Fuji to Hood 2026: Portland Cider & Son of the Smith Hard Cider

Portland Cider Welcomes Japan's Son of the Smith Hard Cider

This year, Portland Cider Co. was invited to participate in Fuji to Hood, the biennial beer and cider festival that takes place every other year in either Portland or Tokyo (called Hood to Fuji in Japan). Organizers from Oregon and Japan work together to select and pair the brewery and cidery teams to collaborate on exclusive beverages to showcase at the festival. Fuji to Hood is built around the belief that sharing food and drink are great ways to build lifelong friendships, share cultures, and better understand each other.

We were proud to be paired with the Japanese cidery, Son of the Smith Hard Cider, coming all the way from Nagano, Japan! While this was their second time participating in the festival, it was Portland Cider’s first, and partnering with them was such a fun introduction to an incredible festival.

Son of the Smith Hard Cider got their start after a trip to Portland, OR in 2015, where they were inspired by the culture and creativity of craft brewing. When they returned to Japan, they set out to share these innovative styles of hard cider with as many people as possible, eventually hosting cider parties and raising a glass with people all over Japan. 

In 2017, they released their first batch of cider, built to highlight the crisp and refreshing quality of Granny Smith apples, ultimately becoming the inspiration of their brand name. “Son of the Smith” refers to  the real-life orchardist from Australia, Maria Ann  “Granny” Smith, who propagated the apple variety that we all know and love. In March 2020, they opened their own cidery in Omachi, Nagano Prefecture, with production officially beginning the following month. Through experience and formal training, Son of the Smith believes that great hard cider is born from the perfect balance of agriculture and science.

Son of the Smith and their families joined us at Portland Cider Co. in mid-July for a behind-the-scenes tour of our cidery, where we spent the day exchanging ciders, sharing stories, and talking all things craft cider with our founder, Jeff Parrish, and head cider maker, Deron Davenport. For the collaboration, Son of the Smith very graciously sent us a selection of herbs from Japan, and together we created “Lavender Smoke,” a barrel-smoked apple cider infused with chamomile, lavender, and rosemary for a smoky flavor that is both floral and bright. 

Collaborations like these remind us that great cider isn’t just about what’s in the glass, but it’s also the people behind it. We’re grateful to have shared this experience with our new friends at Son of the Smith, and to Fuji to Hood for inviting us to join this year’s festival.

ありがとうございます!

Cheers to new friends and unforgettable ciders!