446: Monica Cohen, the New CEO of the American Cider Association

446: Monica Cohen, the New CEO of the American Cider Association

Author: Ria Windcaller: Award-winning Cidermaker, Podcaster | Craft Beer Columnist February 12, 2025 Duration: 45:58

Monica Cohen on Leading the ACA

Monica Cohen, the new CEO of the American Cider Association (ACA), stepped into her role at CiderCon 2025 in Chicago. With a background in dairy marketing and a passion for helping craft industries grow, she brings fresh energy and a bold vision to the cider world.

Her introduction to cider mirrors a challenge the industry faces—many consumers assume all cider is the same.

She's on a mission to change that.

Cider Chat ep 446 Monica Cohen
American Cider Association CEO, Monica Cohen

Priorities for 2025

Monica laid out her key focus areas for the ACA:

  • Enhancing membership value – Ensuring small and large cideries alike benefit from ACA resources.
  • Growing ACA membership – Making the association indispensable to cider makers.
  • Strengthening advocacy – Fighting for fair industry regulations, including tax structures.
  • Increasing consumer awareness – Changing public perception and getting cider on more menus.

Cider's Big Opportunity

Monica believes cider's time is now. She emphasizes that innovation, consumer education, and stronger industry collaboration will be key to the next phase of growth.

CiderCon Takeaways & The Path Forward

At CiderCon 2025, Monica had an "aha moment" during Cider Share, experiencing firsthand the incredible diversity of cider. She sees the event as more than just a conference—it's a place for the cider community to connect, share ideas, and shape the industry's future.

Looking ahead to CiderCon 2026 in Providence Rhode Island, Monica wants to grow attendance, attract new industry partners, and ensure the event remains relevant and impactful for all makers big or small.

Contact the American Cider Association

Mentions in this Cider Chat


There’s a whole world in a glass of cider, and Cider Chat is your invitation to explore it. Hosted by award-winning cidermaker and writer Ria Windcaller, this podcast travels far beyond the bottle to meet the people who make the global cider culture so vibrant. Each conversation is a journey-you might find yourself in a heritage orchard learning the history of forgotten apple varieties, in a bustling taproom with an importer explaining regional traditions, or in a kitchen with a chef pairing cider with unexpected foods. The discussions get into the delightful nuances, too, whether that’s the semantics of what we even call this drink or how the concept of terroir translates from soil to sip. It’s not just about production; it’s about the community, the travel, and the stories that fermentation unlocks. This is for anyone curious about the craft, history, and sheer enjoyment of fermented apple juice in all its forms. So, pour a glass and settle in for a series that feels like a wide-ranging, informative, and genuinely good-humored chat with friends who happen to be obsessed with cider. You’ll come away with a deeper appreciation for every effervescent, tart, or sweet sip, hearing directly from the growers, makers, and enthusiasts who are shaping this drink’s exciting present and future.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Cider Chat
Podcast Episodes
480: Holiday Cider Gift Guide 2025 and Playing with Pommeau [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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00:00 Introduction and Podcast Overview 00:32 French Pronunciation Fun 02:27 Holiday Gift Ideas for 2025 02:59 Cider Chat News and Updates 04:42 Listener Stories and Experiences 07:49 Upcoming UK Cider Tour 2026 12:47 Fe…
479: New York Cider Fest | Audio Snapshots [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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478: Pommeau: What Happens When a French Classic Lands on U.S. Labels [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:18
What is Pommeau? Pommeau is a: fortified blend of fresh apple must (unfermented) and apple brandy (typically Calvados in Normandy or Lambig in Brittany). The unfermented apple juice and brandy are combined before ferment…
477: 2025 Ultimate Cider Pairing Guide for Thanksgiving [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:38
Learn how to pick the right Cider and Perry for every dish on the Thanksgiving table. This week we are not chasing brand names. We are building flavor intuition. Consider Thanksgiving not as one single taste on a plate;…
476: Be Medieval, Rack that Cider| Secondary Fermentation [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:18
How to clarify, stabilize, and finish cider the right way The Purpose of Secondary Fermentation when Making Cider Once the apple juice has started fermented and it is now slowing down, it is time to rack over your cider…
473: Tiny Bubbles | How to Make a Pét Nat Cider [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:53
What makes a Pét Nat cider sparkle naturally and how is it connected to the rural method you might have heard about in the UK? In this episode, we take a practical look at: What Pét Nat cider is and how it relates to the…
471: Cider Tourism 101 | Newton Court, UK [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:50
Newton Court Cider began as a 30-acre farm selling apples to Bulmers. When the market changed, Paul Stephens turned those same orchards into a modern day cider business. Front view of Newton Court's restaurant and visito…