Engelsma's Apple Barn Wins Cider Contest
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Gretchen Mensing
(800) 456-2753
Grand Rapids, Mich. – The apple cider at Engelsma's Apple Barn in Walker was deemed the best cider in Michigan at the 9th Annual Cider Contest held at the Great Lakes Fruit, Vegetable and Farm Market Expo last week.
Jim Engelsma and his daughter Bridget pressed the winning cider just two days before the contest. The apple barn is located just west of Grand Rapids in Walker.
Second place in the cider contest went to Schultz's Fruit Ridge Farms in Mattawan. William Schultz is the owner and cider maker.
The third place winner was Hy's Cider Mill in Romeo. Jim Goldstein, the owner of Hy's, was a 2nd place winner in 2000.
The cider contest is a blind taste test with nine judges from the apple industry. Each judge savors each cider sample not knowing its origin, and then assigns it points based on eight criteria – appearance and color, aroma and bouquet, acidity and sweetness, sugar/acid balance, body, flavor, finish, and overall quality. A top ranking in each category earns the cider a perfect 20 points. There were 34 entries in this year's contest.
Bob Tritten, Michigan State University Extension's Southeast Michigan District Agent based in Flint, organized the cider contest in 1997. The contest is sponsored by the Michigan Apple Committee and the Michigan State Horticultural Society.
The Michigan Apple Committee is a grower-funded nonprofit organization devoted to promotion, education and research activities to distinguish the Michigan apple and encourage its consumption by consumers in Michigan and around the world. For more information, visit MichiganApples.com.