While the Okanagan is obviously best known for wine, and increasingly craft beer, cider is making inroads.

The cidery count in the Valley is now close to 20.

While that's nowhere near the winery tally of around 200, it marks an explosion in the past decade as people discover and fall in love with cider.

The Okanagan and cider are a perfect match.

Cider is the low-alcohol drink made of fermented apple juice, but almost any other fruit can be added to amp it up and it can also be sparkling.

The Valley is awash in apple orchards and the fruit is the Okanagan's biggest cash crop.

So, cider is not just a value-added agricultural product, it's a damn good farm-to-glass drink.

The Northwest Cider Association recognized this and founded BC Cider Week in 2015 to celebrate craft cider and the people who drink it.

This year's edition runs May 20 to 30 with six cideries participating in The Okanagan Cider Trail Challenge. 

They are The BX Press in Vernon, Upside and Scenic Road in Kelowna, Truck 59 in West Kelowna and Millionaires' Row and Nomad in Summerland.

Taste, shop and-or eat at any of the cideries and get a card that can be stamped at each location.

Fully stamped cards are redeemable at any location for a free tasting and discount of 25% off any purchase.

While cider is an ideal stand-alone sipper on the patio, at the beach, in the park, on the boat or holed up at home, it is also food-friendly, particularly with pizza or barbecue.

That's why BX Press has a wood-fired pizza oven with patio shaded by apple trees, you can also sip and eat wood-fired pizza on the rooftop patio at Upside and Truck 59 has the Smokehouse barbecue food truck on hand.