Colfax-based Crispin Cider Company has made an outstanding showing as a leader in the hard cider market. During the Great International Beer Fest, held Nov. 3 in Providence, R.I., Fox Barrel founder Bruce Nissen had five entries in the cider category and walked away with four medals.

Crispin Cider earned first-place awards for its Saint cider in the Specialty Cider category and its Browns Lane cider in the English Cider category. It received second-place medals for its Honey Crisp cider in the Specialty Cider category and Fox Barrel Blackberry cider in the Fruit Cider category.

Nissen said it was gratifying win the set of awards in the other side of the U.S.

“You know it’s not just a home-town favorite. This competition was in the back yard of several east-coast cideries,” he said.

Since becoming become part of the Miller-Coors group, he said, the cider company has had the opportunity “to accelerate the quality of work we do on our apple cider. We have more tools now to measure quality and to understand exactly how to make it great.”

Nissen said the recent honor has to be shared with the employees at Fox Barrel.

“It’s certainly not my medal. … It’s the work that’s done by a committed crew here in Colfax to make our ciders great” that is responsible for the award-winning product, he said.

Nearly 6,000 cider fans attended the 16th annual beer and cider competition, which included 470 beer and cider entries from breweries and cideries across the U.S. and from around the world.

– Martha Garcia