Snow Capped Cider Sets New GLINTCAP Record, Named Midsize Producer of the Year for Third Consecutive Year

Snow Capped Cider, led by owner and head cidermaker Kari Williams, has been named Midsize Producer of the Year at the 2026 Great Lakes International Cider and Perry Competition (GLINTCAP) for the third consecutive year, while earning 14 Best in Show awards—a new competition record that surpasses the cidery’s previous record set in 2025. The wins come on the 20th anniversary of GLINTCAP and alongside a dominant performance at the 9th Annual Cidercraft Awards, where Snow Capped Cider earned more medals than any other cidery in the competition for the fourth consecutive year.

Now in its 20th year, GLINTCAP is widely recognized as the most prestigious cider competition in the world, drawing more than 1,400 international entries from the United States, Spain, Japan, Canada, and beyond. Judging is conducted blind by a panel of certified experts and industry professionals. Midsize Producer of the Year is the competition’s highest honor in its category, awarded to the cidery demonstrating the most consistent excellence across all categories. Snow Capped Cider has now earned that title three years in a row. In addition to the 14 Best in Show placements, the cidery earned eight Gold medals and 41 Silver medals across more than 20 categories.

“To earn GLINTCAP’s Midsize Producer of the Year for the third year in a row is something our team doesn’t take for granted. It’s a true reflection of the passion and hard work we pour into every cider we craft,” said Kari Williams, owner and head cidermaker at Snow Capped Cider. “Setting a new Best in Show record, and then breaking it again the following year, tells us we’re continuing to push in the right direction. There’s nothing quite like the fruit we are growing at this elevation. To see that recognized not just at GLINTCAP but at Cidercraft as well means everything to us and to Colorado cider.”

At the 9th Annual Cidercraft Awards, Snow Capped Cider emerged as the most awarded cidery, taking home 24 medals across Platinum, Double Gold, Gold, Silver, and Judges’ Pick categories. Marking its fourth consecutive year earning the top honor, the cidery continues to earn consistent praise from judges for its range, craftsmanship, and overall quality, solidifying its reputation as one of the competition’s top-performing producers year after year.

Platinum medals were awarded to Kingston Black Reserve (Single Varietal), Ellis Bitter (High Tannin Sweet), Mountain Rose (Rosé), Porters & Perry (Co-Ferments: Fruit/Stone Fruit), Platinum Elevation (Modern-Dry), and The Russets (Modern-Sweet).

Snow Capped Cider’s orchards sit in Colorado’s Surface Creek Valley at the base of Grand Mesa, the world’s largest flat-topped mountain, at an elevation of 6,130 feet, making them among the highest-elevation cider orchards in the world. UV exposure at this elevation runs approximately 30% higher than at sea level, and dramatic swings between daytime heat and cool mountain nights slow ripening in a way that concentrates flavor, sugar, and acidity in the fruit. Across more than 150 apple varieties and 40 peach varieties, including rare heritage apples like Kingston Black and Yarlington Mill, that environment is what gives Snow Capped Cider’s portfolio its range and depth.

These latest honors add to Snow Capped Cider’s national recognition and reinforce the cidery’s leadership across the craft cider industry. From heirloom single varietals and perries to wood-aged and modern dry ciders, the awards reflect the depth and diversity of styles made possible by more than a century of fruit cultivation on Colorado’s Western Slope. With a record-setting performance at GLINTCAP’s 20th anniversary competition and the most medals at the 2026 Cidercraft Awards, Snow Capped Cider continues to raise the bar for craft cider in the U.S.

Snow Capped Cider 2026 GLINTCAP Best in Show Award Results

• Herefordshire Redstreak, 1st Place | Tannin Forward Cider - Dry
• Bbl Aged Kingston Black, 1st Place | Wood Aged Cider
• Sour Cherry, 1st Place | Fruit Cider - Dry
• Gravenstein, 1st Place | Heirloom Cider - Sweet
• Binet Rouge, 1st Place | Tannin Forward Cider - Sweet
• Hopped, 1st Place | Hopped Cider
• Sparkling Perry, 1st Place | Low Tannin Perry
• Ashmeads Kernel, 2nd Place | Heirloom Cider - Dry
• Magna Vino, 2nd Place | Specialty Cider and Perry - Sweet
• Spiced, 2nd Place | Botanical Cider
• Chisel Jersey, 2nd Place | Heirloom Cider - Sweet
• Yarlington Mill, 3rd Place | Tannin Forward Cider - Dry
• Harrison Reserve, 3rd Place | Heirloom Cider - Sweet
• Elevee, 3rd Place | Tannin Forward Cider - Sweet

Snow Capped Cider 2026 Cidercraft Award Results

• Ellis Bitter, Platinum | High Tannin Sweet
• Golden Dabinett, Gold | High Tannin Sweet
• Chisel Jersey, Silver | High Tannin Sweet
• Kingston Black Reserve, Platinum | Single Varietal
• Harrison Reserve, Double Gold | Single Varietal
• Esopus Spitzenburg, Gold | Single Varietal
• Elevation Gravenstein, Silver | Single Varietal
• Medaille d'Or, Judges' Pick | Single Varietal
• Yarlington Mill, Judges' Pick | High Tannin Dry
• Winter Pear, Double Gold | Perry
• Sparkling Perry, Gold | Perry
• Mountain Rose, Platinum | Rosé
• Platinum Elevation, Platinum | Modern-Dry
• Novel, Gold | Modern-Dry
• Bluebird Day, Silver | Modern-Dry
• The Russets, Platinum | Modern-Sweet
• Harrison Reserve, Double Gold | Modern-Sweet
• 6456 Elevation, Gold | Modern-Sweet
• Porters & Perry, Platinum | Co-Ferments: Fruit/Stone Fruit
• Sour Cherry, Double Gold | Co-Ferments: Fruit/Stone Fruit
• Magna Vino, Judges' Pick | Co-Ferments: Fruit/Stone Fruit
• Barrel Aged Kingston Black, Double Gold | Wood-Aged
• Blueberry Lemondrop, Judges' Pick | Fruit
• Plum & Lemongrass, Judges' Pick | Botanical

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About Snow Capped Cider

Our high-quality, cider-specific fruit is cultivated in Colorado, drawing on authentic English and French orchard styles. This approach eliminates the need for added artificial sugars, ensuring a clean, fresh taste.

We are pioneers in Colorado’s fruit-growing history, having first introduced innovative techniques to maximize the natural flavors, quality, quantity, and variety of our produce. Our farms have nurtured over 100 apple varieties and 40 peach varieties, including cider-specific apples, perry pears, and many heritage and cider-specific fruits. Innovation led our family as the first Colorado orchard fruit farmers to implement trellis growing systems, and we pioneered the use of micro-sprinkler technology, propane heating systems, and wind machines.

Located at the base of Grand Mesa in the stunning Surface Creek Valley of Colorado’s Western Slope, Snow Capped Cider’s orchards sit at an elevation of 6,130–7,000 feet—making it one of the highest-elevation orchards in the world. The unique high UV exposure, high-elevation climate, warm days, temperature shifts, and cool nights capture the crisp essence of Colorado, with trees spending more time in recovery and growth periods, producing a clean and balanced cider.

Our Colorado-grown hard ciders are the culmination of over a century of fruit-growing expertise. Each generation has contributed significantly to the development of our family orchards, vineyards, and legacy. We take pride in continuing our family’s commitment to quality, innovation, and excellence with every cider we produce.