Cider Chat

Here 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 be released in October of this year. Later that same day I met up with Colleen O’Sullivan and James Mann of Duckchicken Cider. They were the catalyst for this trip to the UK and offered to host me at their home in South London. Stay tuned for a full episode with this dynamic couple who are making cider commercially in their home! James Mann & Colleen O'Sullivan - Duckchicken Cider One of the highlights with Colleen and James was enjoying a “Train Beer” is a popular term used in the UK when one imbibes on the train. For me I was more interested in a “Train Cider” which we did have while making our way to the Royal Oak Pub in London. My final day in London I met up with Roberto Basilico the Head Cidermaker at The Hawkes Cidery and Taproom. He presents two styles of cider being made at this both modern and traditional cidery. Roberto Basilico - Hawkes Cidery and Taproom Mentioned on this chat 2nd Annual New England Cider Tour October 31, 2019  

In 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 are all standard trees. Many of the trees are over 150 years old. Many of the same people that Carol originally worked with are still with her today, like Steve Wiseman who helps with the orchard and New Hampshire pruner Brad Maloney. Brad considers the orchard his museum piece.  Over the past 30 years he has added his own special touch by using the water sprouts and bending them into what he calls Apple Pretzels, as seen in photo below. Apple Pretzels   During Franklin County CiderDays this orchard is open on both Sunday and Saturday to family and friends with workshops on all things apple and cider. This is always an outdoor fire, food and crafts. Carol has always called her fresh pressed apple juice "Cider" or "Sweet Cider" She destains the term apple juice, which to Carol means canned juice that is over pasteurizes and stripped of all the rich flavors that can only be found in orchard pressed juice. In 2019, the orchard became licensed to ferment cider into "hard cider". William Grote, an award winning cidermaker from Boston, travels out to New Salem each week to make cider. William Grote outside the CiderMill at New Salem Preserves and Heritage Cider  In short order, an outdoor space was made for visitors to sit in called the Cider Garden. Today, you can order a glass and take a seat or walk about with glass in hand into the orchard. Current Ciders on Tap or take in a crowler (32 ounce) to go. Redfield, Reine de Pomme, and Macintosh (6.0%) Macintosh, Northern Spy, Empire Blend (6.0%) More Apple Products at New Salem Preserves Gift box of 18 apples and a jar of strawberry jam - dried in the solar cooker attached to the bar, Apple Cider Vinegar Cider Donuts Apple Butter Sweet Cider - unfermented apple juice Hard Cider Contact for New Salem Preserves and Heritage Cider Website: http://www.newsalempreserves.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/newsalemcider/?ref=br_rs Address: 67 S Main St New Salem, Massachusetts 01355   Telephone: (978) 544-3437 Mentions in this Chat 003 Robert Colnes : Building a Ciderhouse Help Support Cider Chat Please donate today. Help keep the chat thriving! Find this episode and all episodes at the page for Cider Chat's podcasts. Listen also at iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher (for Android), iHeartRadio , Spotify and wherever you love to listen to podcasts. Follow on Cider Chat's blog, social media and podcast Twitter @ciderchat Instagram: @ciderchatciderville Cider Chat FaceBook Page Cider Chat YouTube

Put 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 Bell. Erin Bell began working at SILO working the marketing end of things, but found herself distilling in 2015. Erin Bell and Nicole LeGrande Leibon | SILO Distillery   SILO was founded in 2012 and is situated in the Artisan Park, that is also home to a number of craft producers, like Harpoon Brewery (which also has City Roots Cider) and Blake Hill Preserves and Vermont Cheese Company. The location is right off of Interstate 91 and there is a Tasting Room that is open year round. In this chat we learn a bit about Erin’s background and approach to distilling along with how Nicole has integrate the copper still into helping her with reductive cider. Reductive cider will often smell eggy and though there is nothing wrong with the cider, the eggy off smells must be removed. One solution to removing the off odor is to add a copper penny to one’s cup. For a cider maker like Nicole who is managing a whole lot of cider, the SILO copper still came in very handy for removing the off odor. But she tell it best so go to 40 minutes in this recording and find out how she put the "Cider in the Penny". SILO’s still Carl Still from Germany 350 gallon hybrid pot and column still 4 plate finishing plate 21 plate vodka column Extended helmet gin run for flavorings Says Erin, “The harder you make the spirit work, the cleaner it gets. We collect the heart of the run - throwing away the rest.” Barrel Program at SILO using 10 - 15 gallon barrels 30 gallons for the bourbon All the barrels are from Green Mountain Grain and Barrel based in Richmond vermont SILO bourbon is aged for 20 months #ciderGoingUp at SILO SILO is planning on increasing cider production 50% this Fall 2019!   Contact For SILO Distillery Website: https://www.carl.info/en/distillation-facilities/ Address: 3 Artisans Way Windsor, Vermont 05089 SILO SUMMER HOURS Sunday – Thursday 11am – 6pm Friday – Saturday 11am – 7pm +1 (802) 674 4220 Info@SILODistillery.com UP COMING Cider Tours 2nd Annual New England Cider Tour - October 31, 2019 Sign up by sending an email to ria@ciderchat.com SILO is our finally stop of the day on this one-day tour Tour and Tasting at Farnum Hill Lunch, Tour and Tasting at Fable Farm Fermentory Tin Hat Cider will be at Fable Farm Mentions in the Chat Get Ready for Cidermaking - don't forget your yeast - order it now! Bear Swamp Cider - is making Apple Brandy New Salem Preserves, in New Salem Massachusetts is making cider! Artifact Cider is now open in Florence, Massachusetts Eden Specialty Ciders now has a 4pack of Harvest Cider - yum yum definitely get these cans!   Help Support Cider Chat Please donate today. Help keep the chat thriving! Find this episode and all episodes at the page for Cider Chat's podcasts. Listen also at iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher (for Android), iHeartRadio , Spotify and wherever you love to listen to podcasts. Follow on Cider Chat's blog, social media and podcast Twitter @ciderchat Instagram: @ciderchatciderville Cider Chat FaceBook Page Cider Chat YouTube Haven't downloaded this episode yet? Here it is again for your listening pleasure. [app_audio src="https://ciderchat.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/188-Put-the-Cider-in-the-Penny.mp3"]

Ciderville 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 the list for this tour. New Cider Chat Patron A big tip of the glass to Ambrosia who just became the newest patron of Cider Chat at the Cider Chat Patreon page. Ambrosia is the General Manager of The Northman, a Chicago based cider bar. Ambrosia will be presenting a presentation and tasting on Calvados on November 1 at the 25h Annual Franklin County CiderDays. This is a ticketed event so make sure to subscribe to the eCiderNews to get the most up to date info on this event. Featured Chat - Cider & Wine Safari w/Randall Grahm at Popelouchum Randall Grahm Popelouchum, the Bonny Doon Vineyard estate is located just outside of downtown San Juan Bautista, California. There are 280 acres or is it 400 acres? I’m not sure, nor do I think that it matters, at least not to this story. And there have been lots of stories about Popelouchum since Randall Grahm purchased this swath of land that rises from a low lying plain, bordered on one end by the San Andreas Fault, to a high mountain top back in 2011. This chat isn't so much about Popelouchum, though it provides a magnificent backdrop. This chat is an intimate conversation that covers at least 4 bottles drunk during this recording and the highs and lows of being in the business of both wine and cider. Perry Pears at Popelouchum I had asked to tour Popelouchum, because who wouldn't want to see Randall's vision for terroir based wine, and to share with him a bottle of 2017 Cormé made by French cidermaker, Eric Bordelet. This chat opens with us discussing Cormé which is also known as Sorbus Domestic a.k.a. Service Tree. Then we move onto discussing Bordelet’s cidermaking technique. Perhaps it was the Cormé that inspired Randall to announce that he thinks he may have cracked the secret to Bordelet’s technique for making such fine ciders. You won’t know if it is truly an unveiling of Bordelet's technique unless you try your hand at what Randall offers as a possibility of uncovering Bordelet's secrets. And that will take a whole lot of practice or as Eric says, “It took me 15 years to discover how to make cider and I am still learning.” Get this bottle now at the Bonny Doon Vineyard Tasting Room or via online store   After the Cormé Randall opened three very special bottles of small batch wines. 2017 bottle of 1/2 Grenache Blanche and 1/2 Grenche Gris (only 30 gallons were made) 2014 Bien Nacido Sangria Reserve, made in 5 gallon glass carboys, on the lees and bottled without filtration. The conversation then moved onto branding and sustaining one's brand. This is an intimate and often humorous discussion with one of America’s premier winemakers and wine personalities, who also happens to like pommes and I hope will continue to work with both. Driving up and down Popelouchum   Find Bonny Doon Vineyard products All the wines tasted during this recording can be purchased at the Tasting Room located in Davenport, CA or be bought via the online store. Address: 450 Highway 1, Davenport, CA 950 Telephone: (831) 471-8031 eMail: tastingroom@bonnydoonvineyard.com Website: https://www.bonnydoonvineyard.com/ Listen to my first interview with Randall Episode 12 Randall Grahm | Bonnydoon Vineyard, California  

“We Want More Cider” was clearly the take away heard from cider enthusiasts attending the annual Hard Core Cider Tour held in Santa Cruz, California June 27, 2019. Sipping Syndicate’s Albert Martinez spearheaded the Hard Core Cider Tour five years ago in 2014, offering a tasting event with local makers regionally in California. Fest goers get a cup and as open taps throughout the 3 hour event. On the way out The Core Store offers an opportunity for exiting patrons to buy bottles to go from the producers attending....thus completing their dream of getting More Cider! Albert Martinez, Founder of Hard Core Cider Tour  The Santa Cruz Hard Core Cider Tour will be followed by one in Santa Barbara in September, San Diego in early October and San Luis Obispo in late October. Want More Cider? These yearly fest provide the perfect opportunity to try More Cider! Albert Martinez is featured in this chat along with the following cider producers: Indigeny Reserve Angela of Indigeny Reserve  Tin City Cider Co. Blindwood Cider Drew | Blindwood Cider Ten Five One Cider Company South City Ciderworks Hemly Cider ] Sara Hemley | Hemley Cider Check out the annual Pear Fair held the last Sunday of July in Courtland, California. This year the Pear Fair is held on July 28, 2019. Cider Enthusiasts who Want MORE CIDER at the Hard Core Cider Tour Anna Hummer Becky Kayla Jay Samantha Fall - CIDER TOUR Signup Now New England Cider Tour October 31st - rolls out of Greenfield, Massachusetts for a one day tour of regional makers. This is the 2nd annual cider tour. If you would like to go, send an email to ria@ciderchat.com - put New England Cider Tour in the subject heading. Help Support Cider Chat Please donate today. Help keep the chat thriving! Find this episode and all episodes at the page for Cider Chat's podcasts. Listen also at iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher (for Android), iHeartRadio , Spotify and wherever you love to listen to podcasts. Follow on Cider Chat's blog, social media and podcast Twitter @ciderchat Instagram: @ciderchatciderville Cider Chat FaceBook Page Cider Chat YouTube

"Just Fucking Fermented Juice" is splayed out in big white letter across the back of Krista Scruggs' black hoodie. The slogan both amuses and taunts gawkers. Krista wore the hoodie with slogan while attending the annual United States Association of Cider Makers conference in Chicago in January of 2018, called CiderCon. I don't know if she wore it in the airport on her way to the conference - I am hoping that she did. Don't get me wrong, there is no win in upsetting the delicate minds of society who know nothing about cider. There is however, big gains in making people think or as my cider friends in the UK would say #rethinkcider.  She presented on two panels while at the conference, one for Still Cider and another on Cultural Diversity. In this episode 186, she was welcomed as a special guest at the Pomme Boots Society meeting. Krista Scruggs of Zaffa Wine Krista Scruggs is turning heads, but it's not about the hoodie. It is her wines that is catapulting her out into the media spotlight. She has been featured as one of the Top 40 Under 40 Taste Makers 2018 in Wine Enthusiast and Krista Scruggs is Making the Most Exciting, Most Delicious Natural Wines Right Now | Bon Appêtit (Jan 2019). Now living in Vermont, having worked with Dierdre Heekin of La Garista she is making wine and cider fermented with grape skin/pomace under her own label ZAFA Wine. Listen to episode 185: Who are the Pomme Boots? Episode 185 provides an overview of the Pomme Boots and is the first half of the same meeting that hosted Krista Scruggs. Caitlin Brahm, Brand Specialist for Angry Orchard, interviews Krista during this recording. Krista's interview snap shots: Tidbits of her family's history and her path to becoming a winemaker Hiring women The meeting then moves onto a Q&A with Pomme Boots Founders Jana Daisy-Ensign and Jennie Dorsey Mentions in this Chat Deirdre Heekin - La Garagista, Vermont Shacksbury, Vermont Please Help Support Cider Chat Please donate today. Help keep the chat thriving! Find this episode and all episodes at the page for Cider Chat's podcasts. Listen also at iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher (for Android), iHeartRadio , Spotify and wherever you love to listen to podcasts. Follow on Cider Chat's blog, social media and podcast Twitter @ciderchat Instagram: @ciderchatciderville Cider Chat FaceBook Page Cider Chat

Who are the Pomme Boots? The Pomme Boots Society was founded in 2015 an organization for women working in the cider industry. The first meet up of Pommes Boots was at CiderCon2016 held in Portland, Oregon. This episode was recorded at the Pomme Boots meeting held at CiderCon2019, an annual cider conference hosted by the United States Association of Cider Makers Pomme Boots meeting at CiderCon2016 Pomme Boots Founders Gemma Schmit - Taphouse Manager at Alter Ego Cider Jennie Dorsey - Chief Cider Curator at Schilling Cider in Portland Jana Daisy-Ensign  - formally brand ambassador at Finn River Pomme Boots Team Members (ltor) Jennie, Gemma, Caitlin, Jana In this Chat, Caitlin Brahm, begins introductions, while Gemma in watching virtually. Then Jennie and Jana speak. What is Pomme Boots working on and asking you for help with? A call for volunteers Creating a crowd source pages for sharing resources linkable via the Facebook page Job opportunities Video conferencing Become a nonprofit Building a new website Education Member directory/Travel Directory Mentorship Building local chapters Posting boards for more in-depth conversations Contact for Pomme Boots Pomme Boots Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/pommeboots/ Mentions in this Chat Ross on Wye Cider and Perry Company wins BBC Best Drinks Producer for 2019 at the BBC Food and Farming Awards held in June 2019. Subscribe to InCiderJapan - the Summer edition is now out from this bilingual cider magazine (Japanese and English). Totally Cider Tour | Normandy September 22-28, 2019 Please Help Support Cider Chat Please donate today. Help keep the chat thriving! Find this episode and all episodes at the page for Cider Chat's podcasts. Listen also at iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher (for Android), iHeartRadio , Spotify and wherever you love to listen to podcasts. Follow on Cider Chat's blog, social media and podcast Twitter @ciderchat Instagram: @ciderchatciderville Cider Chat FaceBook Page Cider Chat YouTube  

The 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 protocol? Judging is not about what you like as a judge, but  “Is the cider made well?” Leave your ego at the door. What can be Best in Show? If the competition is open to all styles, then every style is a viable competitor to be a Best in Show for that competition. Judges at BigE2019   Mentions in this Chat July 19-20, 2019 Streatham Cider Shack more info at @cidershacksw16 or email streathamcidershack@duckchickencider.co.uk Totally Cider Tour | Normandy September 22-28, 2019 Help Support Cider Chat Please donate today. Keep the chat thriving! Find this episode and all episodes at the page for Cider Chat's podcasts. Listen also at iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher (for Android), iHeartRadio , Spotify and wherever you love to listen to podcasts. Follow on Cider Chat's blog, social media and podcast Twitter @ciderchat Instagram: @ciderchatciderville Cider Chat FaceBook Page Cider Chat YouTube  

Normandy Cider Trail Tips Annie Sargent is the Producer and Host of a fantastic and informative podcast for anyone thinking about traveling to France called "Join Us in France Travel Podcast". In this episode, Annie and I do duel recordings to share with both of our podcast audiences. I get to share my passion for French Cider [cidre] and Perry [poiré] and provide both Ciderville, Annie, and the Join Us in France audience a taste of the Normandy Cider Trail with tons of tips! Topics covered in this chat What is cidre? What is Poiré? Why make this a destination in France? Tips for preparing for a cider tour to Normandy Key towns and Routes in Normandy Route du Cidre - Pays d’Auge - renown cider apples 9non eating apples0. This region requires 100% cider apples in the cidre to be distilled into Calvados for the Pays d'Auge Appellation Route du Poiré - Domfrontais - renown Perry Pears, specific pear varieties used for fermenting into Poiré and Calvados. This region must have at the minimum 35% Poiré distilled into Calvodos for the Domfront Appellation Key sights to see White cliffs of Etretat WWII cemeteries Mont Saint Michel Museé du Poiré Join Ria and cider fans September 22-28, 209 for a Totally Cider Tour to Normandy. This special curated cider tour is fill with sight seeing trips, time to go solo and wander about and a bounty of cider. Winner Winner of The Cider Insider: 100 Craft Ciders to Drink Now is Ironbark Cider in Claremont California! I happened to also record an episode with Cat Fleming at Ironbark! Check it out 142: SoCal Irreverence at Ironbark | Claremont, CA Please Help Support Cider Chat Please donate today. Help keep the chat thriving! Find this episode and all episodes at the page for Cider Chat's podcasts. Listen also at iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher (for Android), iHeartRadio , Spotify and wherever you love to listen to podcasts. Follow on Cider Chat's blog, social media and podcast Twitter @ciderchat Instagram: @ciderchatciderville Cider Chat FaceBook Page Cider Chat YouTube  

Straw pressing Cider at Sandford Orchards with Barny Butterfield in Devon. This chat was prerecorded at CiderCon2019. Barney shared his cidermaking history and how farm hands, were paid with the means to make cider as part of their wages. He said that they weren’t necessarily paid with cider, but instead given the supplies and tools needed to make their own cider.  This was true for him when he began working at his future father-in-laws farm. He credited that experience with helping him get his start in making cider, being paid with the tools needed to make his own. His cider brand, Sandford Orchards began selling commercially in 2009. The ciders made by this brand are available throughout the UK. They have both a modern line up and a traditional offering of ciders. In this chat we discussed the traditional method of making cider using straw for the pressing, that is still used at Sandford Orchard for a specific group of locals, that Barny called 'the old guys", who like their "cider dry and from the oak" Straw pressing notes: The press is made up with a combination of thatching reeds. If you are familiar with a classic rack and cloth press used today in cider making, the straw press is set up using: The Reed as the rack and Barely straw is the cloth At Sandford Orchards they can press up to 2 tons of crushed apples on one press As Barny says, “We do it in the Devon way.” with a press that has only one center screw on the press. In the other region of the UK known as Somerset, they use a press with 2 screws. It takes 3 parts of a day to build up the crushed apple with the straw on this press. Barny says, that it looks much like a pyramid, all set up, with a strong wide base that taper up to the top. This set up has quite a bit of weight bearing down, and sooner than later without any downward pressure from the screw, the juice will begin to flow. The juice will pour out slightly clear They get 350 gallons on the first press 50 gallons with the second press - which he called the "Muck" They usually leave the press set up for 3 days, Barny says, “What is really special is tasting that cider in the barn. We try not to make any blending decision in the barn, because we love everything we taste in the barn” The ciderworks of Sandford Orchards was built in 1935  and is the is the oldest ciderworks in the country Contact for Sandford Orchards Website: https://www.sandfordorchards.co.uk/ Address: The Cider Works, Commonmarsh Lane, Crediton, Devon, EX17 1HJ email: cider@sandfordorchards.co.uk Mentions in this chat: Totally Cider Tour | Normandy September 22-28, 2019 Get the book: The Cider Insider; 100 Craft Ciders to Drink Now, by Susanna Forbes 181: Cider Insider podcast episode Please Help Support Cider Chat Please donate today. Help keep the chat thriving! Find this episode and all episodes at the page for Cider Chat's podcasts. Listen also at iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher (for Android), iHeartRadio , Spotify and wherever you love to listen to podcasts. Follow on Cider Chat's blog, social media and podcast Twitter @ciderchat Instagram: @ciderchatciderville Cider Chat FaceBook Page Cider Chat YouTube