Inside Nine Pin's 26er Challenge

March 10, 2026

Happy Tuesday evening, folks. Today, we’re introducing you to the Nine Pin 26er Challenge, a yearlong tasting event that’s inspired in part by the Adirondack 46er. Both are tough but rewarding in their own way. But if you’re not one to hike the tallest peaks in New York State, you might be better off in the cozy confines of the Nine Pin Tasting Room in the heart of Albany’s hoppin’ Warehouse District.

—Phat X. Chiem & Karley Sullivan

Nine Pin 26ers show off their bronze badges and t-shirts at the 26er celebration party 📷️ Courtesy of Nine Pin

🍏 26 ciders. 52 weeks. No misses! Inside Nine Pin’s 26er Challenge

To become an official ADK Forty-Sixer, you need to hike all 46 of the highest peaks in the Adirondacks. It requires a certain level of commitment and a sense of adventure.

The same can be said for the Nine Pin 26er Challenge—although you’re way less likely to find yourself stranded on a snowy summit.

Since 2016, Nine Pin Cider has invited their most dedicated fans to taste their way through 26 experimental ciders released over the course of a year. Held every other year, the challenge has grown into Nine Pin’s most popular event, by far.

During the challenge, each small-batch cider is available for only two weeks in the Albany tasting room. Miss just one tasting and you’re out. Sorry, try again in two years.

Nine Pin co-founder Alejandro del Peral says the program started as a way to showcase the cidery’s innovative, experimental side.

“There are so many ciders we want to make that would never make sense to produce at a large scale,” he says. “Some of these ciders use pretty niche ingredients. We’re getting sumac that someone’s picking from their backyard. We’re sourcing from very small farms.”

For challengers, this means a year of sampling unique ciders that won’t be available anywhere else.

The reward for sticking with it goes beyond bragging rights. Finish the challenge and you become a Nine Pin 26er for life, unlocking perks like a personalized bronze ID card, happy-hour pricing anytime, access to limited cider releases, and an invitation to the exclusive 26er celebration party.

That party has become so popular it’s outgrown Nine Pin’s own tasting room. The next one, scheduled for July 2027, will move to the Albany Capital Center with live music, food, and the top-rated 26er ciders for finishers to enjoy.

The program has grown dramatically since it first launched eight years ago. About 2,800 people signed up for the 2024 challenge and roughly 1,700 finished it. Alejandro says registrations for 2026 are tracking ahead of the last challenge.

There are a lot of reasons to try the Nine Pin 26er, but the biggest draw may be the camaraderie and the community around it. New for 2026: Participants can now form teams to complete the challenge together.

“The people who really fall in love with the program use it as an excuse for a regular social gathering,” Alejandro says. “They set a bi-weekly date to come in, try the cider, and catch up with each other. ”

And since the challenge is inspired by the ADK 46er, a portion of proceeds supports the Adirondack Mountain Club’s Summit Stewardship Program, which protects fragile alpine ecosystems and educates hikers on New York’s highest peaks. Over $30,000 has been raised to date.

The deets: The Nine Pin 26er Challenge launches on Monday, March 30, and finishes on March 28, 2027. Registration is now open. The tasting room is located in Albany’s Warehouse District at 929 Broadway. To see the various levels and related perks, go here. Check out the FAQs for more details.

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🎭️ Incredibly, Proctors is marking its 100th season this year—and it’s a banger. Among the shows in the lineup: “BOOP: The Musical” about the beloved Betty Boop character; “The Notebook” based on the Nicholas Spark novel; “Mamma Mia” and “Phantom of the Opera.” The Capital Repertory Theater will produce “Magi” based on the “Gift of the Magi,” “Clyde’s” from Pulitzer-winning playwright Lynn Nottage, and “Young Frankenstein,” among others. [Times Union]

🍳 Speaking of Betty Boop, Albany Reddit is on fire over a post about the Betty Boop Diner in Albany’s South End. This homey cafe is a short walk from The 518 HQ, but we don’t eat there anymore for some of the reasons mentioned in the thread. The ladies who run it are lovely, but the food… not so much. Any fans on here who love it? Tell us! [Reddit]

👨‍🍳 Jeff Marden, who’s had a career as a chef de cuisine in the Capital District and as an executive chef in Manhattan and the Hudson Valley, wrote in to tell us about his new project: Peace at the Table. “Its purpose is to collect and share true stories from the public about how food brings people together and often creates peace and understanding,” Jeff says. One story from chef Jim Rua of Cafe Capriccio in Albany talks about receiving a thank-you note for a meal that he made for a family’s Christmas Eve dinner during the Covid lockdown. We love this project, Jeff—bravo! 👏 

285 Lark Street, Albany, NY 12210

This handsome brick brownstone has stood its ground on Lark Street for generations, an anchor in the heart of Center Square, arguably Albany’s most beloved neighborhood. Inside are three generous flats (+1,000 square feet) with rich architectural details and oversized windows that fill every room with natural light. Each unit has its own gas fireplace.

The central atrium sounds intriguing, although the photo in the listing doesn’t do it justice. Washington Park, the shops and restaurants of Lark Street, Albany Med, and more are all within easy walking distance. This is a neighborhood where people put down roots and stay. Don’t forget that downtown Albany is poised on the brink of funding spree c/o NYS — it’s a good time to invest in the area. So, if you're looking for a well-built building in a historic neighborhood that people have loved for generations, then this just may be the place.

The deets: 6 bd, 5 ba, 5196 sf. Asking: $449,900. Days on market: 5. See the full listing here.

Note: Our expansive weekend roundup publishes on Thursdays. Watch your inboxes!

WEDNESDAY

🍀 St. Patrick's Day Celebration at Empire State Plaza features music from Foil in the Muck and performances by Bethlehem Traditional Irish Dance.

🧙‍♂️ Wizard Burger and No Fun team up for their annual extravaganza known as Wizard Fest. Think metal shows, raves, movie screenings, the Merciless Metal Market on Saturday, and even pie for Pi Day from Mister Burns. All week.

📚️ Play Hollow’s Grown Up Book Club launches on Wednesday.

THURSDAY

🎪 The MVP Arena hosts at the Greatest Show on Earth as the circus comes to Albany, courtesy of Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey. Through Sunday.

🌞 Interested in energy policy and how decisions are made in this sector? Get to the free Albany Regional Energy Symposium.

🖼️ Get to UAlbany’s University Art Museum for a lively conversation between exhibiting artist Noel W Anderson and Cara Manes, associate curator at NYC’s Museum of Modern Art.

FRIDAY

🍀 As the title suggests, Kevin McKrell’s Final Saint Patrick’s Celebration at Cohoes Music Hall may be one of the very last times you’ll get to sing along with the Celtic legend on Saint Pat’s (although he is appearing at Caffe Lena on Sunday as well).

SATURDAY

🕹️ The Egg’s Open House is back! A free, full building party with arcade games, movie screenings, Typhoid Mary performance, Paper Moon zine/comic book pop-up and more! Not to be missed!

🛶 Formerly known as the Adirondack Sports Summer Expo, the newly renamed Upstate Sports Summer Expo returns to the Saratoga Springs City Center this weekend.

🍺 The Saratoga LepraCON Pub Crawl kicks off at 1 pm and stops at no fewer than 11 downtown venues. Albany has its own St. Patrick’s Day Bar Crawl.

🍁 Get to Indian Ladder Farms for its annual Maple Fest and enjoy maple syrup beverages and treats, live music, demos, and more.

🎻 Dive into vibrant melodies and rhythms that celebrate the diverse Sounds of the Americas live and in person, at Union College.

🥾 Meet other trail enthusiasts at the Adirondack Rail Trail Association’s Winter Rail Trail Rally & Raffle in Saranac Lake.

🧘‍♂️ Pins & Pilates at Nine Pin is focused on strength, mobility, and mindful movement. 12oz cider included!

🍀 Have you checked out OK Social in Valatie yet? If not, get there for Celtic rockers Hair of the Dog for their St. Patrick’s Day performance.

🖼️ The Arkell Museum and Canajoharie Library puts on its free Spring Reception this Saturday. Enjoy a glass of prosecco and light bites while taking in the new exhibitions.

SUNDAY

🍽️ Glens Falls Restaurant Week kicks off on Sunday featuring prix fixe menus of $25/$35/$45 at some of the best spots in town.

🧘‍♂️ Been meaning to check out the new Grand Margaritas? Their Mats & Margs Pilates brunch is an excellent introduction to this buzzy Mexican joint.

🍪 The Kiss Me, I'm Irish Cookie Class with Sweet Dee’s Pâtisserie at Wolf Hollow Brewing Company will teach you how to decorate 5 different sugar cookie designs, step by step.

🎸 Listening to Celtic roots trailblazer Kevin McKrell at Caffe Lena would be an awesome way to wind down St. Patrick’s Day weekend.

ART ON VIEW

Our music listings are now published separately on The 518 website. Click here.

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