322: Nat West of Reverend Nat's Cider Takes a Craft Brewer's Approach to Cider Making
Sep 22, 2023
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Explore Nat West's beer-centric approach to cider making and his use of beer yeast and hazy IPA yeast to create unique flavors. Dive into the process of crafting cider that aligns with Portland's beer culture and regional influence. Discover the complexity of cider making, the importance of yeast selection, and flavor experimentation. Learn about the creation of diverse and innovative ciders for different seasons and drinking occasions. Nat also shares his experience blending tepache with local beers and expresses excitement for future collaborations.
Nat West takes a beer-centric approach to cider making, focusing on creating unique flavors and aromas.
Reverend Nat's cider offerings cater to different seasons and occasions, experimenting with diverse ingredients to craft distinct ciders.
The use of beer yeast and pasteurization techniques play significant roles in ensuring stability and flavor in Reverend Nat's ciders.
Deep dives
Craft Beer and Brewing Magazine podcast: Exploring the Creative Process of Cider Making
Craft Beer and Brewing Magazine presents episode 322 of their podcast featuring an interview with Nat West, the founder of Reverend Nat's Hard Cider. The discussion delves into the creative process of cider making and the unique approach taken by Reverend Nat's. Nat West shares his journey of starting the business in his basement, driven by a desire to create cider that truly showcases the flavors of the apples used. He explains the importance of yeast selection and how beer yeast plays a significant role in creating the desired flavors and aromas in the ciders. The interview also touches on the different cider styles crafted by Reverend Nat's, each aimed at specific drinking occasions, seasonality, and flavor profiles. While hopsiders were once popular, the market shifted, but Reverend Nat's continues to experiment with different ingredients to create a diverse range of ciders. Additionally, Nat West discusses the fermentation process and the challenges of making cider on a commercial scale, including the use of fresh juice, fermentation dynamics, and the importance of pasteurization for stability. The episode concludes with a focus on tepache, a traditional Mexican drink made from pineapple, which Reverend Nat's has also explored in their cider-making journey.
Craft Beer and Brewing Magazine's Podcast: Nat West's Cider Innovations
Episode 322 of the Craft Beer and Brewing Magazine podcast features an interview with Nat West, the founder of Reverend Nat's Hard Cider. The interview explores the innovative and creative process of cider making at Reverend Nat's, beginning with the story of how the business started in Nat West's basement. Nat West emphasizes the importance of finding the best flavors in apples and using beer yeast to create unique and complex ciders. He discusses the variety of ciders crafted by Reverend Nat's, focusing on capturing the essence of different seasons and drinking occasions. While hopsiders were once popular, the market shifted, and Reverend Nat's continues to experiment with diverse ingredients to create distinct ciders. The episode also touches on the fermentation process, scaling up cider production, and the challenges of maintaining stability and flavor in the final products. Nat West shares insights on tepache, a traditional Mexican drink made from pineapple, which has been explored in Reverend Nat's cider-making journey as well.
Innovative Cider Making Explored on the Craft Beer and Brewing Magazine Podcast
Episode 322 of the Craft Beer and Brewing Magazine podcast features Nat West, the founder of Reverend Nat's Hard Cider, discussing the innovative approach to cider making at his company. Nat West shares the story of how Reverend Nat's started and the inspiration behind creating flavorful ciders using the best apples and beer yeast. The interview highlights the diversity of ciders produced by Reverend Nat's, catering to different seasons and occasions. While hopsiders were once popular, the company continues to experiment with various ingredients to create unique cider experiences. Nat West also explains the fermentation process, challenges of scaling up cider production, and the role of pasteurization for stability. Additionally, the episode touches on Nat West's exploration of tepache, a traditional Mexican pineapple drink, in his cider-making endeavors.
Craft Beer and Brewing Magazine's Podcast Explores the Creative Process of Reverend Nat's Hard Cider
In episode 322 of the Craft Beer and Brewing Magazine podcast, Nat West, the founder of Reverend Nat's Hard Cider, shares insights into the creative process of crafting unique ciders. The interview covers the origins of Reverend Nat's, with Nat West's basement serving as the starting point for his cider-making journey. He explains the importance of selecting the best apples and using beer yeast to create ciders with complex flavors. The episode highlights Reverend Nat's wide range of ciders, each crafted for different seasons and drinking occasions. While the popularity of hopsiders has waned, Reverend Nat's continues to experiment with diverse ingredients to create distinct cider flavors. Additionally, the interview touches on the fermentation process, challenges in scaling up production, and the significance of pasteurization. Nat West also discusses his exploration of tepache, a traditional Mexican pineapple drink, within the cider-making realm.
Te Pache: A Unique Fermented Beverage
Te Pache is a traditional Mexican fermented beverage made from pineapple skins, pineapple, piloncillo (a type of sugar), and sometimes cinnamon. It is usually consumed fresh within three days of fermentation and has a lightly alcoholic and sweet taste. While the traditional recipe uses only pineapple skins, Reverend Nat's version of Te Pache uses the whole pineapple, resulting in a more flavorful drink. The process of making Te Pache can be challenging on a commercial scale, but it is relatively easy to make at home. Te Pache is often mixed with beer, enhancing its flavor and making it a versatile beverage.
Decisions and Reflections on Closing Reverend Nat's
Reverend Nat's, a cider company, has recently made the decision to wind down operations after 12 successful years. The founder, Nat West, reflects on the journey of starting the business and the challenges faced along the way. While the initial years were marked by optimism, growth, and recognition from the local brewing community, external factors such as the COVID-19 pandemic, changing distributor landscape, and the need for constant growth have influenced the decision to close the business. Nat West acknowledges the natural progression of the business and is proud of the impact Reverend Nat's has had on the cider industry. Looking ahead, he plans to take some time off, continue his passion for mountain biking, and explore opportunities in helping other beverage producers.
Reverend Nat’s Cider has helped change peoples’ assumptions about craft cider in the Pacific Northwest, over their past 12 years of operation. The iconoclastic cider maker has adopted a flavor-forward, reverential-but-forward-looking approach to cider making that has ruffled some feathers and changed default narratives, but one thing it’s never been is boring or cautious.
A few weeks ago, West announced that he was winding down operations of Reverend Nat’s Cider. Rather than let that experience and perspective fade into the ether, we engaged with Nat to capture his creative approach to cider making in a way that could be preserved for perpetuity. In this episode, West discusses:
his beer-centric approach to cider making
flavor and innovation within the very locally-focused cider sector
making cider with beer yeast and selecting yeasts that work with the flavors of cider
using hazy IPA yeast in cider making
filtration and stability in cider
achievements and regrets after a dozen years of making cider commercially
approaching the closure with intention and passion
And more.
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