In the past nine months HipCider has been around, I’ve learned a ton about cider. I’ve learned about fermenting, yeast, apples, business, BIG business, teamwork, food pairings and even bottling. I’ve also consumed quite a bit more cider than I ever thought possible.

But nine months in, I’ve realized that something just isn’t quite right. For as hard as I try, I just can’t get excited to buy, sample, and review/critique bottle after bottle from hard-working producers a helluva lot like me. And, quite honestly, I don’t want to drink cider I don’t enjoy and I’m not all that great at reviewing cider I don’t personally like.

Starting April 1 and continuing on, the focus of HipCider will no longer be bottle after glass after can of cider, my focus will be on the people producing, experimenting, selling and promoting cider starting here in the great Pacific Northwest. People have better stories than fermented apples could ever, and it’s time more people knew about that.

As part of this, a crack team of cider writers from around the nation will also be working on a cider lexicon that makes sense to both producers and consumers, so we can go beyond out current “dry, semi-dry, semi-sweet, and sweet” descriptors.

For my (many, right?) readers thus far, thanks for following along. I hope you’ll enjoy my new approach, and I’ll see you at the next cider tasting.