Portland consumes more cider than any other city in the United States and, according to Nat West of Reverend Nat's Hard Cider, we are uniquely positioned to produce it.

The climate and existing infrastructure create an optimal environment for the industry to flourish. Apple storage is so advanced that Reverend Nat's has access to quality apples year round. And due to the success of local craft beer, there is already an existing customer base that is willing and excited to sample and purchase the end product.

Certainly however, creativity and persistence will sustain the industry; its future depends on cider makers like Nat, orchardists like Randy Kiyokawa and government attention to fairness in legislation.

On August 2, 2013, Oregon's Congressman Earl Blumenauer and New York's Congressman Chris Collins introduced the bipartisan bill HR 2921: Cider Industry Deserves Equal Regulation (CIDER) Act. Congress has not yet voted on the bill.

Reverend Nat: Dissecting the Alchemy of the Apple

With over 200 accounts in Oregon, Washington, Idaho and British Columbia, Reverend Nat's Hard Cider is the sixth largest cidery in the Northwest, the fifth largest in Oregon and the largest in Portland-all accomplished in fourteen months.

Amazingly, Nat says, "The first hard cider that I tasted was my own."

Nat started making cider because a friend had a big apple tree. He loved juice so he constructed an apple press. Soon, though, due to sheer volume, it became obvious that he needed to ferment in order to preserve it. After eight years of making cider privately, Nat began to sell it commercially.

If your experience with hard cider is limited, Nat's will probably surprise you. It is likely to be more complex and tart than you expect. Nat only makes dry and off-dry ciders. He uses beer yeast and a host of other ingredients, such as quinine, ginger, hibiscus and fresh squeezed lemon. "We kinda beat you over the head with the flavors and make it kind of explode in your mouth," he says.

They make summer and winter seasonals, limited releases and experimental brews. In their tasting room, some ciders on draft may never see a bottle. Look for the winter seasonal cider at his cidery, at 1813 NE 2nd, starting October 1st. 

Randy Kiyokawa: Planting Cider Trees by the Thousand

Nat says Randy Kiyokawa of Kiyokawa Family Orchards is "the perfect kind of farmer for what the cider industry needs."

He's the kind of guy who's willing to pull out trees that are guaranteed to sell in order to experiment with varieties like Kingston Black, an apple used specifically in cider making.

Randy thrives on the newness and the challenge. "The hard cider industry is exciting," he says. "I'm kind of like an artist that has a blank canvas. I can't wait to see more varieties."

Kiyokawa's apples at the Hollywood Farmers Market are not washed, waxed or passed through a sorting line. Randy currently uses synthetic fertilizers, but only organic insecticides and his horticultural practices follow organic standards.

In return, market goers do not demand the 100% blemish free specimens that packinghouses require. This is a financial benefit for consumers and farmers alike. Kiyokawa's direct marketing has evolved to be a huge part of their operation and Randy tells me, "It's the most exciting part too. I'm small enough to where I can be nimble enough to make changes."

Kiyokawa Family Orchards has long relied on the hard work and dedication of its employees. As he interacts with his workers in Spanish, he tells me, "I have a good crew. Some of them have been with me 35-38 years."

Many workers began as single men working migrant jobs. The orchard now has enough work that employees, many of whom have families, can work consistently and not be without work during any season. With input from some of his employees and a desire to help them become more self-sufficient, Randy is working to minimize the labor camp mentality and help people integrate into the local community.

At Hollywood, Kiyokawa sells apples, pears, peaches and nectarines, but you can find many other fruit at his orchard in Parkdale, Oregon. He started the first u-pick in his region in 1997. Look on his web site, mthoodfruit.com, to see what is currently available.

Continue reading more on our website, including information on the new cider legislation introduced by Congressman Blumenauer!