Cider Chat

Cider Barrel Maintenance The craft of making an oak barrel is called “cooperage” and the person who applies this craft is called a “cooper”. The skills of this trade have been passed down through the centuries. The tree and the wood chosen to become a barrel has to meet specific criteria, such as having a tight grain and flavor profiles that lend the tannin qualities often sought in a cider barrel. From the classic wide belly barrels to oval shaped vessels, the shape of wooden barrels have changed very little over time. Quality control over the wood used and the intricacies of heat, stave bending, and maintenance of cider barrels continues to evolve. This episode 131 was recorded in Saint Catharine, Ontario during a dinner chat with Ryan Monkman of FieldBird Cider, Thierry Lemaire of Nuance Winery Supplies and Louis of Radoux, a cooperage based in Santa Rosa California and France. All three men have extensive knowledge on barrel use with wine. As the cider market continues to grow and both the consumer’s and cidermakers interest in ciders fermented or stored in oak increases, barrel maintenance is undoubtedly a hot topic and a key market for these specialist in the art of oak barrel cooperage and fermentation. As we enjoy a bottle of Ryan’s FieldBird cider over dinner the four of us discuss oak barrel selection and maintenance, which in short narrows down to the broader topic of Barrel Skills. Whereas the wine industry has been working with oak barrels for centuries, cidermakers particularly in the US and Canada, are only now gaining speed with cider post Prohibition. Key topics in this chat: Finding the right oak barrel for your cider Barrel Maintenance: Cleaning a barrel Storing a barrel - wet or dry storage - burning a sulfur disk Leaky barrels - mechanical (cooperage) or maker mismanagement? Using Wax on a barrel to stop evaporation Buying a new barrel Contact Info for the guest in this episode Thierry Lemaire Website: Nuance Winery Supplies eMail: mailto:sales@nuancetrade.com Address: 15 Lloyd Street St Catharines, ON L2S 2N7 - Canada Telephone: +1 905-225-0114 Louis Zandvliet Website: Radoux Address: 480 Aviation Blvd. Santa Rosa, CA 95403 Telephone:  (707) 284-2888 Ryan Monkman FieldBird Cider Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fieldbird.cider/ 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 Ask for the following ciders - By supporting these cidermakers, you in turn help Cider Chat Kurant Cider - Pennsylvania : listen to Joe Getz on episode 14 Big Apple Hard Cider - NYC : listen to Danielle von Scheiner on episode 35 Oliver’s Cider and Perry - Herefordshire/UK ; listen to Tom Oliver on episode 29 Santa Cruz Cider Company - California : listen to Nicole Todd on episode 60 The Cider Project aka EthicCider- California Albermale CiderWorks : listen to Chuck Shelton on episode 56 Cider Summit : listen to Alan Shapiro founder of this cider fest on episode 75. Ramborn Cider Co. Luxembourg. Big Fish Cider Co. Virginia Tanuki Cider Co. Santa Cruz California episode 103 Ross on Wye Cider and Perry, UK Process and Analytical NMR Services - John Edwards provides analytics of cider - stay tuned for his Chemical Fingerprints workshop coming up on Cider Chat Ironbark Ciderworks, Claremont, California Join the #ciderGoingUP Campaign today! 

Cider Voices from Grand Rapids Cider Week and the Great Lakes International Cider and Perry Competition On the evening of May 14th Joby Willson, Mark Gryska, Charlie Olchowski and William Grote and myself headed out in a big old van to Grand Rapids, thanks to Mike Beck who invited us and hosted us throughout the week. Beck who he is lovingly called by all manages GLINTCAP and hires a team of people to run the program. Look to the GLINTCAP link to see the whole team. Once we arrived in Grand Rapids the guys stayed on one side of the river at their flat and I got to hang out with Michelle McGrath, Executive Director of the United States Association of Cider Makers, Michelle Pagona aka The Brew Babe and Darlene Hayes, author of Cider Cocktails; Another Bite of the Apple. That evening we headed to Uncle Johns Hard Cider for dinner. Nicole Ward of Forgotten Ciders (listen to Nicole and Rafe Wards chat #74), Brian and Ambrosia from Chicago's cider bar The Northman, Helen Thomas "Weston" of Weston Cider, UK and Bob Chaplin both came over from the UK to judge. Helen is the Chairwoman for the National Cider Maker Association in the UK and Weston Ciders. Bob runs the Royal Bath and West Cider Competition. It was an amazing evening riding about the orchards and tasting ciders in their inviting tasting room. Mike and Dee are quite the hosts and I highly recommend you visit their cidery in Saint John's, Michigan. Wednesday May 16th began with a Cider Tour of West Michigan Makers Stop 1:  Cider n Donuts  @ Peoples Cider   Stop 2: Cider n Shopping @ Robinette’s Orchards & Cider Mill  Stop 3:  Cider n Lunch @ Vandermill/GR   Stop 4: Cider n Blossoms @ Ridge Cider   Stop 5:  Cider Sipping  @ PUX Cider That evening it was Judges Training led by Charles McGonegal Listen to two chat with Charles: 83 -on his Wisconsin cidery AEppelTreow Winery and #84 on the Element of Cider | Sensory Analysis Thursday and Friday was dedicated to Judging of the Ciders Saturday was the Gillett Bridge Cider Fest in Grand Rapids Mentions in this chat Bottle Share June 8th 5-9pm Spoke and Spy Ciderworks, Middletown, Connecticut. James Creek Cider House - Moore County, South Caroline Huon Vally Mid-Winter Fest July 13-July 15, 2018 - Prize for spinning a story via the Story Tellers Cup 031: Sam Reid, Willie Smiths Cider | Tasmania and President of Cider Australia 59: Hugh McKellar - Australian Cider Writer at Real Cider Reviews and on episode 059 088 Tasmainia Patrick Meagher - Simple Ciders 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: https://www.facebook.com/ciderchat/ Cider Chat YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-ycYg46higvb5lH8C-WGXQ Ask for the following ciders - By supporting these cidermakers, you in turn help Cider Chat Kurant Cider - Pennsylvania : listen to Joe Getz on episode 14 Big Apple Hard Cider - NYC : listen to Danielle von Scheiner on episode 35 Oliver’s Cider and Perry - Herefordshire/UK ; listen to Tom Oliver on episode 29 Santa Cruz Cider Company - California : listen to Nicole Todd on episode 60 The Cider Project aka EthicCider- California Albermale CiderWorks : listen to Chuck Shelton on episode 56 Cider Summit : listen to Alan Shapiro founder of this cider fest on episode 75. Ramborn Cider Co. Luxembourg. Big Fish Cider Co. Virginia Tanuki Cider Co. Santa Cruz California episode 103 Ross on Wye Cider and Perry, UK Process and Analytical NMR Services - John Edwards provides analytics of cider - stay tuned for his Chemical Fingerprints workshop coming up on Cider Chat Ironbark Ciderworks, Claremont, California Join the #ciderGoingUP Campaign today!  

Carlo Hein has always loved cider. That cider love and perhaps his work in renovation and sustainable energy spurred him and his friends to start a cidery. Upon noticing the fallen fruit and neglected apples trees in his area of Luxembourg. He realized, “We need to save these orchards” And so he did. Ramborn Cider Co began selling cider in 2015 and is Luxembourg's only cidery. To make cider he first called Peter Mitchell, who is renown worldwide for his classes on cidermaking. Carlo asked Peter if he would help Ramborn. Peter replied that first you must take my course and then we will discuss making cider for Ramborn. Today Peter Mitchel still consults to Ramborn Cider, which undeniably lends a good amount of UK profile to each of the ciders. What is the traditional word for cider in Luxembourg? Viez Where did the name of the cidery come from? Rambo is an apple known in France and Sweden and in Luxembourg. Like so many wonderful cider blends, Ramborn Cider Company is part Rambo apple and the town “Born”. Upon further research Carlo found that David Morrel the author of the book “First Blood” which inspired the movie Rambo was looking for a name for the main character protrayed by Slyvester Stallone in the movie.  Morrel's wife came in from the market and said why not use an apple name! The rest is history and all this goes to show you that once again the apple provides the bases for so many good stories throughout history. With Ramborn being the only cidery in the country the support is massive from both the locals and the government. Visting Ramborn The 1781 barn at Ramborn is original. The architecture is based upon the style that is classically Marie Thersea of Austria, the country that once ruled this area. There is a center square courtyard and the barn that housed a cidery and distillery has been turned into a cinema. Taking a Tour of Ramborn The tour is 1 1/2 hours long and includes a movie that you can hear a short clip of in this podcast. The movie does play in different languages. The tour brings you through the production area and the farm. Ramborn Cider can accommodate up to 140 people per time. There is also a walking tour through the time. There is no tasting room, but upon request there is a dinning area that can be reserved for group dinners. Ramborn Cider Company - Ciders Original - flagship cider Farmhouse Somerset Blend Perry Avalon 2015 Hopped Cider Cascade Erbachhofer - single Variety Kingston Black - Single Variety Contact for Ramborn Cider Company Website: https://ramborn.com/en/about/ Telephone: +352 26 72 92 04 Address: 23, Duerfstrooss L-6660 Born Luxembourg Twitter: @RambornCider Facebook Instagram Mentions in this chat Ontario Craft Cider Week June 1th - June 8th Ryan Monkman - Fieldbird Cider Totally Cider Tour: Normandy France September 23 - 29, 2018 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: https://www.facebook.com/ciderchat/ Cider Chat YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-ycYg46higvb5lH8C-WGXQ Ask for the following ciders - By supporting these cidermakers, you in turn help Cider Chat Kurant Cider - Pennsylvania : listen to Joe Getz on episode 14 Big Apple Hard Cider - NYC : listen to Danielle von Scheiner on episode 35 Oliver’s Cider and Perry - Herefordshire/UK ; listen to Tom Oliver on episode 29 Santa Cruz Cider Company - California : listen to Nicole Todd on episode 60 The Cider Project aka EthicCider- California Albermale CiderWorks : listen to Chuck Shelton on episode 56 Cider Summit : listen to Alan Shapiro founder of this cider fest on episode 75. Ramborn Cider Co. Luxembourg. Big Fish Cider Co. Virginia Tanuki Cider Co. Santa Cruz California episode 103 Ross on Wye Cider and Perry, UK Process and Analytical NMR Services - John Edwards provides analytics of cider - stay tuned for his Chemical Fingerprints workshop coming up on Cider Chat Ironbark Ciderworks, Claremont, California Join the #ciderGoingUP Campaign today! 

Cider won big at the 23rd Annual Home-brew Competition held in Boston and put on by the Wort Processors - a home-brew club. Tom Bell’s New World Cider won both Best in Show for cider and placed 3rd in the Best Overall in Show. This means that Tom’s winning cider was placed in the final competition for Best Overall with 37 winning beers. Best of Show Winners Circle 1st Maurice Dalton’s -  Gueze 2rd Matthew Border -  German Pils 3rd Tom Bell - New World Cider 4th Brett Smith : Chocolate Raspberry Milk Stout Honorable Mention - Peter Bowers: Specialty Wood Aged Tom’s cidermaking tools & techniques for this cider A garbage disposal for grinding up apples Added Pectin Aid Macerated the pressed apples for 24 hours Pressed in a basket press Wild yeast - then EC118 for the bottle fermentation Initial gravity: 1.064 Racked every 10 point drop in the gravity and to separate the cider from the lees Everything was going great until a Pectic Haze showed up For the haze Tom used Scott’s Lab Spectrum It didn’t take care of the pectin on the bottom, but did clear the cider on the top of the pectic gel. Bottle conditioned with 12 grams of dextrose Here is the link to the crown cap conversation. Many aspects of champagne style cider covered here including links to caps.. Contact for Wort Processor’s Home-brew Competition Website: http://www.bhc.wort.org/ Annual Boston Home-brew Competition Wort Processors Mentions in this Chat GLINTCAP - Great Lakes International Cider and Perry Competition Franklin County CiderDays  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: https://www.facebook.com/ciderchat/ Cider Chat YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-ycYg46higvb5lH8C-WGXQ Ask for the following ciders - By supporting these cidermakers, you in turn help Cider Chat Kurant Cider - Pennsylvania : listen to Joe Getz on episode 14 Big Apple Hard Cider - NYC : listen to Danielle von Scheiner on episode 35 Oliver’s Cider and Perry - Herefordshire/UK ; listen to Tom Oliver on episode 29 Santa Cruz Cider Company - California : listen to Nicole Todd on episode 60 The Cider Project aka EthicCider- California Albermale CiderWorks : listen to Chuck Shelton on episode 56 Cider Summit : listen to Alan Shapiro founder of this cider fest on episode 75. Ramborn Cider Co. Luxembourg. Big Fish Cider Co. Virginia Tanuki Cider Co. Santa Cruz California episode 103 Ross on Wye Cider and Perry, UK Process and Analytical NMR Services - John Edwards provides analytics of cider - stay tuned for his Chemical Fingerprints workshop coming up on Cider Chat Ironbark Ciderworks, Claremont, California Join the #ciderGoingUP Campaign today! 

Matt DeLong grew up making cider and what he once called “Apple Wine”. Western Michigan has what is known as the wine trail and there are lots of fruit wines, so it is no surprise that Matt first considered a career in the wine industry. Things started to change around 2009 - 2010 when he noticed a whole lot of ciders in his area of west Michigan popping up. He credits the support of his wife Valerie for helping him hone his vision and open Ridge Cider Company in 2014. The cidery is based in the town of Grant, Michigan in a building that was once used to process onions. Time Line of change for Ridge CiderCo - to Ride Cider LLC Matt teamed up with Bruce Rasch in 2014, one of the largest apple growers in the same region Matt began selling cider commercially in 2015. Not discussed in this chat is that Ridge Cider Co. sold its majority share to RC Investors, in April of 2017. RC is an investment firm owned by Dick Devos, husband of Betty Devos - the current U.S. Education Secretary in the Trump Administration. In this chat we discuss 3 Ridge Ciders - Porch Sittin - notes of vanilla and cinnamon - this is the flagship Raspberry - Hopped Now in Cans Porch Sittin Berries Hopped Matt uses an accordion press - or squeeze box that he bought used from a cider house in Maryland, back in 2014. What would Matt have done differently More definitive plans And know who will be your targeted customers Contact info Ridge Cider Website: http://www.ridgecider.com/about/ email: ridgecider@gmail.com Telephone: (231) 674-2040 Address: smack in the middle of Grant, Michigan Ridge Cider social media: Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/ridgecider/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ridgeciderco/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/Ridgeciderco Mentions in this Chat Cider Chat Live episode 1 :Boston Judging Best in Show Competition https://anchor.fm/ciderchat/episodes/BOSTON--Judging-Best-In-Show-Cider-e1e4hf. Winners of the 23rd Annual Boston Hombrew Competion - A New World Cider won Best in Show for Ciders. This cider moved onto the Best in Show for the entire competition and was awarded 3rd place. First and Second place went to beers. Listen to episode 128 next week and hear Tom Bell telling us how he made his award winning cider that captured Best in Show. Upcoming Competions May 16, 2018 - International Cider & Perry, Hereford UK May 16-19, 2018 Great Lakes International Cider and Perry competition Upcoming Festivals Michigan Cider Week - Cider Chat will be at the Gillette Bride Cider Fest on May 19th - 1-5pm June 9, 2018 The Pressed Fest begins at 2pm - 6pm in Longmont, Colorado 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: https://www.facebook.com/ciderchat/ Cider Chat YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-ycYg46higvb5lH8C-WGXQ Ask for the following ciders - By supporting these cidermakers, you in turn help Cider Chat Kurant Cider - Pennsylvania : listen to Joe Getz on episode 14 Big Apple Hard Cider - NYC : listen to Danielle von Scheiner on episode 35 Oliver’s Cider and Perry - Herefordshire/UK ; listen to Tom Oliver on episode 29 Santa Cruz Cider Company - California : listen to Nicole Todd on episode 60 The Cider Project aka EthicCider- California Albermale CiderWorks : listen to Chuck Shelton on episode 56 Cider Summit : listen to Alan Shapiro founder of this cider fest on episode 75. Ramborn Cider Co. Luxembourg. Big Fish Cider Co. Virginia Tanuki Cider Co. Santa Cruz California episode 103 Ross on Wye Cider and Perry, UK Process and Analytical NMR Services - John Edwards provides analytics of cider - stay tuned for his Chemical Fingerprints workshop coming up on Cider Chat Ironbark Ciderworks, Claremont, California Join the #ciderGoingUP Campaign today! 

Little Pomona’s makers and founders, Susanna and James Forbes have a long history with libations. James worked as a wine buyer and marketer, while Susanna who started in physics became one of the UK’s leading libation writers. Her book Cider Insider will be released later this year. James is amazing and with Susanna who also did a spell as drinks editor of Imbibe magazine and as a member of the Guild of British Beer Writers. She used to go by the moniker Drink Britain! In this Cider Chat with Little Pomona From the city to country life in Herefordshire   The family of cider makers   Stepping out of the box with cider styles   The orchard at Little Pomona Little Pomona Ciders There is no doubt that these ciders are stepping out! Read: not your typical UK cider.   James’ background in wine is certainly influencing the profile of each cider produced.   If ever there was a cider that would be worthy of buying one now to drink and 5 more to cellar, Little Pomona is the cidery to choose.   Delicate, yet bold, each cider that I tasted during this chat was complex, tannic and not your typical UK cider.   Old Man and The Bees - 7.5% wild yeast cider Dabinet   Harry Masters Jersey   Foxswhelp   Ellis bitter   The Unicorn - a spontaneous keeved cider We “Shaked it to wake it” and then drank it in this chat! Lovely   Art of Darkness (2015)   Being released at the London Wine Fair on the 22nd of May 2018 go to (stand DB15) and find C’est Si Bon Bonnes (2016), a single barrel bottling   In July 2018 look for Perry Comma, a single barrel bottling in Pet Nat style form the 2017 vintage. The fruit came from a very ancient orchard close to Dymock in Gloucestershire.   In August, look for another Pet Nat with a blend of Dabinett (95%) and Ellis Bitter (5%) from the 2017 harvest, called For Those About to Rack. Contact the Fine Cider Company distributes Little Pomona ciders in the UK. Contact Little Pomona Website: http://www.littlepomona.com/   Telephone: +44 1885 410645   Email: mailto:enquiries@littlepomona.com   Address: Brook House Farm, Avenbury Ln, Bromyard HR7 4LB, United Kingdom Mentions in this chat Tom Oliver Olivers Cider and Perry   Mike Johnson - Ross on Wye Cider and Perry Co.   Simon Day - Once Upon a Tree   Hop Burns and Black - a London shop selling fine cider and craft libations   Burough wine and beers - stores   Imbibe magazine

Paul Vander Heide opened Vander Mill a cidery based in Spring Lake Michigan in 2008. Some might think that 3000 square feet is a good size for a start up cidery and they would be right. But as Paul reminisces in this chat, they had to expand quickly when they had to move outdoors to continue production. In 2016, a new location was open in Grand Rapids. Both locations have a Tap Room and Restaurant. Vander Mill makes both modern ciders and Heritage ciders. Go to 31:57 in the podcast to hear Paul discuss the question of what is a Heritage apple in the US. At CiderCon2018 Paul was elected as the new President of the United States Association of Cider Makers.  He is very optimistic about cider in America and speaks about embracing the diversity of makers in the US, which range from traditional, modern to a blend of both. For Vander Mill the consumers informed this maker on the styles that they make, says Paul “ It was the consumer that drove our business into a wide range of styles for Vander Mill. The cidery makes both Heritage and Modern ciders. And while the cider drinker’s palate slowly changes towards more subtle notes, Paul is not waiting on planting cider apple varieties. He credits Vander Mill’s partnership with a local grower who has put in a large block of cider apples for making the future look quite bright….or…er…full bodied and tannic. :) Find Vander Mill ciders, distributed in: Michigan Wisconsin Ohio Indiana Illinois Draft accounts throughout Michigan and Chicago with a sprinkling of draft accounts throughout the other states Contact Vander Mill Website: http://vandermill.com/ Spring Lake location Telephone: 616-842-4337 Address for Tap Room & Restaurant 14921 Cleveland Street Spring Lake Michigan, 49456 Hours: Sunday Brunch 10-2pm Wed & Thurs 2-9pm Fri 2-10pm Sat 11-10pm 2-4pm snacks, 4pm dinner starts Grand Rapids Tap Room, Restaurant & Production Telephone: 616-259-8828 Address for Tap Room & Restaurant 505 Ball Ave NE Grand Rapids, MI 49503 Hours: Sunday Brunch 9am-3pm Mon-Thurs 11am-11pm Fri-Sat 11am-12am Mentions in this chat 6-degrees of Cider - share the news on the Totally Cider Tour headed to Normandy France September 23-29, 2018 Allan Hyland maker at Door Peninsula Winery who sent a box of 3 ciders to Ria. Mimosa Modern Heritage Virtue Cider - view the unboxing of the Rosé ciders sent to Ria. 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: https://www.facebook.com/ciderchat/ Cider Chat YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-ycYg46higvb5lH8C-WGXQ Ask for the following ciders - By supporting these cidermakers, you in turn help Cider Chat Kurant Cider - Pennsylvania : listen to Joe Getz on episode 14 Big Apple Hard Cider - NYC : listen to Danielle von Scheiner on episode 35 Oliver’s Cider and Perry - Herefordshire/UK ; listen to Tom Oliver on episode 29 Santa Cruz Cider Company - California : listen to Nicole Todd on episode 60 The Cider Project aka EthicCider- California Albermale CiderWorks : listen to Chuck Shelton on episode 56 Cider Summit : listen to Alan Shapiro founder of this cider fest on episode 75. Ramborn Cider Co. Luxembourg. Big Fish Cider Co. Virginia Tanuki Cider Co. Santa Cruz California episode 103 Ross on Wye Cider and Perry, UK Process and Analytical NMR Services - John Edwards provides analytics of cider - stay tuned for his Chemical Fingerprints workshop coming up on Cider Chat Ironbark Ciderworks, Claremont, California Join the #ciderGoingUP Campaign today!   

Kirk Billingsley has been charmed by cider ever since he was a kid. Coming home from school he fondly remembers being mentored by his dad who had a barrel of sweet cider (non fermented apple juice) outside the family’s home in the same county of Highland where he still lives today. In 2015 he opened Big Fish Cider Company after making cider non commercially for 25 years in his home. This chat was recorded at CiderCon2018. Sarah Collins Simmons who works with Kirk also joined us and offered a great perspective on the orchard care of all the trees helping Big Fish make such delicious cider. Big Fish Apples Varieties at the main apple orchard Golden Russet Northern Spy Jonagold Ashmead Kernel Dolgo crab apples In total Big Fish has around 300 trees to pick from. Most, if not all, are heritage trees that were planted over a 100 years ago on farmland that was long forgotten. On any given day they are pressing 250 gallons of cider. Cidermaking technique used at Big Fish: Slow & cold ferment With an occasional bit of back sweetening because the apples are so acid (sweet helps to balance out the acid) Use small 2000 liter and 1000 liter tanks and Oxygen barrier IBC Big Fish has a Tasting Room The room is currently 400 square feet and has 3 tables and 12 chairs This year they are expanding the Tasting Room…maybe there will be 6 tables and 24 chairs. Kirk bought the building a while back. It was built in 1920 and built with wood called Wormy Chestnut Kirk’s Cidermaking Tip: Experiment with yeast Look at areas of the world that like the style of cider that you do. Contact for Big Fish Cider Company Website: http://www.bigfishcider.com/ eMail: info@bigfishcider.com Telephone: 540-468-2322 Address 59 Spruce Street Monterey, VA  24465 Where to stay when visiting Big Fish Cider Co? The Highland Inn Mentions in this Chat March Maple Festival http://www.highlandcounty.org/events/maple-festival/ The second and third weekend of the month each year. 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: https://www.facebook.com/ciderchat/ Cider Chat YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-ycYg46higvb5lH8C-WGXQ Ask for the following ciders - By supporting these cidermakers, you in turn help Cider Chat Kurant Cider - Pennsylvania : listen to Joe Getz on episode 14 Big Apple Hard Cider - NYC : listen to Danielle von Scheiner on episode 35 Oliver’s Cider and Perry - Herefordshire/UK ; listen to Tom Oliver on episode 29 Santa Cruz Cider Company - California : listen to Nicole Todd on episode 60 The Cider Project aka EthicCider- California Albermale CiderWorks : listen to Chuck Shelton on episode 56 Cider Summit : listen to Alan Shapiro founder of this cider fest on episode 75. Ramborn Cider Co. Luxembourg. Big Fish Cider Co. Virginia Tanuki Cider Co. Santa Cruz California episode 103 Ross on Wye Cider and Perry, UK Process and Analytical NMR Services - John Edwards provides analytics of cider - stay tuned for his Chemical Fingerprints workshop coming up on Cider Chat Ironbark Ciderworks, Claremont, California Join the #ciderGoingUP Campaign today! 

Poiré 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 Calvados which has the following appellations an AOC or Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (since 2002), an AOP(*) or Appellation d’Origine Protégée, is equivalent to the AOC in Europe (since 2006). Pears used in this region Normandy Plant de Blanc - up to 40% of the juice for Poiré must come from this pear. Rouge Vigné Gros Blot Plant Roux De Cloche Gaubert Here the pear trees are hundreds of years old. Notably, Pear trees were already growing in Normandy in the 11th century, before the cider apples arrived via Northern Spain. Come explore this region of France, meet the maker and drink Poiré and Cidre with Cider Chat Host Ria Windcaller via the Totally Cider Tour to Normandy September 23-29, 2018. Philippe and Marie-Claire's farm "Earl du Bois" is on the tour! Reservations at totallycider.com Early Bird Registration ends April 30, 2018 Mentions in this chat Center for Rural Affairs - matching young farmers with farm land Cider Festivals Huon Valley Mid Winterfest - Tasmania - Australia July 13-15, 2018 Cider Expo - Caen, France July 7, 8, 9, 2018 Cider Competitions May 5, 2018 23rd Annual Boston Homebrew (...and cider & mead) Competition May 16, 2018 - International Cider & Perry, Hereford UK May 16-19, 2018 Great Lakes International Cider and Perry competition Ask for the following ciders - By supporting these cidermakers, you in turn help Cider Chat Kurant Cider - Pennsylvania : listen to Joe Getz on episode 14 Big Apple Hard Cider - NYC : listen to Danielle von Scheiner on episode 35 Oliver’s Cider and Perry - Herefordshire/UK ; listen to Tom Oliver on episode 29 Santa Cruz Cider Company - California : listen to Nicole Todd on episode 60 The Cider Project aka EthicCider- California Albermale CiderWorks : listen to Chuck Shelton on episode 56 Cider Summit : listen to Alan Shapiro founder of this cider fest on episode 75. Ramborn Cider Co. Luxembourg. Big Fish Cider Co. Virginia Tanuki Cider Co. Santa Cruz California episode 103 Ross on Wye Cider and Perry, UK Process and Analytical NMR Services - John Edwards provides analytics of cider - stay tuned for his Chemical Fingerprints workshop coming up on Cider Chat Join the #ciderGoingUP Campaign today!  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  

Find 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 and served each dish with a cider (cidre) and perry (poiré). Régis Angot, the maker, will be one of the stops on the upcoming Totally Cider Tour to Normandy September 23 -29, 2018. Click here to for reservations. Mentions in this Chat Blog: Wild Child Cellars | #ciderGoingUP in Turners Falls Massachusetts Episode 20: Curt Sherrer | Millstone Cellars, Maryland Graft Cider, New York Cider Competitions: May 5, 2018 23rd annual Boston Homebrew (...and cider & mead) Competition May 16, 2018 - International Cider & Perry, Hereford UK May 16-19, 2018 Great Lakes International Cider and Perry competition Join the #ciderGoingUP Campaign today!  Please Help Support Cider Chat Please donate today. Help keep the chat thriving! Find this episode with photos and show notes 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