, lectures and cider tasting, covering:

  • Processing techniques from apple to bottle
  • An essential grounding in the chemistry and microbiology of cider
  • Training in lab analytical methods for sugar, acid and nitrogen content Cleaning and sanitizing
  • Sensory analysis of hard cider

Over five days, you'll learn the science of cider making in OSU's state-of-the-art facility. By the end of this leading cider-making course, you'll be prepared to refine and accelerate your cider production.

Who Will Benefit from this Cider Workshop?

This workshop is flexible and perfect if you're looking to improve your 'home brew' skills,  if you're looking to start your own cider business, or if you're looking to upskill your staff. By the end of five days, attendees will master the foundational information with in-person lab work, and they will also learn advanced skills such as:

  • Full sensory training on aroma, taste/mouthfeel and spoilage
  • Fining/clarification trials
  • Cider blending
  • Lab skills on important juice and cider parameters

You can download the Cider Making Syllabus here.

OSU's Focus on Fermentation

According to the United States Association of Cider Makers and Nielsen, the U.S. cider industry generated $1.3 billion in 2018, with a large segment of that business generated in the Pacific Northwest. Oregon State University's Department of Food Science and Technology has been at the forefront of this movement, with world-class facilities, successful graduates and leading experts leading programs.

This workshop with Dr. Elizabeth Tomasino allows you to access the same type of training as for-credit students in an informal and accessible workshop environment.

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New dates coming soon!
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Five days
location
Corvallis, Oregon
price (2)
$2,500 (+ $60 registration fee)
2500
Additional Information:
You can download the Cider Making Syllabus here

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“Initially, I wasn't sure how hands-on we were going to be. I was hoping to be able to see all stages of hard cider fermentation. I definitely learned a lot and I really enjoyed the sensory component of the class, and how to identify flaws or disruptions in a normal fermentation cycle. Also, it was helpful to learn the different levels of sweetness and how sugar effects mouthfeel. I will make my first large batch of cider this winter and am hoping to bring it to market alongside my wine label.” (Melaney Schmidt owner of Land Mass Wines
Melaney Schmidt

"I wanted more insight into large production of Cider and Perry to open my own place.  It was a great mix in our group, from hobbyists to people already working within the industry, which was a motivating step to get where I wanted to be. The course gave me more confidence to open my own place, Lake City Cider."

Poet Comeau

"I learned a ton of new stuff and appreciated learning about the commercial production equipment. My cider is so much better now. {Update} I opened my own cidery in Everett, WA. called Soundbite Cider!"

Robert Fontaine

Instructors

Dr. Elizabeth Tomasino

Dr. Elizabeth Tomasino is an Associate Professor of Enology at OSU. She has had the opportunity to study the wine industry world-wide, including in Europe and New Zealand. Her research interests lie in wine sensory analysis and flavor chemistry. A main research includes determining relationships between sensory and chemical data, particularly those aroma compounds important for wine quality and regional differentiation.

Past Students' Work

Take a look at some recent projects our students have created.