Perhaps you’ve heard that we’re hosting the first Vancouver Craft Cider Festival this month! While tickets are sold out, we’d love to tell you more about one of the organizations that many of the cideries attending are members of. Formed just this past summer, the BC Farm Crafted Cider Association, primarily acts as a voice for the land-based licensed cider producers in BC, as the vast majority of them are small, family-run operations producing very small quantities of cider. It also allows the member cideries to share ideas, increase market awareness collectively, and help to ensure quality cider.
It’s thanks to the BCFCCA that we were able to contact many of the cideries that are coming to the festival!
Perhaps you’re saying “what does farm crafted even mean?” Well basically it means that the cider produced was made from apples grown by the cider maker, making them a “land-based” cidery. Additionally, Liquor Licensing stipulates that cider must be a minimum 90% juice content, and by using ‘farm crafted’ they hope to provide a distinction between the farm based cider producers, and the commercially licensed ciders.
The BCFCCA’s mandates include promoting cooperation of production, marketing and development of Farm Crafted Cider in BC, educate and assist members in farming and production skills, set and maintain high standards of quality, and promoting the enjoyment and responsible consumption of BC Farm Craft Cider. Not too different from CAMRA’s own mandates!
Land-based cideries see a different taxation structure than “commercial” cideries. The only difference between the two is if you’re land-based, you grow your own apples. Commercial cideries see higher taxes on their products as a result of this structure. Chris Schmidt, President of the BCFCCA says that,”the land-based license agreement sits well with the BCFCCA members, as it has done a really good job of allowing for apple growers to add value to their product…we welcome other cider makers (commercial licensed, for example) to partake in the farm-crafted cider movement by buying (or leasing) land, plant apple trees, grow apples, squish them, and make cider. BC can definitely use more cider variety fruit, and we have the opportunity to become a centre of excellence of craft cider.”
Curious to learn more about the BCFCCA? Stop by their info booth at the Vancouver Craft Cider Festival hosted by CAMRA Vancouver!
Photo courtesy Tod Creek Cider
Shawna Perry
Membership Coordinator
CAMRA BC – Vancouver Branch
4 Responses to “BC Farm Crafted Cider Association”
Michelle dennill
Hi, I’m interested in membership in the cider association. Can you please send me details? We purchased 8.5 acres in chilliwack and are planning to start an orchard for cider production.
Shoot me an email if interested. My wife and I have grafted around 70 cider scion/rootstock. The plan is to tip toe into the micro cider industry. Love to meet some like minded folk. We’re in Maple Ridge.
We are also heading in this direction having purchased a 10.4 Acre mixed fruit orchard in Lake Country. We are in development of the business plan and getting building costs. Hoping to have something up for next years crop.
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