The 12th annual cider summit festival brought a sweet, sharp, and fizzy energy to Navy Pier on Saturday.The Cider Summit invited more than three dozen cider producers and about 125 cider products for cider enthusiasts and the cider curious to enjoy. Attendees were given 16 tickets to taste the cider products. To cleanse their palates between tastings of ciders, guests could buy necklaces strung with chips, pretzels and other snacks.Festival founder Alan Shapiro says people really enjoy speaking with the cider producers and orchardists.Cider is apple juice’s cooler, older cousin — made from fermented apples and usually lightly fizzy. Some ciders are alcoholic, but non-alcoholic versions like fresh or sparkling apple cider are also popular. Drinkers often choose cider over wine or beer because it’s lighter, less bitter, and easier to drink.Ciders have been around since colonizers brought it from Europe to America and are experiencing a resurgence with Millennials and those seeking a gluten-free alternative to beer. Cider Summit festival founder Alan Shapiro said each year brings new cider producers for enthusiasts and curious sippers to enjoy.Somer Van Benton/WBEZ “Often, they're blown away by the wine-like elegance and finesse of some of the offerings and barrel-aged ciders,” he said.Ambrosia Borowski is the founder of Chicago Cider Week. She attends the summit every year.Cider Week will be held Feb. 16-21 and provides attendees the opportunity to enjoy cider-centric events throughout the city. Borowski said to expand on a grassroots week of events, she's always looking to partner with vendors, restaurants and cider producers. “I love watching consumers really become elevated and knowledgeable about cider and bringing everybody else into this happiness that we’ve all found in cider,” says Ambrosia Borowski, founder of Chicago Cider Week. Somer Van Benton/WBEZ “I got into cider via wine,” Borowski said. “I love watching consumers really become elevated and knowledgeable about cider and bringing everybody else into this happiness that we’ve all found in cider.”A portion of the ticket sales from this year’s summit will be donated to Evolved Network — a Chicago-based nonprofit organization that offers experiential programming for children through culinary arts and gardening.Evolved Network owner Sebastian White said the Cider Summit provided them with an opportunity to continue supporting Chicago’s youth.“I just want to show appreciation to the summit because they're donating money back to us, which is pretty special,” he said. “That keeps us alive in the work that we're trying to do.”Saturday was cider fan Deborah Mathis’ fifth time attending the summit. Related Menu Planner: Cider-braised chicken is easy on your taste buds and your budget “I'm happy it's not too crowded, which is good, but I think it is a really cool thing that is a Chicago tradition, and I wish more people knew about it,” she said. ...read more read less