Now Collaborating with Three Area Conservancies to Utilize Wild Apples
(Albany, N.Y.) – Nine Pin Ciderworks, New York’s first farm cidery, is teaming up with three regional land conservancy organizations to host the inaugural Wild Cider Cup: The Conservancy Competition on Sunday, May 18, 2025, from 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., at Nine Pin’s Tasting Room in Albany. The event will feature three distinctive, limited-edition ciders made from wild and other harvested apples foraged from conserved lands across the Capital Region.
The Columbia Land Conservancy, Hudson Taconic Lands (formerly Rensselaer Plateau Alliance), and Saratoga PLAN each harvested apples from their protected properties last fall with the help of dedicated volunteers. The resulting ciders—crafted by Nine Pin—represent the unique biodiversity and flavor profiles of the varied landscapes from which they were collected. Nine Pin has worked with Hudson Taconic Lands for several years and reached out to other conservancies to elevate the collaboration to a whole new level.
“This partnership captures the true essence of New York cider terroir,” said Alejandro del Peral, founder and cidermaker at Nine Pin Ciderworks. “This year, we created three one-of-a-kind ciders from wild and other harvested conservancy apples, many of which have been overlooked or forgotten. Each unique cider speaks to their respective places of origin. The Wild Cider Cup is a fun and flavorful way to celebrate the important work of our local conservancies.”
In a blind tasting, guests will have the opportunity to sample each cider and cast their vote to determine which conservation organization will take home the coveted Wild Cider Cup first place prize. Nine Pin donates to each conservancy a portion of the proceeds tied to the cider made from their apples. In addition, the first prize winner of the Wild Cider Cup will receive an extra donation to further support their conservation work.
“We already know Columbia County is home to beautiful open spaces, healthy habitats, and productive farmland – now we’ll learn how delicious the wild apples are,” said Heidi K. Bock, Vice President of Conservation at Columbia Land Conservancy. “Special thanks to PS 21: Center for Contemporary Performance for hosting our volunteer apple picking party at their beautiful wild apple orchard last fall. We’re grateful to Nine Pin for this partnership and the volunteers who donated and collected apples for our cider!”
“Our partnership with Nine Pin through Wild Apples from the Rensselaer Plateau is a highlight for our conservation community,” said Annie Jacobs, Communication Director, Hudson Taconic Lands. “We love gathering apples in fall… and sampling the delicious cider that comes from them. We are so grateful to Nine Pin for their generous support of local conservation.”
“Wild apples speak to our history of farming in New York State,” said Sarah Walsh, Associate Director at Saratoga PLAN. “What a great way to not only celebrate that history but to also lift up our local farmers who provide so many wonderful resources for the region. Special thanks to Nine Pin for hosting this event and bringing together the community to support our collective conservation work!”
This event is open to the public and offers a unique chance to taste hyper-local, sustainably made ciders while supporting the preservation of New York’s natural lands. Tickets are available online, at Nine Pin’s Eventbrite page.
Cider connoisseurs can enjoy Nine Pin’s ciders seven days a week in their Tasting Room located in Albany’s eclectic Warehouse District, from retailers across New York, Massachusetts, and New Jersey and at bars and restaurants who carry Nine Pin products. Nine Pin’s online store now serves residents in New York since the new legislation became effective in the Empire State in November 2024.
For more information about Nine Pin, visit, www.ninepincider.com.