Shows
Cider Chat458: Sodo Sidriné and the Rise of Lithuanian Craft Cider Donatas Genys didn’t set out to launch Lithuania’s first keeved cider. But after trips to England and Normandy, years of experimentation, and the planting of over 6,000 cider apple trees, that’s exactly what he’s doing. At Sodo Sidriné, located just a few kilometers from the city of Kaunus, Donatas is into a whole new era for cider Lithuania’s cider revival Donatas Genys Cider Culture and Baltic Roots Lithuania has deep agricultural roots, but apple trees which at many of the homes are desired more for eating or making apple wine while vodka and be...
2025-05-0756 min
Cider Chat442: Bob Cork: 40 Years in Cider | Shepton Mallet, EnglandBob Cork’s Cider Career Bob Cork Bob Cork has 40 years of experience in cider making, starting in 1980. Initially an apprentice engineer, he transitioned to cider making, thanks to his engineering background. He now works as a cider-making consultant, still contributing to the legacy of Showering Cider Mill. The Evolution of Showering Cider Mill and Babycham Entrance to Showering Mill Showering Cider Mill, made an undeniable mark for a perry called Babycham. The mill has evolved over the years, modernizing its equipment while maintaining traditional cider-making techniques. During the production of Babycham, horizontal tanks for producing th...
2025-01-151h 05
Cider Chat429: Cider Tour Recap France 2024 Find Highlights & Tips in This French Cider Tour Recap! The 2024 cider tour to Paris, Normandy, Brittany and Domfrontais was an absolute success! With guest from the United States, Canada and Hungary the makers in France did a knock out job introducing everyone to the tastes, sights, sounds and people in the region. This tour is curated and led by Ria Windcaller, the producer and host of Cider Chat Hear from the guests on the tour and they share their personal highlights, insights and experiences along the cider trail. Blending Cider with...
2024-10-1656 min
Cider Chat417: Bittersweet Goodbye: The Closure of the New England Apple Association Celebrating an Agricultural Legacy and the New England Apple Association The New England Apple Association (NEAA), a venerable institution supporting apple growers across the New England states, will be closing its doors at the end of this fiscal year on June 30, 2024. This announcement, delivered by the NEAA's Executive Director, Russell Steven Powell, marks the end of an 89-year legacy dedicated to promoting and supporting the region’s apple industry. Hear Powell on Episode 245 present Apples of New England to the Amherst Historical society: a companion YouTube video of this informative presentation The Hi...
2024-06-1249 min
Cider ChatSave Your Back! Mechanical Harvesting of ApplesSmall, Medium and Large Scale options for Mechanical Harvesting of Apples Cornell University Associate Professor of Horticulture Gregory Peck Ph.D and Angry Orchard Head Cidermaker Joe Gaynor provide an in depth study of mechanical tools for orchards of all sizes. The presentation took place at CiderCon2023. No need to be an orchardist to enjoy this topic on mechanical harvesting of apples. Some of these same tools presented are also used in vineyards for harvesting grapes. Particularly interesting for cider fans and makers alike, is the debunking the myth that apples...
2023-06-1459 min
Cider ChatInnovative Ciders of Domaine Marois | FranceAntoine Marois is Tantalizing the Taste Buds of Cider Fans On a sloping hill on the east side of the picturesque village of Cambremer sits Domaine Marois. The lead up to the home is formidable with a long drive that leads to the barrel room and production facility for the Domaine. Behind the home is a majestic oak tree said to be over 300 years old. Antoine Marois in the barrel room at the Domaine It is here that Antoine and wife Marie Marois reside. Marie is a cider maker in her own right...
2023-05-3151 min
Cider ChatGet Out of Jail Free Card w/CiderWeed, to Jail, and Freed by Cider There are so many title options for this episode, that all center around time spent in jail for one burgeoning cidermaker. "Busted Weed Grower Saved by Cider", was one that almost made the cut. But this podcaster wanted to find something uplifting for Sean McFarland who was a cannabis grower ,who did get busted and was from all accounts able to survive prison life due to support from his family and a new found passion for all things cider. This tale has all the predicable twists and turns one would e...
2023-05-0357 min
Cider Chat363: Exploring Cider Using 33 Books Flavor WheelThe Founder behind 33 Books Company Dave Selden created 33 Books to help all of us track our favorite and not so favorite beverages! He is a graphic designer by trade, but soon found himself making tasting note books as a hobby which soon became a full time print business. The design of the note book for Cider called 33 Mugs of Cider provides an easy to follow script that one can refer back to again and again. In this Chat Dave and Cider Chat MC Ria Windcaller taste and make notes...
2023-04-051h 02
Cider Chat359: Vala's Cider for their 300,000 Annual Visitors | NebraskaThe Vala Family's Business Model Tim Vala had a vision over 39 years ago to build a destination for family fun. It started with a Upick strawberry patch that grew into a pumpking patch, orchard. It then evolved into kid friendly rides and food stands. Vala's Pumpking Patch and Orchard is located to the southwest of Omaha and draws over 300,000 visitor per year during the months of September and October. The rest of the season it is closed so that workers can take care of the property, orchards, pumpkin patches and rides...and of course get ready for...
2023-03-0855 min
Cider Chat358: Apple History, Terroir and Cider of New York | CiderCon 2023Newtown Pippin, Northern Spy and Esopus Spitzenberg apples and cider in New York A pre-recorded seminar from CiderCon 2023 with 3 influential panelist based in New York. [caption id="attachment_8097" align="aligncenter" width="200"] (l to r) Greg, Elizabeth, Ian, Ria[/caption] Hear from: Elizabeth Ryan a Hudson Valley resident and owner of six historic farms, three of which are orchards. Gregory Peck PhD is a renowned pomologist and professor at Cornell University. Ian Merwin PhD is a lifetime farmer and cider maker who has been growing apples and making cider since 1985. In this...
2023-03-011h 02
Cider Chat357: Purchase Cider Online | Press Then PressMeet the Storie and Erik of Press Then Press Storie Madrid first connected with Ria at Cider Chat via Twitter. In this niche market it is easy to get close to people of similar interests and passions. Storie has recently found out that she was gluten intolerant and was jumping down into the cider rabbit hole! Husband Erik was a craft beer fan who didn't need much convincing to get on the cider bus and join the fun. In 2018 Storie accompanied Ria on the first ever Totally Cider Tour to Normandy, France. In 2019, she and Erik went on the...
2023-02-2251 min
Cider ChatHolistic Fruit Growers Roundtable | Maine Apple CampDiscover Holistic Growing Practices Enjoy this roundtable discussion moderated by Glen Koehler with 4 holistic practitioners. This roundtable was recorded at Maine Apple Camp 2022. Holistic Panelist Eric Shatt - Redbyrd Cider Biodynamic Orchard in New York Kevin Clark - Rose Hill Farm, New York Jason Maanka - Know your Roots, New York Laura Seiger - Maine Heritage Orchard (l to R) Glen, Jason, Eric, Laura, Kevin This talk was recorded at Maine Apple Camp. Maine Apple Camp is held biannually. The next camp will take place in 2024. It is...
2023-02-1559 min
Cider Chat355: CiderCon Recap and Awards 2023Chicago Cider Week, Cider Tours, Interviews, Awards and Cider Summit The week of January 30th - February 4th was packed with cider related events all based in Chicago. CiderCon, the annual conference hosted by the American Cider Association kicked off on Tuesday the 31st with Cider Tours. In this chat Ria took two tours: the Bronzeville Tour in the morning and the Historic Tavern Tour in the afternoon. On Wednesday the 1st of February workshops began and Ria interviewed upcoming guests on Cider Chat! Later that same day the Cider Share is held...
2023-02-0846 min
Cider ChatApple Historian John Bunker Q&A | Maine Apple CampPreservation Tips from an Apple Historian John Bunker is a self identified Apple Historian and an Apple Detective, Author of numerous books on the topic of Apples and Founder of FEDCO Trees. In the previous podcast episode #352 John delivers an overview on the Successes and Challenges of the Maine Heritage Orchard over the past 10 years. This episode 353 is the Q&A that followed that address. Typically, it would be recommend that you listen to episode 352 before delving into the Q&A, but even out of sequence one will find John's witty and insightful comments on a range of apple...
2023-01-2558 min
Cider ChatApples in Gravel? Maine Heritage Orchard | Part 1John Bunker on Maine Heritage Orchard: Successes and Challenges over the First Ten Years This is Part 1 with John Bunker, who is both an author, Founder of FEDCO Trees, an Apple Historian and a key person behind the Maine Heritage Orchard. In this recording her the full presentation from John as recorded at Maine Apple Camp in August of 2022. John Bunker speaking at Maine Apple Camp Bunker's 7 Point Strategy to Seek out Apples John Bunker moved to Maine when he was 21 years old and immediately fell for the state and collecting apples. In t...
2023-01-181h 05
Cider ChatHigh Desert Apples | Calico Cidery, CAEverything is Right Side Up at Calico The logo of Calico Cidery might be an upside down apple drawn to look like an apple tree, but the setting, the people, orchard and the cider is all right side up and slamming it! Located in the high desert region of San Diego to the east of the county is a lone road that brings you up to Julian California which is a bustling apple town. Calico sits at 38oo feet while Julian is up at 4200 feet, making it a high desert region where apples and the people are...
2022-12-071h 04
Cider Chat345: Co-Fermenting Cider & Beer | Four Phantoms Brewery, MAFour Phantoms Looks to Historical Co-Ferments Head Brewer and owner Drew Phillips of Four Phantoms Brewery in Greenfield Massachusetts spoke on Folks Traditions and the Co-Fermentation of Wort and Apple Juice and the brewery's co-ferment called Old Gods (8.0%). There were two talks on the subject, with the first being November 3rd and the second on November 6th as part of CiderDays 2.0 compilation of events. This episode is from the November 6th presentation. Drew is no stranger to fermenting having spent time brewing first in Oregon and then as Head Cidermaker at Artifact Cider...
2022-11-2348 min
Cider Chat341: Going to CiderDays 2.0 | Tip of the Glass Part 1Going to CiderDays 2.0 | Part 1 This year 2022 is the reboot of America's oldest educational and festive cider event dubbed this year as CiderDays 2.0 and this episode we tip the glass to those who are helping make it happen and find out what they are doing on November 4th-6th. In this episode meet the CiderDays 2.0 Sponsors Ryan and Casey Liquors Ryan and Casey Liquors 1998 Artifact Cider Project New Salem Cider Berkshire Cider Project Scott Farm The Brewery at Four Star Farms Beaver Pond Distillery Brook Farm Orchard CiderDays 2.0 Schedule page Big #1 Tip is to BOOKMARK this p...
2022-10-1948 min
Cider ChatEric Bordelet on Pairing Cider with FoodHow to Pair Cider with Food "One must taste, taste, taste to know." say maker Eric Bordelet when pairing food with cider. Yes, it is not as simple as seeing the menu, but also knowing how both the Chefs in the kitchen and the Maker in the cidery work with their ingredients at hand. In this Episode The French Cider Tour of 2022 was treated to a fine Michelin Star dinner with Eric Bordelet and it did not disappoint. Eric decided to discuss his three products before dinner was served. That evening...
2022-10-1240 min
Cider ChatLaird's Apple Distilling History 1698 - 2022 | Part 1America's Oldest Distillery is Laird's & Company Lisa Laird Dunn and Cider Chat MC Ria Windcaller had a sit down chat at the main offices of Laird's & Company in Scobyville, New Jersey. They met in what was once the Laird's family's home ( a couple generations ago), but which is now the main headquarters for the company. Lisa is a the 9th generation Laird, her son Gerard who you can hear on Part 2 of this two part series and now working on site is a 10th generation Laird. Lisa's father Larrie Laird, who is an 8th generation Laird, will be...
2022-08-241h 05
Cider ChatCider Heroine Judith Maloney | West County Cider, MACiderDays 2.0 Cider Dinner on November 5, 2022 with 6 outstanding women producers from the east coast at the Hawks and Reed Performing Art Center in Greenfield, Massashusetts. Dine with Judith Maloney of West County Cider (MA), Lisa Laird Dunn of Lairds & Company (NJ), Louisa Spencer of Farnum Hill Cider & Poverty Lane Orchard (NH) , Eleanor Leger of Eden Specialty Ciders (VT), Nicole Blum of Carrs Ciderhouse & Preservation Orchard and Farm (MA), and Anne Garwood Hampp of Ragged Hill Cider (MA). Sing up now to receive notification to your in box on CiderDays 2.0 schedule of events and early ticket release dates and links.
2022-07-2756 min
Cider ChatCider Styles with Eric BordeletFrench Cider Tour with Eric Bordelet Reservations for the Normandy and Brittany Cider Tour have been extended to June 15, 2022. Find the trip itinerary and reservation link at https://ciderchat.com/france-cider-tour At the Cidery with Eric Bordelet In this episode we hear about techniques and classifications of cider made by the well known French cidermaker Eric Bordelet, during a previous French Cider Tour in 2018. Eric Bordelet t-shirt w:Didier Dagueneau on Front This chat takes off with Eric talking about the difference between apples and pears and that it is critical to watch t...
2022-05-2535 min
Cider ChatManoir de Montreuil | 13 Generations in CiderDomaine du Manoir de Montreuil with Patrice Giard In this episode: Patrice Giard recorded during the Totally Cider Tour to Normandy France in September 2018. The upcoming 2022 French Cider Tour will be making a stop at this ciderie. Patrice is a 13th generation cidermaker at this family farm. Patrice, his wife and his daughter are running the farm. His daughter’s focus is on milk production with Patrice focusing on the cider production. The trees in the orchard that we were walking in were planted in 1996. In the tasting room Patrice Giard Some of th...
2022-05-0436 min
Cider ChatHow a "Cyder" Teapot fueled the American RevolutionCider’s back story behind the American Revolution In the 1700s ceramic teapots were the political bumper stickers of the day! In this episode we hear about the Cyder Act teapot that the Museum of the American Revolution located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania has just acquired. The museum’s Curator of Collections, Mark Turdo, tells us how the British based uprisings against the over reaching Cyder Act played a pivotal role in the American Revolution – in that they help to teach American how to protest! Placing your dissent on teapots was an obvious protest and that is exactly what the Cyder P...
2022-04-2756 min
Cider ChatCelebrating New Zealander Alex Peckham | 1962-2022Alex Peckham New Zealand's Premier Cidermaker With wit and charm and dashing good looks Alex Peckham charmed all who had the pleasure of meeting him. The fact that he produced exemplary ciders was merely a side bonus. I met Alex for the first and only time in Baltimore Maryland in 2018. We were both attending that American Cider Association's annual trade conference CiderCon. I posted that episode in Season 3 of Cider Chat on episode 139. Since that time, Peckhams has continued to expand its cider offerings in both bottles and cans. It is a must have brand from this beautiful region...
2022-04-201h 12
Cider Chat300: Strange Apples - Make Them POP!Episode 300 and the song "Strange Apples" In this episode we celebrate the 300th episode of Cider Chat and release a new cider song titled Strange Apples! This song is one part poking fun at ourselves as cidermakers and enthusiasts for all things cider. I began writing this song one night while sitting along on a sailboat in the Santa Cruz Harbor in Santa Cruz California in August of 2021. I was in town taking care of family (my mom) and had a couple hours to myself, so I squirreled away on my brother's boat with the intention to put to s...
2021-12-0859 min
Cider Chat296: Bauman's |Oregon's Destination Farm CideryWho is Bauman Cider Christine Walter is the cidermaker and visionary of Bauman's Cider. She grew up on an apple farm in Oregon runned by her family. As she tells it, Angry Orchard's "Crisp" was the first cider she ever tasted and it was a wake up moment that helped her realize that her family could ferment and sell cider too. Christine Walter Bauman's is a destination farm these days with a farm stand and events taking place year round. It has a deli, coffee shop, bakery, garden center, country store and now a...
2021-11-101h 00
Cider ChatWestern Cider | Missoula, MontanaWho is Western Cider Texans Michael Billingsley and Matthew LaRubbio are childhood friends who now both live in Montana and founded Western Cider in 2010. The cidery is based in Missoula and has an indoor and outdoor tasting room alongside the Clark Fork River. Michael credits his love for Montana to the television series Lonesome Dove which he describes as an "epic journey of two Texas Rangers who head up to Montana to start a cattle ranch". He fell for Montana via that tv series, moved up and hasn’t left. In 2012 he planted an orchard which now has over 50 vari...
2021-11-031h 10
Cider ChatThe Century Farm of Ploughman CiderWho is Ploughman Cider Ploughman Cider is based in Wenksville Pennsylvania on a family farm owned by the Wenks Family for the past 100 years. The farm is called Three Springs and it is exactly 1.5 miles from the ancestral farm that started back in 1818 when the first Wenk arrived from Switzerland. Dave Wenk The farm today has dedicated 6 acres to cider specific varieties. In addition the family grow other fruit trees for the fresh fruit market. The farm itself is managed by David Wenk who begins the episode with telling the back story of...
2021-10-0654 min
Cider ChatPublican Perfection at Tattiebogle Ciderworks | PennsylvaniaThe Publican at Tattiebogle CiderWorks Cidermaker Curt Henry has been envisioning a future cidery in Acme Pennsylvania overlooking the lowland valley in southwestern portion of this commonwealth for years. In 2017 he had already planted a cider orchard on the site and this year the tasting room at Tattiebogle opened to the public. As Curt says, "This isn't my first rodeo (read: running a successful enterprise)" and it shows as this modern and traditional cidery continues to grow with big plans for expansion in the coming year. Not everyone can embody the role of a Publican, b...
2021-09-291h 04
Cider ChatCider Chat | Cider's Media Part 4Who is Cider Chat? In Part 4 of this series on Cider's Media it is time to talk about Cider Chat - the podcast that is hosting this series! As you listen to this episode you will hear Ria discussing and reading from her interview for RealBrew a magazine that features Cider in one issue per year. Note RealBrew publishes their hard copy magazine 6 times per year. The heading of the interview is: Cider Chat - A Touch of Experience The story about one of the most famous talk projects dedicated to cider.
2021-08-1858 min
Cider ChatCider Fueled Road Trip to NY and PACider Fueled Road Trip Day 1 This episode begins on a road trip to New York state, specifically the west side of the Hudson River to Stone Ridge Orchards one of the three farms that is under the umbrella of Hudson Valley Farmhouse Cider. The other two orchards are Breezy Hill, on the east side of the Hudson River and Drumlin located in Milton, NY, on the west side of the Hudson River. Ted Knight greeted the cider van at the Stone Ridge farm shop, and he showed me a beautiful view of Stone Ridge Orchards and then I...
2021-07-211h 05
Cider ChatThe Cidermaker's Fuzzy SlippersGrab the slippers, the house is on fire! In February of 2021, Nicole and Felix Todd had a chimney fire at the their home and the damage done made it unlivable. Having a fire even in the best of times is an ordeal, but during a pandemic is a whole other ball of wax. Felix ran out of the house in his socks, because fires are that scary and when it is raining embers you don't have time to lace up your boots. Which is why he ended up wearing a pair of slippers that evening after the Cal Firefighters...
2021-07-1437 min
Cider ChatApology to the Billionaire CidermakerAn Apology? By a Cider Judge Busted! I am the cider judge who has been holding onto a memory from nearly 20 years ago. At that time there were very few commercial makers of cider and in turn there were very few entries into competitions. The apology stems from my time back then when I was one of the rare cider judges here in the states, thinking I knew something about cider. Looking back now I keep repeating the same phrase - "I wish I knew then, What I know now... about cider." The competition was...
2021-07-0737 min
Cider ChatBlend Cider and Build an Orchestra | Ask Ryan 2021Blend Cider is Like Building an Orchestra Ryan Monkman of FieldBird Cider in Ontario has helped Ria sort through the process of getting cider that has been conditon for over two years into the bottle! Now that we have learned how to make sure the cider is completely fermented, know the exact amount of sugar remaining in the cider and have done the math to determine how much sugar and what kind of yeast to add at the time of bottling to produce sparkling cider it is time to blend or not? Ryan and Nicole...
2021-05-1243 min
Cider ChatCidermaker Tips to Avoid Bottle Bombs | Ask Ryan 2021Bottle Safely to Avoid Bottle Bombs If like me you grew up in a house where your parents made homemade everything, chances are they also dabbled in making homemade soda, wine, beer, and cider. Mine sure did and I still recall hearing the popping of root beer bottles in the root cellar. Thankfully, we did have a separate room where the exploding glass bottles only left a mess and didn't hurt anyone else around. Bottle Bombs are dangerous and are caused by fermenting sugar over carbonating a bottle that can't withstand the pressure. Measure Sugar Content before Bottling
2021-04-2836 min
Cider ChatFermenting with Quince | A Panel Discussion w/MakersFermenting with Quince Was Aphrodite’s Forbidden Fruit a quince or the apple? She's not talking, but cidermakers are in this panel discussion on “Fermenting with Quince” that was recorded for CiderCon2021. Quince a.k.a. Cydonia oblonga is the sole member of the genus Cydonia in the family Rosaceae. Quince is a ‘pomme’ fruit with the likes of apples, pears, and medlars. This golden Pomme is having a renaissance of sorts with makers partly due to it aromatic qualities and tannins. Kim Hamblin and Dan Rinke of Art + Science in Oregon, Steve Selin of S...
2021-04-071h 05
Cider ChatRagged Hill Design| Building a Cidery Part 4Ragged Hill Cidery since 2017 Steve Garwood is the Head Cidermaker at Ragged Hill Cidery. He and his daughter Anne Garwood Hampp who manages Sales and Marketing and orchardist Keith Arsenault form the Ragged Hill Cider Company in West Brookfield, Massachusetts. Keith began planting the orchard back in 1984. Find Apple Varieties at Ragged Hill Orchard on their page at New England Apple Association There are 15 acres of apples which are all dwarf tree (predominantly) and they are trellised. Anne Garwood Hampp, Louise and Steve Garwood. Photo taken in November 2020 Building Out Ragged Hill Apples tr...
2021-02-0341 min
Cider ChatBecoming PomonaBecoming Pomona was recorded at the 25th Franklin County CiderDays in November of 2019. The goal of this pomona panel discussion was to share personal stories on the inspirational effect of CiderDays on women in the cider industry, specifically the following women: CiderDays co-founder Judith Maloney of West County Cider. Judith was crowned Queen Pomona the night prior to this panel discussion Judith Maloney | West County Cider Autumn Stoscheck - Eve's Cidery Autumn Stoscheck, Even's Cidery Ria Windcaller - Cider Chat & Totally Cider Tours Ria at Bulk Cider April Woodard...
2020-11-111h 02
Cider ChatHow to Bottle Cider at HomeHow to Bottle Cider at Home is Part 6 and the final episode of the Cidermaker Series "Oh September" for 2020 Learn How to Make Cider at Home in Part 1 of this Cidermaking Series. Part 5 To Rack or Not To Rack is a must listen too because it brings you through the conditioning of your cider before bottling. Now lets get into the basic of bottling cider at home! When to bottle When the Specific Gravity is at least 1.000 or lower. What is Specific Gravity (SG)? Specific Gravity is always discussed as a...
2020-09-3032 min
Cider Chat238: Cidermaking Chemistry | Pt 3This is Part 3 featuring chemistry safety tips for cidermakers! Part 1 - How to Make Cider at home, provides a recipe for making a 1 gallon jug of cider Part 2 - Makers Tips for Growth and Cleanliness was the first part of a conversation with the Cider Team at Stormalong Cider in Leominster, Massachusetts. Stormalong Head Cidermaker, Ben Robert-Sano begins with an overview of these 3 components to and then Stormalong Operations Manager Bright McConnell discusses recommended sanitizers to use in cidermaking. [caption id="attachment_5428" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Shannon, Bright, and Ben o...
2020-09-0926 min
Cider ChatMaker Tips for Growth & CleanlinessStormalong Cider scaled up their operations in 2017 when they moved from their cozy barn centered cidery to a shared production facility in Leominster in Massachusetts. We begin with considerations for growth of a cidery and then begin a dive deep into the production side of making cider with a specific focus on cleaning. Featuring Stormalong owner, Shannon Edgar, Head Cidermaker Ben Roberts-Sano and Operation Manager Bright McConnell. [ Shannon, Bright, and Ben of Stormalong What is sanitary/cleanable what is clean in place? Materials that touch cider must be made...
2020-09-0248 min
Cider ChatMaxim Brecht | Russian Maker Part 4Maxim Brecht didn't grow up thinking he wanted to become a cidermaker. Cider in Russia is barely known. Maxim says, "People think of cider as being very acetic and dry." Maxim Brecht His path towards cider began when he saw the surplus of apples in the country. He had heard the word cider and thus started researching online, which led him to taking a cidermaking course in England, by Peter Mitchell. His time in England made him a fan of English ciders. Today, he is planting orchards and making three kinds of ciders...
2020-08-1933 min
Cider Chat"OMG" Russian Cider | Part 2OMG and the story of two sommeliers! Meet Olga and Micheal Efremov are Russian Sommeliers with two cider brands, OMG and Incider. Michael and Olga Efremov They are based outside of Moscow in a small town, but close enough to work with restaurants in the city. Micheal is the cidermaker and Olga, the educator, leading tasting workshops. During this chat recorded in February of 2020 at Cidrexpo, Olga discussed the apple variety known as "Antonovka". She says it is difficult to make a single varietal cider from this apple because...
2020-08-0542 min
Cider ChatTerroir Spotlight | western Massachusetts New England was the Plymouth Rock of cider in the US for the colonist and western Massachusetts is the launch pad of the modern day US cider market. It was here in 1984 that West County Cider and The Maloney family rekindled America’s love affair with cider. Thirty Six years forward to 2020, provides a perfect time to explore the terroir of cider in western Massachusetts with Field Maloney, Soham Bhatt of Artifact Cider, and Steve Gougeon of Bear Swamp Orchard, Cider and Distillery and Steve Garwood of Ragged Hill Cider. This Tasting and Talk was moderated by Ria...
2020-05-271h 08
Cider Chat215: Andy Hallett of Hallet Cider | UKJoin the Talking Pommes and I, as we "Flip the bird" to the Coronavirus! Yes, "feck off" to the virus by signing up now for the upcoming England Cider Tour September 1-6, 2020. 215: Andy Hallett of Hallet Cider | UK Andy Hallett says he choose to become a cidermaker, once he retired from a career as a Mechanical Engineer. As he puts it, it was a choice of creating a lifestyle that he wanted to live, but that would be denying all the roads that led him to cidermaking. Andy Hallett For the m...
2020-03-1847 min
Cider ChatCalvados and Apple Brandy TastingThe tables are set with 6 stemmed glasses per person, each holding a tasting of Calvados or American Apple Brandy. There are over 60 settings. It is a sold out night. At 6:30 pm, the house lights are lowered and it is ready-set-go! On this 1st of November we are here to taste brandy and find out the difference between Calvados and Apple Brandy, and believe me there is a very wide difference between these two spirits. The event is is the kick off to the 25th Annual Franklin County CiderDays. I have asked Ambrosia Borowski to present...
2020-01-151h 08
Cider Chat204: Steve Selin |South Hill Cider, NYEvery Tuesday, when Steve was growing up, his Dad would be out that evening drinking cider with friends at the Cider Cellar, at the farm outside of Buffalo. That memory is his first on cider. Years later this professional musician and self taught cidermaker merged his love of the Finger Lakes and quality craftsmanship into South Hill Cider. In 2019, the brand new Tasting Room and Production facility for South Hill was opened. This new site provides a lovely setting to taste the large selection of South Hill Ciders and for Steve to manage his orchard that is just outside...
2019-12-111h 00
Cider ChatBecoming a Pomologist w/ Dr. PeckGregory M. Peck of the School of Integrative Plant Science, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York is the featured guest on episode 198. Greg in Peck lab Greg’s chat begins at 21:00 minutes into episode 198. Before Greg’s feature I am reminded by @e_of_blandings That now is the time to pick Medlars. If you have a photo of a medlar please send them my way to ria@ciderchat.com and I will in turn post the photos on Cider Chat’s social media, so we can al...
2019-10-231h 04
Cider Chat195: Fly Be Night Cider | 0% Sh**, UKLook close into the label and you will see, words of wisdom, fun and glee! ...There are no surprises, just a straight up fact - this cider contains - 0% Shit Episode 195 features a chat with John Michael Leslie Edwards, the maker/owner at Fly Be Night Cider, in the United Kingdom. John is also the cidermaker at Ross Cider and Perry Company also in the UK and has been working at their Broome Farm orchard based in Ross on Wye in Herefordshire for the past 20 years. John the cider maker In t...
2019-10-0238 min
Cider ChatLondon Got CiderHere is the first dispatch from the United Kingdom, specifically London where my journey began. “The Talking Pommes” (The Medlars, Mr. Quince, Perry Pear) and I arrived at Heathrow and went our separate ways. The Pommes headed off to Buckingham Castle to meet the Queen and I headed east to London to meet with Felix Nash. Felix is the owner of Fine Cider based in London. This business is called "cider merchant" in the UK or what would be called a distributor in the US. He has just finished a book called “Fine Cider” and it will...
2019-09-0548 min
Cider ChatCider Revitalizes 1750 Colonial Orchard | MassachusettsIn 1968, Carol B. Hillman bought a colonial era estate that overlooked the Quabbin Reservoir, Boston's water source, in New Salem, Massachusetts. Originally attracted to the home onsite which is a classic colonial style home with a fire place in every room and a large hearth for cooking, she and her husband set to task to renovating the home to its full glory. At the same time, she also began bringing the 2 orchards back. Carol B. Hillman serving cider The two orchards named "Lawerence and Clara" after Carol's first grandchildren a...
2019-08-2157 min
Cider ChatPut Cider in the Penny | SILO Distillery, VTPut Cider in the Penny was recorded at SILO Distillery in Windsor, Vermont in August of 2019. I had been wanting to catch up with Nicole LeGrande Leibon, every since she moved on from making cider at Farnum Hill Cider in Lebanon, New Hampshire. She arrived at SILO to make cider in late 2018. She quickly got SILO set up with a Semi dry cider (sold in cans) and a Bourbon Barrel Aged cider (sold in 750ml bottles). In additon to her role as cidermaker, she has also stepped into the role of assistant distiller under Erin B...
2019-08-071h 01
Cider ChatCider & Wine Safari w/Randall Grahm at PopelouchumCiderville News kicks off this episode 188 Two New Cider Zines We begin with an overview of Graftwood and Full Juice, two new cider zines out of UK. Graftwood is a subscription based quarterly whereas Full Juice is a free grab and gone available only in the UK. Both are worthy reads and a great sign of #ciderGoingUP. New England Cider Tour October 31, 2019 One day cider tour launches from Greenfield, Massachusetts and heads north to Vermont and New Hampshire before returning back to Greenfield, Send an email to ria@ciderchat.com to get on...
2019-07-241h 03
Cider ChatJudging Best in Show | BigE 2019The feature on cider judging in this week’s episode begins at 9:43 minutes. The 7th annual BigE Cider and Perry competition took place on June 8, 2019. There were 6 cider judges and this episode features the judging of the Best in Show. Cider Panel A Ria Windcaller Mike Shay Tim Post Cider Panel B Ben Watson Mark Gryska Michelle Pagano Write up on Judges https://www.thebige.com/p/competitions/food--beverage/cider/cider-and-perry-competition-judges Ria’s Cider Judging Summary Decide beforehand “The protocol?” is everyone in agreement to that p...
2019-06-1252 min
Cider Chat179: Southern Apples | James Creek Cider House, North Carolina Tasty Southern Ciders at James Creek A cider dinner recording from CiderCon2019 in Chicago with Ann Marie and David Thornton of James Creek Cider House in Cameron, North Carolina. The main featured chat begins at 17 minutes into this chat. Before this main feature hear an email from a Russian cidermaker, helping us learn a bit more about the cider culture in this region of the world. Maxim contacted me when he became a patron of Cider Chat via the Cider Chat Patreon page. The Journey to James Creek Cider House Ann Marie and Dav...
2019-05-081h 02
Cider ChatGiard | 13 Generations of Cider, FR177: Giard | 13 Generations of Cider, FR Domaine du Manoir de Montreuil with Patrice Giard In this episode: Patrice Giard recorded during the Totally Cider Tour to Normandy France in September 2018. Patrice is a 13th generation cidermaker at this family farm. Patrice, his wife and his daughter are running the farm. His daughter’s focus is on milk production with Patrice focusing on the cider production. The trees in the orchard that we were walking in were planted in 1996. Variety of Apples tasted during this recording Domaine du Calvados also known as De Clou Bis...
2019-04-2453 min
Cider ChatCider Chat Live | Lift off CiderCon2019166 Cider Chat Live | Life off CiderCon2019 I was able to squeak in a mini episode before setting off to Chicago for the annual cider trade conference “CiderCon” hosted by the United States Association of Cider Makers. I’ve been talking a lot about CiderCon leading up to this week of February 4-9, 2019. With 1000 people attending from all parts of the world, it is the Talk of the Town - for those of us who are hooked on all things cider. Below is my schedule of recordings - I have a pretty simple set up to...
2019-02-0612 min
Cider ChatJourney to the World's Largest Apple Tree | KazakhstanIn this episode author of "The New Cider Makers Handbook" Claude Jolicoeur presents an overview of his trip to Kazakhstan in August of 2017. This presentation was recorded at the 24th Annual Franklin County CiderDays on November 3, 2018. Claude had a power point of slides from this trip, but do note that his descriptions fill in the void of not being able to see the photos. We begin in the Tian Shan Mountains of Kazakhstan. Locations: Lee-Alatau National Park Almaty to Sarkand was a 5 hour drive. Claude states that one of...
2018-11-071h 03
Cider ChatCider Tour 2018 Netherlands | CCLIVECider Touring 2018 Netherlands | CCLive Mini clips of travels and tips while in Amsterdam in September. Anne Frank's house A visit to Apples en Peren in Amsterdam Then on to the Vondelpark to visit the Medlar tree Medlars have crowns Bicycling around Amsterdam I like renting from Star Bikes, located by Amsterdam Centraal. Nice location and best of all they allow you the ability to drop you bike off after hours. They might size you up and decide if you are the right fit to trust with the bike so act smart. Other rentals r...
2018-09-1919 min
Cider Chat1 Guy & 5 Girls | Sietsema Cider, MIAndy Sietsema comes from a long line of apple growers in the Grand Rapids area of Michigan. He is a fourth generation farmer and now a professional cidermaker at Sietsema Cider. Since launching the cidermaking operation in 2013, the family's cider mill and orchard runed by Andy's parents in the town of Ada has closed operations as of 2018. When news broke on the closing it swept out into the newsphere quickly, but anyone who was really listening, would not have been surprised. Farming is hard work and being an orchard based cidery can be a tough...
2018-09-1250 min
Cider ChatCidermaker of the Year 2018 - Tells AllThis is a mini version of the main podcast this week - as I am super duper busy - so I call this "Cider Chat Live" which is a mini me version of the main podcast - Subscribe to Cider Chat Live too via https://anchor.fm/ciderchat In this episode, Nathan details how he made his winning Ice Cider that launched him into the US based National Homebrew Competition that was held in Portland Oregon at the end of this past June. ******next year’s competition takes place in Rhode Island! Nathan Wil...
2018-07-0927 min
Cider ChatMedlars "Pomme Rock Stars" & Judging CiderWhat are Medlars? Medlars are pommes. It can be either a tree or a large bush. The small brown medlars are picked in the fall. Because Medlars are eaten in the winter months they were very popular at a time when fruit was not easily accessible during winter months. To Blet a Medlar, means that this pomme is allowed to over ripen to the point of almost being rotten. How to eat a Medlar Wait until the medlar provides a smell of apple and figs - this tell you that the medlar is really ripe peal off the...
2018-06-2742 min
Cider ChatThe Perry Farmer in Loré, FrancePoiré Fermier is French for Perry Farmer, which is only part of the story for the featured guest in this episode 123. Cidermaker Philippe and wife Marie-Claire Derouault also manage a herd of dairy cows who graze and laze among orchards of apples and pears on their 120 hectares (297 acres) situated in Loré, France. There are 14 Poiré producers in this region of southern Normandy and the Perry they make is known as Poiré Domfront. Here Calvados is made with a base of Poiré rather than cider. The standard is to have up to 70% Poiré in this region's Calvad...
2018-04-1156 min
Cider ChatCider Behind the Scene in Normandy, FranceFind this episode with photos and show notes and all episodes at the page for Cider Chat's podcasts. Cider enthusiast Michel Dargent hosted Ria at his home in September 2017. Monsieur Dargent is a cider aficionado, making the two night stay at his gîte (bed & breakfast) the perfect stop on Ria’s cider tour of Normandy. Listen in on this intimate conversation as we discuss the ancient pear trees in the Domfront region, blood sausage and a very special cidermaker. Monsieur Dargent made the evening dinner with all local products from a nearby farm...
2018-04-0455 min
Cider ChatTrevor Baker | Noble Cider, North CarolinaNoble Cider in Asheville, North Carolina opened in 2013 after Trevor Baker lost his job in online retail. He wasn’t a cidermaker at the time, but he and his wife Joanna both enjoyed drinking cider. After taking a cidermaking course with Peter Mitchell at WSU Mount Vernon, he delved straightaway into getting his own commercial cidery with his wife and business partner Lief Stevens. Noble was started with around 17 grand! Having a “good business plan with a good business model” says Trevor, “Helped us secure an economic development loan of $40,000." Before Noble became fully pe...
2018-03-211h 06
Cider ChatTom Oliver on Making Perry | UKReserve you spot today for the Totally Cider Tour to the UK! We will be visiting Tom Oliver an award winning cidermaker and this week's guest on Cider Chat. This cider tour begins in Bristol, UK on April 25, 2018, then after that evening's dinner at The Stable for the "Ultimate Cider" dinner we head out to tour around Somerset and then Herefordshire through May 2nd. Sign up for a trip of a lifetime and come along with Ria, the host of Cider Chat and fellow cider travels. This week's chat was recorded during Tom's presentation at CiderDays 2017.
2017-11-291h 13
Cider ChatRobby Honda | Tanuki Cider, CATotally Cider Travels - Come along with Ria of Cider Chat as we travel through Somerset and Herefordshire in the UK visiting makers and drinking cider along the way! The trip begins in Bristol, UK on wednesday April 25 and run through May 2, 2018. First dibs to go on this trip goes to the Patrons of Cider Chat. You too can join Cider Chat Patreon's page and become a Patron of Cider Chat helping to support this podcast. This trip will be posted this week on the Cider Chat Patreon page. --------------- Robby Honda owner...
2017-11-1548 min
Cider ChatCider Ignites | NY State of "Apple" MindA special listen with five New York State cidermakers, who each brought home medals from the Royal Bath and West Show cider competition in the UK! The introduction is by Sara Grady, Vice President of Programs at Glynnwood. Jennifer Smith, Executive Director of the New York Cider Association This recorded presentation showcases the ciders listed below each maker, beginning with Autumn Stoscheck. - Do note though that there were even more ciders that won awards! Each of the listed ciders where poured and presented in a straight row before each attendee. Th...
2017-11-081h 02
Cider ChatCider Ignites NYC-Part 1 | Makers & EnthusiastsIn Part 1 of "Cider Ignites NYC" we chat with New York Cidermakers and enthusiasts who are attending Hidden Stars, a cider fest held during NYC Cider Week 2017. First up is Kyle Sherrer of Graft Cider in Newburgh New York known for making wild ferment “sour” ciders (that Sidra lovers adore) more accessible to fans of cider - read: packaging in cans. Congratulations to Graft Cider for celebrating a 1 year anniversary on October 31, 2017. Next we chat with Dylan who was pouring for Naked Flock Hard Cider Experience Dylan shares the fun, background story behind the...
2017-11-0137 min
Cider ChatCider, Ètretat, & WWII | Normandy, FranceVincent Godefroy is one smart cidermaker located in Normandy France. He saw the opportunity to entice tourist visiting the nearby famous white cliffs of Ètretat to his cidery. Vincent and Marie-Clarie Godefroy have a full service cider destination offering lodging for two adults in a wooden barrel see photos at ciderchat.com The Godefroy's welcome over 5000 visitors each year to an area that is dominated by flax and rye farms. They produce over 50,000 bottles of cider each year, selling half of those bottles at their gift shop and the other half within a 30 kilometer radius of their c...
2017-10-1856 min
Cider ChatJérôme Dupont (1970-2018) Domaine Dupont | Normandy, FRThe Louis Dupont Family Estate is a 70 acre (30 hectares) orchard that was bought by selling the family's stock of calvados. In this chat I speak with Jérome Dupont the great grandson of Jules Dupont who bought Domaine Dupont with the family's calvados in 1887. Jérome and his father Etienne Dupont and his sister Anne-Pamy Dupont now run the estate. Domaine Dupont is on the Route du Cidre in the region of Normandy called Pays d'Auge. We chat on the growing cider culture in the US and France and working with wild yeast....
2017-10-111h 02
Cider ChatCider Chat Travel in Europe | NormandyIn this chat I take you along on my travels a.k.a reconnaissance for a future travel tourist trips to Normandy. This main chat begins at 12:30 minutes Before I headed to France I first made a stop in the Netherlands, specifically Amsterdam and the well love park called Vondelpark. Cider Travel Tip: Nearby Amsterdam Centraal Train station is a great bike rental shop called Star Bikes. While on the bike I found my first Medlar tree laden with fruit. The next day I flew to Paris, rented a ca...
2017-10-0447 min
Cider ChatFinger Lakes Cider House | New YorkThis episode of Cider Chat was recorded by Alex Kroh, cidermaker, roving podcast reporter and super, duper nice guy in Ciderville! This chat begins with Alex and Melissa and Garett venturing outside to the orchard and the asparagus polyculture planting just south of the cider house. They then walk east down the hill to the new dwarf orchard and talk about the differences between the two planting styles. In the second half of this chat, Alex and Garrett are in the production space below the tasting room and get into the weeds talking cidermaking technique.
2017-09-201h 18
Cider ChatEve's Cidery - Orchard Walk | New YorkGuest Podcaster and cidermaker, Alex Kroh, bring us into the orchard at Eve's Cidery. This episode 90 is Part 1 of a two-part show with the makers at this New York State cidery! Find Part 2 when it goes live next week on episode 91. Pulling up to Eve’s Cidery in the small town of Van Etten, NY, you would be forgiven for thinking your GPS is broken. There’s no indication you’re in the right place unless you happen to peer in through the barn door to spot some inconspicuous ferment ers back beyond the wooden apple bins. I don’t...
2017-08-0955 min
Cider ChatJoe Getz | Kurant Cider, PennsylvaniaKurant Cider is back on Cider Chat discussing the opening of a Tasting Room in the area of Philidelphia called Fishtown. Cider will be available to go in can and growlers at the 436 E. Girard Ave location. The production facility will remain in Perkasie, PA Kurant Cider is co owned by Joe Getz and Michael Meyers. Joe is the head cidermaker at Kurant and the Vice President of the Pennsylvania Cider Guild, the commonwealth's organizing body for cider producers and apple growers in PA. In this chat, Joe tells us...
2017-05-3155 min
Cider ChatTeddy Weber | Tin Hat Cider, VermontTin Hat cidermaker Teddy Weber is stewarding a 25 year old orchard in Waitsfield Vermont. This musician by trade got his taste for cider in the UK during his music gigs while there. He teamed up with Sue and Gib Geiger who own the orchard that Teddy has been stewarding and where this chat takes place. In this chat, Teddy and I walkabout in the orchard in Waitsfield and discuss the beginnings of Tin Hat, apple varieties, working with culinary apples for cider and culinary pears, cultured yeast vs wild yeast. His enthusiasm for apples is contagious.
2017-05-1759 min
Cider ChatMarlene Sofia Sousa Araújo |Araújo Monte, PortugalAraújo Monte, Lda is Portugal's first commercial cidery for the country that borders Spain and its million of Sidra drinking fans. Marlene Sofia Sousa Araújo whom I speak to in this chat, with the help of Anzu Fernandez as translator, was trained to be a scientist. When she and Patrícia Araújo Monte entered into a contest for entrepreneurs and decided to look at making cider as part of this project, they had no idea that they would win. With the winnings they received basic infrastructure to help launch the cidery along with help for...
2017-02-2244 min
Cider ChatAlvar Roosimaa | Jaanihanso cidery, EstoniaAlvar Roosimaa turned towards cidermaking after deciding to move out of the capital of Estonia, Tallinn. He bought a country house approximately an hour and a half to the south Tallinn with his wife Veronika. It was at this country house that the name of the cidery was found. Alvar tells the story of finding a copper tube, which is a typical container used by Estonians for holding documents, in a rubbish pile onsite. Inside this tube the original deed of the house was placed along with a colored map of the property. The farm's name was...
2017-01-1138 min
Cider ChatChuck Shelton | Albemarle Ciderworks, VirginiaPlease Help Support Cider Chat donate today. Help keep the chat thriving! Chuck Shelton of Albemarle Ciderworks & Vintage Virginia Apples weighs in on blending and single apple variety ciders and the complexity of cidermaking. This Virginia cidery is a family run business on a farm that was purchased by the Shelton Family. Today the business side of the cidery is managed by his sister Charlotte, while Chuck overseas the cider. Their brother Bill is the Nursery Manager and Bill’s daughter Anne Shelton is the General Manager. This is a142 acre farm with a 12 acre orcha...
2016-11-231h 01
Cider ChatMichelle McGrath | Executive Director, United States Association of Cider MakersMichelle McGrath is the Executive Director of the United States Association of Cider Makers, a trade association for the cider industry. In this episode she chats on the mission of the USACM, the goals for the year, the upcoming Cider Conference (CiderCon) and the Pick Cider initiative for Thanksgiving. The four core mandates of the Association Advance cider in the market Increase opportunities for peer learning Promoting a cider friendly regulatory environment Supporting the cider apple growers The USACM has over 1300 members. 95% of cidery members are making less than 500,000 gallons/year M...
2016-11-021h 05
Cider ChatCider Chat's 1-Year Anniversary EpisodeCelebrate with The Nose and I, as we chat on our fall trip to see cidermakers in the Netherlands and France and reflect over an amazing year of 52 podcasts promoting cider and perry around the world. I've posted "semi" exact times within this episode for mini clips from specific episodes, so you can scroll forward for specific chat mentions. 8:20-9:05 049: Agathe Letellier | Manoir d'Apreval, France 9:55-10:32 048: Heleen Noble & Eelco Huizinga |Appels en Peren, Amsterdam, NL 12:04 - 13:34 002: Wouter Bijl | CiderCider, Rotterdam, NL 17:04 - 17:19 004-Dave White/Nick Gunn Washington & Oregon Cidermaking T...
2016-10-2647 min
Cider ChatAgathe Letellier | Manoir d'Apreval, Normandy - FranceAre you a cider fan? Then follow this podcast on twitter @ciderchat In this chat: Agathe Letellier is making cider, pommeau and calvados at her cidery Manoir d'Apreval in Pennedepie in Normandy, France. It is a coastal cidery just south of the port town of Honfleur. She describes it as a family domain that originally has farm animals, but when she arrived at the domain 18 years ago, she took the operation full on as an cidery. Her passion and conviction towards quality products for both her cider, calvados and pommel and...
2016-10-061h 13
Cider Chat046: Going to CiderDays | Insider Tips, MassachusettsWith a bit of history on the oldest Cider Fest in the US held the 1st weekend of November. CiderDays (yes it has always been spelled as one word) was founded in 1994, by Judith and Terry Maloney or West County Cider in Colrain, Massachusetts. Listen to their son West County’s cidermaker in 001: Field Maloney | West County Cider, MA USA CiderDays is always held on the first weekend of November. For many years, it was a one day event. It took a few years, but before we knew it CiderDays became a two days and then...
2016-09-1458 min
Cider Chat045: J. Cline Ph.D. & D. Plotkowski | Pomology Cider Research, CanadaDr. John Cline and Derek Plotkowski chat on the study of pomes, i.e., Pomology and their current research on cider apples. They are based at the University of Guelph in Ontario Canada. John Cline Pomology and Cider in Ontario The Ontario Craft Cider Association approached Dr. Cline looking for access to cider varieties and to get an understanding of how they would grow in Canada. Cline and Plotkowski, are researching the horticultural aspects of growing these cider varieties in Canada, such as;
2016-09-071h 01
Cider Chat043: Colin Davis | Shacksbury Cider, VTColin Davis is Production Manager and cidermaker at Shacksbury, a cidery based in northern Vermont in the town of Shoreham. Shacksbury was incorporated in 2013 and began selling ciders in 2014. Unlike many new startups that focus locally, the decision was made early on, to sell broadly. David and Colin Shacksbury Beginnings The immediate success of Shacksbury can be credited to both Colin Davis and his business partner David Dolginow. They hit the road running by creating a formidable team with the likes of Simon Day from the UK’s Once Upon a Tree and Ainara Otaño, a Ba...
2016-08-241h 01
Cider Chat029: At The Hop | Oliver's Cider and Perry, UKTom Oliver shares his approach to hopped cider and the best of what the US and UK have to look forward to in the cider market. What he saw in US hopped ciders back in 2013 ignited his desire to try his hand at adding hops to cider to his bittersweet cider. He worked with 3-different cider blends and Cascade hops, and in turn “ramped up” the bittersweet element to give a bit more of the drying finish. The hop from the Czech Republic Kazbet was also used and provided a very different profile and balance to the Casca...
2016-05-041h 07
Cider Chat027: Aaron Anderson | Austin Eastciders, Texas Austin Eastciders is helping to make Austin Texas a cider mecca in a land where the apple root faces harsh growing conditions. Aaron Anderson is the R&D Coordinator at this growing cidery. He sat down for a chat with me at CiderCon2016 in Portland Oregon during the United States Association of Cider Makers conference. The head cidermaker is Preston Nickens. Aaron Anderson Austin Eastciders opened in 2011 and is distributed in cans and draft throughout Texas and into Oklahoma, New York and New Jersey. The cider is selling so fast that come June of 2016 they will be...
2016-04-2037 min
Cider Chat024: Leonard Koningswijk | Bear Cider, NetherlandsLeonard Koningswijk owner/cidermaker of Bear Cider in the Netherlands is turning his country towards cider one palate at a time. The idea was sprouted at his family home in the rural village of Beerze on the border of Germany. (Beerze means bear in Dutch.) Like many cider folk he saw the bounty of apples laden on the trees and thought something must be done with those apples. Via the internet he learned how-to press apples and make cider and took a course with Peter Mitchell on cidermaking. Leonard Koningswik cidermaker of Bear Cider He knew his co...
2016-03-3039 min
Cider Chat022: Gregory Hall | Virtue Cider, MichiganGetting to cider for Gregory Hall, was one part luck and a whole lot of beer. When his father John Hall founded the Chicago based Goose Island Brewery in 1988, it took only 3 years before Greg was at the helm of brewing.Twenty years later in 2011 the brewery would be sold to Anheuser Busch-B InBev. The 2011 sale set Greg free to move on to his next great adventure - Virtue Cider. I was curious to ask Greg about what a cidermaker should consider for the long run if they want to parlay their business to the next level as...
2016-03-1651 min
Cider Chat020: Curtis Sherrer | Millstone Cellars, MarylandCurtis Sherrer is barreling aging single variety apples at Millstone Cellars. An old grist mill dating back to the 1850s houses the Tasting Room. “We will have 50 barrels and then settle on 15 to pick from to blend for that one cider that will be bottled” Curtis Sherrer, Millstone Cellars “If you are looking to save money, all you need is a barrel. You don’t need chillers.” Millstone’s Cider Making Instead of pressing multiple apples and creating the sweet cider that will then be fermenting – Curt keeps apple varieties separate until he finds...
2016-03-011h 00
Cider Chat019: Neil MacDonald | Orchard Park Farms, UKNeil MacDonald is a self described “man of the soil”. He co-launched Orchard Pig Cider in 2004. His specialty is apple growing and the primary process of the cidermaking at Orchard Pig Cider. This recording was taped with Neil at CiderCon 2016 in Portland Oregon. Neil MacDonald, Orchard Park Farms and Orchard Pig Cider The Path to the Orchard Pig Cider Neil was granted a scholarship from the Nuffield Farming Scholarship Trust which has helped him hone in on his apple growing passion and helped him travel around the world. Neil uses what is a called...
2016-02-2450 min
Cider Chat016: John Bunker | Super Chilly Farm, MaineJohn Bunker “Friend of Apples” John Bunker in this chat helps to trace the lineage in the US between cider apples and cidermakers. If you ever doubted whether you are on the right track with your cidermaking skills, Have no fear. Not only does John affirm even one’s most basic cidermaking skills, but our basic love of the apple. When I asked John what he would give himself as a job titled, he thought for a moment and then said, “Friend of Apples.” That friendship is helping apples throughout the US find their rightful place in history as...
2016-02-0148 min
Cider Chat014: Joe Getz | Kurant Cider, PennsylvaniaKurant Cider co-owner and head cidermaker, Joe Getz’s business is expanding, just after one year into producing cider commercially in the eastern region of Pennsylvania outside of Philadelphia. Besides making cider at Kurant, Joe is also the Vice President of the Pennsylvania Cider Guild, the commonwealth’s organizing body for cider producers and apple growers in PA. Cidermaker Joe Gertz Kurant Cider In this Cider Chat Kurant ciders and why he calls them untypical American style ciders. Finding a home for a cider via one brewery to another. A new move to Perkasie, Pennsylvania into Free-Wi...
2016-01-2055 min
Cider Chat012: Randall Grahm | Bonny Doon Vineyard, CaliforniaWho is Randall Grahm Randall Grahm has been rocking the world of winemaking for over 30 years. He began commercially selling wine under the Bonny Doon Vineyard label in 1983 when he opened the winery’s tasting room in the hills north of Santa Cruz, California in the village of Boony Doon. He authored Been Doon So Long : A Randall Grahm Vinthology (2012), and has the title and responsibilities of being President for life of Bonny Doon Vineyard. He is a four time winner of the James Beard Award. Randall Grahm Randall’s accomplishments in the world of wine are...
2016-01-0652 min
Cider Chat010: Margot Sanderse |Het Ciderhuis, Utrecht NLUtrecht cider importer Margot Sanderse brings in ciders from the UK and Wales via her mobile bar and online shop Het Ciderhuis. She is an entrepreneur who is touting cider to the Dutch and slowly helping transform their palate. Margot Sanderse | Het Ciderhuis Utrecht is between 30-40 minutes from Amsterdam, and is a bustling arts city. Bars that serve cider mentioned by Margot Cafe de Zaak Cafe de Rat Den Haag a.k.a. The Hague Den Haag is best known for its International Court of Justice, and because of the presence of so many int...
2015-12-2338 min
Cider Chat009: Ryan Burk | Angry Orchard, New YorkWho is Angry Orchard? Angry Orchard is the #1 cider brand in the US and there is a very good reason why it holds this coveted place. Undoubtedly, being a subsidiary of Boston Beer Company means connections to Jim Koch’s brewery empire a.k.a. Samuel Adams Boston Lager. But to think that Angry Orchard is merely tapping into the US cider mania would be short sighted. yes – this is exactly how the Angry Orchard entrance looks – no photoshop! Back History on Angry Orchard Boston Beer Co. has been researching cider since the early 2000s with the help of A...
2015-12-161h 09
Cider ChatDavid Cordtz |Sonoma Cider, CaliforniaDavid and son Robert have spearheaded an organically certified cidery right in the heart of the wine country in California.
Sonoma Cider is located in Healdsburg California, a bit east and north of San Francisco in the a region well known to wine connoisseurs.
David was a commercial winemaker for 20 years and the first commercial cidermaker in California back in 1992. He and Robert opened Sonoma Cider in 2013.
Says David, "We are making cider for the Millennials." But don't read to deeply into that statement because Sonoma Cider is a delicious cider for all generations and new cider drinkers will be impre...
2015-12-0254 min
Cider ChatPaul Zocco | Cidermaker of the Year - 12 timesPaul Zocco, of Zok’s Homebrewing and Winemaking, is a 12 time winner of the title “New England Cidermaker of the Year” and he is discussing cider recipes and trends in this episode.
Paul Zocco, New England Cidermaker of the Year with Ria
Paul has been running Zok’s Homebrewing and Winemaking Shop for the past 16 years. Over that time he has seen a growth of the homebrew shift from beer to cider grow exponentially.
In this episode, Paul chats...
Pasteurized versus not pasteurized apple juice
How to choose sweet cider from a cider m...
2015-11-2549 minCider ChatPresident John Adams chats cider & podcasting!President John Adams chats cider & podcasting!
Cider Chat MC Ria chats with the 2nd US President John Adams about cider and podcasting - via this mini promo/spoof for "Thanks, Podcasting".
Welcome to “Thanks, Podcasting!” where you’ll get to hear
stories of inspiration, transformation and impact because of podcasting.
My name is Ria Windcaller from Cider Chat over at CiderChat.com
Listen to the Bubbling Carboys in the background
That bubbling in the background is the sound of sweet, fresh pressed apple juice transforming into qualfable cider o...
2015-11-2004 min