Oregon cider producers earned some of the industry’s highest honors at the 2026 International Brewing & Cider Awards, with Bauman’s Cider and 2 Towns Ciderhouse combining for multiple gold medals and helping showcase the Pacific Northwest’s growing reputation for traditional cider production on a global stage.
The International Brewing & Cider Awards, founded in 1886 and often referred to as the “Oscars of the brewing and cider world,” announced medal winners in March and unveiled trophy winners May 20 during ceremonies at Victoria Warehouse in Manchester, England. The competition is recognized as the world’s oldest international brewing and cider competition.
Among the standout results, both Oregon cideries captured gold medals in separate Tannin Driven Cider categories with single-varietal Kingston Black ciders, a traditional English cider apple known for its bittersharp profile and importance in heritage cider making.
Bauman’s Cider, based in Gervais, Oregon, earned gold in Tannin Driven Cider 1.1 for its Kingston Black SV, while Corvallis-based 2 Towns Ciderhouse won gold in Tannin Driven Cider 1.2 for its 2025 Kingston Black Single Varietal. The wins came against international competition from England, New Zealand and Canada.
In a social media post following the awards, Bauman’s called the recognition “incredibly meaningful,” noting that traditional tannic cider styles and heritage cider apples have historically been associated with European cider regions.
“For generations, tannic cider styles and heritage cider apples were seen as the domain of historic European cider regions,” the cidery wrote. “Today, Oregon orchards and cidermakers are proving the Pacific Northwest belongs in that conversation too.”
The cidery added that seeing Oregon-grown Kingston Black apples recognized in England, where many cider traditions originated, represented an important milestone not only for the company but also for the broader Pacific Northwest cider industry.
For 2 Towns, the award carried a deeply personal significance. The company said the apples used in its winning cider were grown in a family orchard planted by Head Cidermaker Dave Takush in 2012.
According to the cidery, the Kingston Black trees were planted in a block known as “Lizzie’s Lot,” named after Takush’s late mother, on property near his father’s home just outside Corvallis.
“To be recognized in England for a traditionally English style cider, made with traditionally English cider apples, alongside some of England’s best cider producers, is an incredible feat in itself,” the company wrote in a social media post. “This cider brought us back to the roots of what cider is all about: family, orchards, patience, and care.”
The International Cider Awards results extended beyond the Kingston Black victories.
Bauman’s earned one of the competition’s highest distinctions, winning the International Classic Cider Competition Trophy for its Endless Harvest cider. The cidery also claimed the Best Cider Mill Trophy, making it one of the most decorated producers in the competition.
Additional medals for Bauman’s included:
- Gold, Naturally Sparkling Cider 3.2: Endless Harvest
- Gold, Fruit Flavoured Cider – Berries: Loganberry Cider
- Silver, Acid Driven Cider 2.2: Mountain Rose SV
- Bronze, Acid Driven Cider 2.2: McIntosh SV
- Gold, Tannin Driven Cider 1.1: Kingston Black SV
2 Towns also added another gold medal to its haul, earning top honors in Acid Driven Cider Class 2.2 for its 14th Anniversary cider in addition to the Kingston Black Single Varietal victory.
