Afleveringen
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The announcement that CiderCon 2027 will be co-located with the Craft Brewers Conference sparked one of the most active online discussions the cider community has seen in years.
In this episode of Cider Chat, ACA Board President Christine Walter joins host Ria Windcaller to discuss why the decision was made, the financial realities facing CiderCon, how the conference will operate alongside the Craft Brewers Conference, and what it means for the future of the American Cider Association.
The conversation also explores cider's identity, the role of orchard-based producers and commercial brands, the ACA's current leadership structure, and whether this partnership is intended to become a long-term model.
Whether you're planning to attend CiderCon 2027 or simply want to better understand the thinking behind one of the cider industry's biggest announcements, this episode offers an in-depth conversation on where things stand today.
Time Stamps
00:00 Why CiderCon Is Co-Locating
00:15 Meet Your Host
01:31 CiderCon 2027 Shakes Up Ciderville
03:29 News Out and About Ciderville
04:51 French Cider Tour Update
08:48 Setting Up the Conversation
10:46 The Future of the American Cider Association
12:41 Why the ACA Chose This Partnership
16:25 Survey Results and Other Options
21:25 Protecting Cider's Identity
21:47 How Co-Location Will Work
28:30 Why Now? Lessons From Providence
32:37 Concerns About Beer Culture
34:46 Safety, Inclusion, and Progress
38:15 Headlines, Keynotes, and Programming
40:36 What Cider Can Learn From Beer
43:42 Big Cider, Small Cider
47:43 Messaging, Tours, and Community
51:46 Leadership and Financial Challenges
56:22 National Conference or Regional Future?
1:01:12 A One-Year Experiment?
1:03:56 An Invitation to Show Up
1:07:08 Host Reflection
1:09:21 Until Next Time in Ciderville
š Find the full show notes for Episode 508 at CiderChat.com
Direct Link:
https://ciderchat.com/podcast/aca-cidercon-2027-questions/šļø Listen wherever you get your podcasts and don't forget to subscribe so you never miss what's coming next in Ciderville.
ā¶ļø Prefer to watch?
Find Cider Chat on YouTube for more cider stories, orchard adventures, and global cider culture.š Enjoy cider? Help keep #ciderGoingUP.
Your support helps keep Cider Chat on the air and makes it possible to share more conversations like this one.Become a patron at:
https://patreon.com/ciderchat -
Sometimes all it takes is one sip.
It happened to the founders of Woodfolk Cider, Martha Lowry and Alistair Whitehead, and it can happen to YOU! What began as a shared love of food, drink, and hospitality eventually led them to plant orchards, build a cidery, and welcome visitors to their 87-acre farm in Ontario, Canada.
Today, their orchard-based cidery sits among forests, rivers, rolling hills, and rows of young cider apple trees and the open invitation to expand your universe one glass at a time.
TIMESTAMPS
00:00 The Cider Discovery Moment
Contact info for Woodfolk Cider Website: woodfolkcider.com
00:52 Meet Woodfolk Cider
02:23 French Cider Tour Update
04:49 Secret Tap at Four Phantoms
07:53 eCiderNews Roundup
10:33 Welcome to Woodfolk's Orchard
12:18 The Farm and Family Origins
13:03 From Music and Brewing to Cider
15:09 Distilling, Spirits and Ontario Taxes
17:38 Building the Tasting Room Experience
18:17 The Woodfolk Cider Lineup
19:19 Introducing Tannic Cider to New Drinkers
21:17 The LCBO Challenge for Farm Cideries
24:14 Pressing Apples and Growing Orchards
26:51 Perry Pears, Climate and Terroir
29:22 Harvest-Based Fermentation
29:49 Barrel Aging and Neutral Oak
30:57 Learning From Happy Accidents
32:00 Yeast Choices and Orchard Diversity
33:48 Tasting Meadowland
34:54 Harvest Dates and Labeling Rules
36:23 Cider, Stewardship and Community
40:06 Modern Love Cider
40:39 Copper Moon and the Art of Blending
43:54 Food Pairings and the "Aha" Moment
46:33 Looking Five Years Ahead
48:17 Final Thoughts on Woodfolk Cider
49:55 French Cider Tour Reminder
51:04 Closing Theme SongLocated near Orillia, Ontario, approximately 90 minutes northwest of Toronto.
Mentions in this Cider Chat Totally Cider Tours eCiderNews French Cider Tour 2026 Cider Going Up PatreonFind the full show notes for Episode 507 at CiderChat.com
Direct Link:
https://ciderchat.com/podcast/507-woodfolk-cider-ontario/Listen wherever you get your podcasts and don't forget to subscribe so you never miss what's coming next in Ciderville.
Prefer to watch?
Find Cider Chat on YouTube for more cider stories, orchard adventures, and global cider culture.š Enjoy cider? Help keep #ciderGoingUP.
Your support helps keep the podcast on the air and makes it possible to share more conversations like this one.
https://patreon.com/ciderchat
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Zijn er afleveringen die ontbreken?
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Richard Yi of Brooklyn Cider House isn't interested in making cider that appeals to everyone. He's interested in making cider with personality and if you've ever enjoyed hearing a cider maker tell the story behind the glass, you're going to enjoy this conversation.
In this epiosde, you'll hear how a young man who once imagined a future in engineering found his way into the family cider business. Richard shares the influence of his father, Peter Yi, the evolution of Brooklyn Cider House, and why embracing the unpredictability of fermentation has become central to his philosophy.
Along the way, we discuss:
ā¢ Growing into a family cider legacy
ā¢ The transition from engineering to fermentation
ā¢ Why cider doesn't need to taste the same every year
ā¢ Orchard expression and vintage variation
ā¢ The role of trust in fermentation
ā¢ Brooklyn Cider House's approach to craft and authenticity
ā¢ Building a cider culture that values difference over uniformityWhether you're a cider maker, orchardist, or simply someone who enjoys discovering what makes a cider unique, Richard offers thoughtful insights into the balance between tradition, experimentation, and family.
TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Cider With Personality: Richard Yi's Approach to Craft Cider
01:34 Ciderville Standards Update
03:19 French Cider Tour 2026 Preview
04:50 Meet Richard Yi of Brooklyn Cider House
05:44 Family Roots, Wine, and the Path to Cider
07:23 Richard's Food Pairing Philosophy
09:31 Working Inside Brooklyn Cider House
10:43 Succession Planning and Learning the Craft
14:23 Building the New Paltz Farm and Orchard
17:28 Creating a Destination Tasting Room
18:27 Pizza, Barbecue, and Growing Crowds
21:10 Events and Community Building
23:15 Celebrating Korean Culture Through Cider
25:21 Craft Cider Versus Commodity Production
26:05 Native Yeast Fermentation and Cider Making
30:03 Wild Fermentation Versus Cultured Yeast
30:44 Small-Batch Ciders and Limited Releases
31:25 The Story Behind Nomad Cider
33:19 Nomad Cider Tasting Notes
35:24 Apples, Oak, and Barrel Aging
37:37 Sherry Cask-Aged Cider Explained
39:28 Lopez de Heredia and Winemaking Influence
42:15 Dance: A Basque-Inspired Fruit Co-Ferment
43:58 Dance Cider Tasting Notes and Technique
48:31 Innovation, Growth, and Consumer Trends
49:56 The Legacy of Peter Yi
51:17 Tandem Ciders Joins the CiderGoingUP Campaign
53:21 Cider Chat Summer Schedule and What's Next
Mentions in this Cider Chat Tandem Cider in Michigan joing the #ciderGoingUp campaign 2026 French Cider Tour Ganzenhof Cider ā Belgium eCiderNewsFind the full show notes for Episode 506 at CiderChat.com
Direct Link at: https://ciderchat.com/podcast/506-richard-yi/
Listen to wherever you get your podcasts and don't forget to subscribe so you never miss what's coming next in Ciderville.
Prefer to watch?
Find Cider Chat on YouTube for more cider stories, orchard adventures, and global cider culture.š Enjoy cider? Help keep #ciderGoingUP - by supporting Cider Chat.
Your support helps keep the podcast on the air and makes it possible to share more conversations like this one.#cidergoingup
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There is a question that keeps coming up in cider, small business, and independent media:
Is this sustainable?
In this episode, Ria sits down with Adrian Luna, known as the Hard Cider Guy, for a conversation that goes well beyond cider. What starts as a discussion about content creation quickly turns into something deeper. Two practitioners, each with their own discipline, circling around the same hard truth: if you do not value your work, no one else will.
This is not about rejecting collaboration or generosity. It is about understanding the long-term cost of working for free, and what it takes to build something that lasts.
From orchard life to media strategy, from martial arts philosophy to the realities of burnout, this episode asks what it really means to take your role seriously, whether you are making cider or telling its story.
Timestamps
00:00 Is Cider Work Sustainable
01:28 Episode Theme and What's at Stake
02:12 Orchard Life and Spring Work
03:47 Planting, Grafting, and Growing Trees
07:02 French Cider Tour and Limited Spots
10:22 Meet Adrian Luna The Hard Cider Guy
11:20 The Cider Sensei Mindset
13:42 Finding Cider and Career Shift
15:51 Building the Hard Cider Guy Brand
17:21 From Scholarship to Cider Career
19:13 Too Many Hats Small Business Reality
20:53 Burnout in Cider and Media
24:20 Mission Statement Versus Making Money
26:03 Does Cider Need Independent Media
27:54 Should Creators Be Paid
29:32 Why You Should Not Work for Free
29:59 Martial Arts Discipline and Cider Ethics
30:50 Why Cider Media Needs Support
32:24 Finding Your Lane in Cider
33:16 Education and Audience Building
35:29 Hooks Versus Authentic Content
37:19 Discipline Through Adversity
42:33 Community Responsibility in Cider
48:15 Key Takeaways from the Conversation
49:12 Support Cider Chat and Keep It Going
50:12 Strange Apples Outro
Find the full show notes for Episode 505 at CiderChat.com
Direct Link at: https://ciderchat.com/podcast/505-cider-senseis-media-value/Listen wherever you get your podcasts and do not forget to subscribe so you never miss what is coming next in Ciderville.
Prefer to watch?
Find Cider Chat on YouTube for more cider stories, orchard adventures, and global cider culture.Enjoy cider? Help keep #ciderGoingUP by supporting Cider Chat.
Your support helps keep the podcast on the air and makes it possible to share more conversations like this one. -
What happens when breweries start making ciderā¦ not because they have to, but because they want to keep drinking beer?
That question kicks off episode 504 featuring Dan Kramer and Ben Anhalt of Element Brewing Company.
"Most breweries probably see cider as a way to let them continue making beer."
That line says a lot. And it opens the door to a bigger conversation.
Breweries adding cider isn't just about diversification.
It's not just about gluten-free taps.
And it's definitely not just about adding another SKU.Something is shifting.
In this episode, we dig into:
ā¢ Why breweries are turning to cider right now
ā¢ What changing consumer habits have to do with it
ā¢ How cider fits into a beer-first business model
ā¢ What this trend means for independent cider makersAt Element, cider isn't an afterthought. It's part of a strategy to stay relevant in a changing market and a window into where craft beverages may be heading next.
Time Stamps
00:00 Why Breweries Are Making Cider
02:01 Season Travels Recap and Road Notes
04:44 Tours, Travel Updates, and France Signup
06:44 Meet Element Brewing Company
07:07 From Brewing to Distilling: The Origin Story
10:43 Barrels, Aging, and Apple Brandy
15:37 Sourcing Cider and Apples for Production
19:23 Why Breweries Are Adding Cider Now
23:53 Branding and the Element Two Concept
25:44 South Deerfield Expansion Plans
29:13 Cider Making Mindset
29:40 Tasting a Dry Botanical Cider
30:36 Yeast Choices and Sweetness Strategy
32:15 Balance First: Building Flavor
33:38 ABV, Structure, and Serving Glassware
34:59 Learning Curve and Cider Books
35:50 Apple Varieties, Terroir, and Flavor
38:33 Experimentation and Small Batch Cider
41:12 Personal Palates and Fridge Favorites
42:40 The Bigger Shift: Breweries Moving to Cider
46:00 Advice: Make Your Cider Stand Out
48:53 Apple Brandy Toast
49:40 Why Independent Cider Media Matters
51:54 Tom Oliver and 500 Episodes
53:00 #CiderGoingUp Campaign
53:45 Final Sign-OffFind the full show notes for Episode 504 at CiderChat.com
Direct link: https://ciderchat.com/podcast/504-breweries-making-cider-element/
Mentions in this episode: Totally Cider Tour to France
Listen wherever you get your podcasts
Prefer to watch? Find Cider Chat on YouTube
š Enjoy cider? Help keep #ciderGoingUP
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Episode 503 takes you through England and Wales with audio snapshots from the UK Blossom Time Totally Cider Tour while exploring one big question: What is a proper cider?
Travel orchard roads through Somerset, Herefordshire, Gloucestershire, and Wales as tour guests share reflections on traditional cider, perry pears, wild fermentations, farmhouse hospitality, blossom-covered orchards, and the people keeping cider culture alive. From Ross on Wye and Oliver's Cider and Perry to Gwatkin Cider Mill and beyond, this episode captures the feeling of living inside cider country for a little while.
Time Stamps
00:00 Proper Cider Defined
01:42 Tour Craft and Group Flow
04:07 Season Updates and UK Teasers
07:22 Pouring Quince and Rolling Clips
08:50 Trevor's Tour Takeaways
13:25 George and Marla's Cidery Story
20:18 France vs UK Cider Culture
24:35 Tom's Cider Journey via Spirits
32:28 Richard and Elizabeth's Mountain Cidery
39:36 Tour Gratitude Recap
40:52 UK Apple Diversity Takeaway
41:39 Cider Kindergartner Graduates
44:19 Cheese Box and Stinking Bishop
45:55 Perry Pear Center Passion
46:43 Usk Castle Cider Picnic
47:27 Blossom Tour with Syracuse Duo
49:11 Far Orchard Mystique and Bees
50:22 Cask Cider Hospitality
53:03 Gwatkins Bag in Box Secrets
55:21 Why Guided Tours Work
59:16 Last Minute Traveler Gene
01:01:08 Farmhouse Cider and Beer Overlap
01:06:33 Proper Cider at Wilkins
01:10:24 Signing Off and Theme SongFind the full show notes for Episode 503 at CiderChat.com
Direct Link: https://ciderchat.com/podcast/503-uk-blossom-time-proper-cider/
Listen wherever you get your podcasts and don't forget to subscribe so you never miss what's coming next in Ciderville.
Prefer to watch?
Find Cider Chat on YouTube for more cider stories, orchard adventures, and global cider culture.Enjoy cider? Help keep #ciderGoingUP by supporting Cider Chat.
Your support helps keep the podcast on the air and makes it possible to share more conversations like this one. -
Travel with Cider Chat to Hungary for audio snapshots from the country's first Cider Salon, featuring makers from across Central and Eastern Europe, orchard visits, and a look at why Hungarian cider is a region to watch.
00:00 Budapest Travel Update
02:24 Cider Salon Plans
04:13 Litke Champagne Caves
06:34 Hungary Surprises and Lessons
09:44 Meet Andrew at St Matthias
11:35 Election Energy at Castle
16:13 Turul Bird and Innovation
18:53 Hungarian Cider Roots
22:23 Salon Maker Zuhatag
26:57 Asturian Sidra Reunion
30:06 Cidery Near Ukraine
31:27 Tom Oliver in PĆ©cs
31:44 Why Hungary Matters
34:15 Cider Salon Worldwide
35:20 Natural Wines at Balaton
36:02 First Palinka Tasting
37:19 Teachers Cider Table
38:13 Czech CidƩrka Spotlight
40:24 Dark Cider Origins
43:24 Bosnia Bohorina Ciders
45:43 Serbian Cider Shop
47:52 Cider Has No Borders
48:51 Orchard Visit and Paprika
50:36 Quince and Wild Ferments
52:47 Next Hungary Salon and UK Tour
54:12 Strange Apples Outro Song
Find the full show notes for Episode 502 at CiderChat.com
Direct Link: https://ciderchat.com/podcast/502-hungary-uncorked/Listen wherever you get your podcasts and don't forget to subscribe so you never miss what's coming next in Ciderville.
Prefer to watch?
Find Cider Chat on YouTube for more cider stories, orchard adventures, and global cider culture.š Enjoy cider? Help keep #ciderGoingUP by supporting Cider Chat.
Your support helps keep the podcast on the air and makes it possible to share more conversations like this one. -
Welcome to Season 11 of Cider Chat.
After 500 episodes exploring how cider is made, Episode 501 brings it back to the glassāhow to taste cider in a way that actually feels natural.
No jargon. No pressure. Just a simple, sensory approach:
What do you smell? What do you see? What do you feel? Do you want another sip?Includes a quick mention of Great Lakes International Cider and Perry Competition and why judging is very different from everyday drinking.
00:00 Pommeau Snowy Epiphany
01:26 Stop Overexplaining Cider
02:59 Taste With Feelings
04:05 Season 11 Kickoff
04:34 Tours And Community News
05:52 Glintcap And Judging
09:38 Pour A Glass Together
10:13 Aroma First Impressions
11:58 Look And Notice
13:34 First Sip Reaction
14:07 Structure And Mouthfeel
15:59 Memories Around The World
18:49 Finish And Another Sip
20:30 Buy A Second Bottle
22:32 Final Sip And Wrap
24:03 Strange Apples Outro
Find the full show notes for Episode 501 at CiderChat.com
Direct Link at: https://ciderchat.com/podcast/501-how-to-taste-cider/
Listen to wherever you get your podcasts and don't forget to subscribe so you never miss what's coming next in Ciderville.
Prefer to watch?
Find Cider Chat on YouTube for more cider stories, orchard adventures, and global cider culture.š Enjoy cider? Help keep #ciderGoingUP - by supporting Cider Chat.
Your support helps keep the podcast on the air and makes it possible to share more conversations like this one. -
In this milestone Episode 500, we return to a simple question that has come up again and again over the past ten seasons of Cider Chat:
How is cider made?After hundreds of conversations with cider makers, orchardists, historians, and fermentation experts around the world, this episode brings together the core lessons shared across 500 episodes - from orchard to bottle.
This episode walks through the cider making process step by step, including:
Apples and cider apple varieties Milling and pressing Fermentation and yeast Malolactic fermentation Barrel aging and lees aging Blending Bottling and conditioning The science behind cider makingThroughout the episode, listeners are directed to past Cider Chat episodes where these topics are explored in depth with cider makers and experts from around the world.
Episode 500 also reflects on the growth of Cider Chat, the global cider community, and the people who make up Ciderville.
Thank you for listening, supporting, and being part of the journey to 500 episodes.
00:00 Welcome Episode 500
00:36 Season Voices Montage
01:51 Why Cider Chat
06:12 Cider Back To Basics
08:07 Orchard And Apples
11:10 Apple Stories And Resources
13:11 Milling And Pressing
16:57 Fermentation Essentials
18:27 Barrels And Oak Choices
19:30 Blending Art And Science
24:58 Time Bottling And Patience
25:43 Episode 500 Reflections
28:15 Thanks And Season Eleven
29:14 Outro And Bonus Banter
Find the full show notes for Episode 500 at CiderChat.com
Direct Link at: https://ciderchat.com/podcast/500-how-cider-is-made/
Listen to wherever you get your podcasts and don't forget to subscribe so you never miss what's coming next in Ciderville.
Prefer to watch?
Find Cider Chat on YouTube for more cider stories, orchard adventures, and global cider culture.š Enjoy cider? Help keep #ciderGoingUP - by supporting Cider Chat.
Your support helps keep the podcast on the air and makes it possible to share more conversations like this one. -
Episode 499 of Cider Chat looks at the "Omnia Era of Cider" - a time when everything is happening at once in modern cider, from traditional methods to new styles and experimentation.
Using art history and the Pommes in Art story as a guide, this episode explores how we often don't realize we are living in an important era until years later.
This episode serves as a pause before Episode 500, where we return to the beginning and talk about how cider is made.
00:00 Episode 499 Prelude
01:00 Chaos Then and Now
03:31 Omnia Era Explained
05:46 Art as Cider Lens
06:13 Michelangelo David
08:45 Renaissance to Cider
11:13 Arcimboldo Fruit Portraits
13:35 Pomona and Vertumnus
16:35 Sack of Rome Shift
18:29 Mannerism and Omnia
23:17 Talking Pommes Banter
25:53 Looking to Episode 500
Find the full show notes and photos for Episode 499 at CiderChat.com
Direct Link at: https://ciderchat.com/podcast/499-the-omnia-era-of-cider/
Listen to wherever you get your podcasts and don't forget to subscribe so you never miss what's coming next in Ciderville.
Prefer to watch?
Find Cider Chat on YouTube for more cider stories, orchard adventures, and global cider culture.š Enjoy cider? Help keep #ciderGoingUP - by supporting Cider Chat.
Your support helps keep the podcast on the air and makes it possible to share more conversations like this one. -
In this episode of Cider Chat, we visit Heeman Cellars in Ontario, where a multi-generational strawberry farm expanded into cider and mead production focused on heritage apples, terroir, and experimentation. We taste blends, single varietals, and rare apples including Wayne, Swayzie ā Pomme Grise, Yarlington Mill, and crab apples while discussing Ontario cider history, barrel aging, Pet Nat cider, and what it means to make cider that comes from somewhere.
00:00 Somewhere Cider Idea
02:17 Episode Setup Tom Heeman
03:44 Cider Travel Updates
06:16 Road To Episode 500
10:19 Heeman Farm Origins
11:18 Orchard Plans Partnerships
12:04 London Ontario Location
14:13 Apples Bees Cider Bug
15:28 Cider Mead Beginnings
17:18 Launching During Covid
19:58 Style Shift Toward Dry
23:26 Ontario Terroir Apples
25:48 Family Buy In
27:51 Tasting Flight Begins
30:10 Magic Apple Story
34:52 New Traditions Pet Nat
36:14 Somerset Blend Deep Dive
37:55 Ontario Blend Origins
38:23 Aging Takes Time
39:04 Yarlington Mill Pour
40:28 Terroir and Acid Balance
41:51 Somewhere Cider Philosophy
42:12 Happy Space Mission
45:16 Wayne Apple Discovery
47:13 Old World Notes Explained
51:32 Swayze Pomme Grise
55:15 Ontario Apple Golden Age
58:59 Sweet Crab Apple Shock
01:04:21 Clamping and Carbonic Trials
01:08:27 Wrap Up and Credits
Find the full show notes for Episode 498 at CiderChat.com
Direct Link at:https://ciderchat.com/podcast/498-heeman-cellars/
Listen to wherever you get your podcasts and don't forget to subscribe so you never miss what's coming next in Ciderville.
Prefer to watch?
Find Cider Chat on YouTube for more cider stories, orchard adventures, and global cider culture.š Enjoy cider? Help keep #ciderGoingUP - by supporting Cider Chat.
Your support helps keep the podcast on the air and makes it possible to share more conversations like this one. -
This archival episode of Cider Chat brings together five experienced cider makers answering real-world questions from beginners at CiderCon 2019.
Originally released as Episodes 174 and 175, this combined feature presents a comprehensive Q&A covering everything from fermentation and stabilization to business strategy, equipment, and scaling a cidery.
The discussion bridges the gap between hobby cider making and commercial production, offering practical insights grounded in real experience.
Panelists Marcus Robert ā Tieton Cider Works, Washington Tim Godfrey ā Golden State Cider, California Eleanor Leger ā Eden Specialty Cider, Vermont Brent Myles ā Sly Clyde Cider, Virginia Ben Calvi ā Vermont Cider Co, VermontModerated by Cider Chat MC Ria Windcaller
00:00 Cider Choices Matter
01:27 Episode Setup
03:02 Ciderville Event News
05:41 Support The Podcast
06:31 Patron Shoutouts
10:34 Panel Introductions
14:34 Defining Cider
15:32 Lessons Learned
18:55 Residual Sugar Safety
23:51 Contract Vs Taproom
27:13 Ice Cider Deep Dive
33:11 Settling Juice Tips
34:40 Solids and Enzymes
35:06 Plastic Fermenters Tips
36:41 Profitability and Distribution
40:54 Learn on Someone Else
41:27 Core Ciders Strategy
45:43 Tasting Room Location
49:43 Funding and Crowdfunding
52:07 Essential Lab Gear
53:54 Filtration and Hopbacks
58:05 Fermentation Temperature Control
01:01:03 Wrap Up and Sign Off
Find the full show notes for Episode 497 at CiderChat.com
Direct Link at:https://ciderchat.com/podcast/497-beginner-cider-makers-qa/
Listen to wherever you get your podcasts and don't forget to subscribe so you never miss what's coming next in Ciderville.
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Find Cider Chat on YouTube for more cider stories, orchard adventures, and global cider culture.š Enjoy cider? Help keep #ciderGoingUP - by supporting Cider Chat.
Your support helps keep the podcast on the air and makes it possible to share more conversations like this one. -
Liberty Ciderworks in Spokane, Washington is an urban cidery focused on traditional methods. While located in the city, their cider reflects deep agricultural roots.
Cider maker and founder Rick Hastings ferments with wild yeast, ages cider for 3 to 12 months, and source fruit from nearby orchards. This approach creates cider with structure, balance, and regional identity.
This interview is with Jamie, who is a certified pommelier, and her husband Ben Pratt who both partnered with Rick in 2019. This interview was recorded at CiderCon in 2026.
00:00 Cider Eyes Open
00:40 Meet Liberty Cider
01:58 Ciderville News Kanga
04:46 Western Mass Cider Stop
07:51 Tour Prep And Pacing
12:53 Spokane Urban Cidery
15:09 Orchards And Sourcing
17:20 How They Joined Liberty
21:54 Tasting Room Third Place
23:29 Cider Series And Flights
29:33 Educating New Drinkers
31:07 American Apples Lineup
32:01 On The Table Golden Russet
32:22 Golden Russet Terroir
33:22 Tasting Notes Compared
35:31 Wild Yeast Unfiltered
38:43 Reserve Versus Core
39:19 Cider Club Shipping
41:59 Future Growth Strategy
44:14 Visit Spokane Taproom
46:38 Events Puzzle Festival
49:21 Barrel Program 55 Chain
52:39 Wrap Up Ciderchat
54:13 Closing Orchard Song
Find the full show notes for Episode 496 at CiderChat.com
Direct Link at: https://ciderchat.com/podcast/496-liberty-ciderworks/
Listen to wherever you get your podcasts and don't forget to subscribe so you never miss what's coming next in Ciderville.Prefer to watch?
Find Cider Chat on YouTube for more cider stories, orchard adventures, and global cider culture.š Enjoy cider? Help keep #ciderGoingUP and support this podcast Cider Chat.
Your support helps keep the podcast on the air and makes it possible to share more conversations like this one. -
In this archive episode of Cider Chat, we go in a barrel cellar in Prince Edward County, Ontario, with Ryan Monkman of FieldBird Cider and Lee Baker of Keint-He Winery.
Listening to Fermentation
What Is BĆ¢tonnage in Cider?
Find Key Takeaways for Home Cider Makers
Barrel Room Glossary
SOā Calculator
00:00 Barrels as Dance Partners
00:29 Episode 495 Replay Setup
01:40 Ryan Monkman Spotlight
04:06 Ciderville News and Cider Salons
06:21 UK Blossom Time Tour Plans
08:18 Entering the Barrel Cave
10:38 Cellar Terroir and Humidity
13:33 Malolactic Fermentation Explained
15:32 Listening to Fermentation
17:51 Comparing Barrels With and Without Malo
21:50 Yeast Trials and Complexity
23:48 Lees Contact and Benefits
26:24 BĆ¢tonnage Tools and Routine
30:47 BĆ¢tonnage Demo in Action
33:49 Hands On Stirring and Smelling
34:17 Stirring The Lees
35:26 Blending For Complexity
36:47 Aging Timeline And Autolysis
38:47 Barrel Faults And Oxygen
41:58 Managing Flor And SO2
44:09 Measuring pH And Sulfur
49:56 Cleaning And Storing Barrels
53:03 Citric Sulfur Storage Method
57:04 Closing Notes And Farewell
Find the full show notes for Episode 495 at CiderChat.com
Direct Link at: https://ciderchat.com/podcast/495-barrel-aged-cider-tips/
Listen to wherever you get your podcasts and don't forget to subscribe so you never miss what's coming next in Ciderville.Prefer to watch?
Find Cider Chat on YouTube for more cider stories, orchard adventures, and global cider culture.š Enjoy cider? Help keep #ciderGoingUP - by supporting Cider Chat.
Your support helps keep the podcast on the air and makes it possible to share more conversations like this one. -
In this episode of Cider Chat, we hear from Tom Hart of Humboldt Cider Company, located in Eureka, California along the rugged Pacific coastline behind what locals call the Redwood Curtain. We also discusses preserving the original Albert Etter orchard in Humboldt County and continuing the legacy of these historic cider apples.
00:00 Welcome to Cider Chat
00:38 Wickson Crab and Albert Etter
03:06 News Cider Salons Ahead
05:08 Hungary Salon and Champagne Cellars
09:08 Blossom Time and UK Tour
10:59 Support and Show Notes
12:04 Meet Tom Hart
12:30 Humboldt Cider Origin Story
14:36 Taproom and Local Crowd
16:17 Emerald Triangle Economy Shift
22:08 Apples Supply and Production
25:02 Brand Name and Partnership
26:35 Growth Plans and Cider Board Work
30:44 Juice Tankers and Redwood Roads
33:12 Humboldt Outdoors and Fishing
34:47 Where to Stay in Humboldt
35:02 Farmers Market in Arcata
35:59 Cider Batch Sizes and Varietals
37:02 Meet Albert Etter and Ettersburg
38:44 Etter Apple Legacy Varieties
42:12 Stewarding the Historic Orchard
44:47 Orchard Layout and Perry Pear
46:48 Rare Trees and Homestead Grafting
48:32 DNA Testing and Replanting Plan
58:08 Wildlife Challenges and Wrap-Up
59:54 Show Notes and Support the Podcast
Find the full show notes for this episode at CiderChat.com
Episode 494: https://ciderchat.com/podcast/494-humboldt-cider-albert-etter/Listen to Episode 494 of Cider ChatĀ® wherever you get your podcasts and don't forget to subscribe so you never miss what's coming next in Ciderville.
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What is Asturian cider?
Asturian cider (sidra natural) is a traditionally fermented apple cider from Asturias, Spain, served through a high pour (escanciado) and shared socially in small servings called culines.
This episode is part of the Cider Chat archive documenting global cider traditions and producers since 2015.
In this epic replay from Season 2 of Cider Chat, Ria Windcaller traveled to Asturias, Spain, and sat down with Anzu FernƔndez, international delegate for La Sidra magazine and a lifelong ambassador of traditional Asturian cider culture.
Find the full show notes for this episode at CiderChat.com
Episode 493: https://ciderchat.com/podcast/493-cider-as-a-sport-sidra-in-asturias/Listen to Episode 493 of Cider ChatĀ® wherever you get your podcasts and don't forget to subscribe so you never miss what's coming next in Ciderville.
Prefer to watch?
Find Cider Chat on YouTube for more cider stories, orchard adventures, and global cider culture.š If you love what you're hearing, please consider supporting Cider Chat.
Your support helps keep the podcast on the air and makes it possible to share more conversations like this one.00:00 Cider Is Sport Intro
00:37 Asturias Sidra Legacy
01:34 Rollup To Episode 500
02:49 Season Two World Tour
05:07 Ciderville News And Tours
07:15 Hungarian Cider Salon
09:13 Setting The Asturias Scene
11:12 Meet Anzu And La Sidra
14:05 Doctor By Day Cider By Night
16:24 Home Cider And Espicha
20:04 Tasting Notes And Apples
22:59 Basque Vs Asturian Styles
24:52 Associations And Big Market
26:28 Cider Pouring Competitions
28:46 How To Drink A CulĆn
29:48 Sharing One Glass
30:15 Cider Pourer Etiquette
31:55 Low ABV Session Drinking
32:24 Wild Fermentation Basics
33:20 Blending IgualaciĆ³n
34:58 Modern Cider Innovations
36:25 Cider Tourism Grows
38:22 Where To Drink Sidra
40:40 Unlabeled Bottles Explained
41:52 Vintage And Market Shifts
43:45 Defining Cider Origins
47:12 Climate And Apple Country
48:49 Tasting The Long Pour
49:56 Tech Talk And Standards
52:54 Closing Reflections
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This episode of Cider Chat explores the growing Maine cider scene through Absolem Cider Company in Winthrop, a farm-based cidery helping shape New England's evolving cider identity.
Located on a 60-acre farm in Winthrop, Maine, Absolem Cider Company is a cidery that expresses place, heritage apples, and hospitality.
In this episode, Ria sits down with cider maker Zach Kaiser to explore how Absolem blends traditional inspiration with modern experimentation. From wild-foraged apples and native fermentations to wine-inspired co-ferments and Basque-style pours, Zach shares how Maine's apple history is shaping a new generation of New England cider.
00:00 Intro Cask Cider
00:06 Meet the Guest
01:27 How Cask Service Works
03:08 Why Absolem Uses It
04:07 Episode Roadmap
04:48 Ciderville News MOFGA Workshops
07:19 Listener Shoutout Chalkys Cider
08:29 Featured Chat Begins
09:23 Absolem Farm and Tasting Room
10:31 Where Winthrop Fits in Maine
12:42 Zachs Cider Origin Story
14:24 Founding Absolem Through COVID
16:34 Coferments and Wine Blends
18:13 Wend Wild Apple Cider
22:32 Fermentation Yeast and Malo
24:57 Beer Hybrids and Collabs
25:39 Flagship Ciders to Try
27:18 Sidra Style Foeder Program
28:40 Taproom Vibe and Winter Maine
29:21 Year Round Tasting Room
29:31 Local Bar Vibe
30:41 Lake Town Tourism
31:41 Cider As Experience
32:22 Ice Cider And Mistelle
32:47 Brandy Barrel Aging
34:36 Lodging And Visits
35:14 Signature Events Calendar
35:30 Bembel Fest Details
37:57 Anniversary And Collabs
39:30 Pressing And Production
41:36 Heating And Expansion
42:58 Five Year Vision
44:30 New England Cider Association
50:12 Wrap Up And Links
Find the full show notes for this episode at CiderChat.com
Episode 492: https://ciderchat.com/podcast/492-absolem-cider-company/Listen to Episode 492 of Cider ChatĀ® wherever you get your podcasts and don't forget to subscribe so you never miss what's coming next in Ciderville.
Prefer to watch?
Find Cider Chat on YouTube for more cider stories, orchard adventures, and global cider culture.š If you love what you're hearing, please consider supporting Cider Chat.
Your support helps keep the podcast on the air and makes it possible to share more conversations like this one. -
An early conversation that explored possibilities cider was only beginning to consider.
As Cider Chat moves toward its 500th episode, we revisit conversations from the earliest seasons, taking a long view of the moments that quietly shaped where cider and this podcast would go.
This episode, originally recorded in Season One, features legendary winemaker Randall Grahm, founder of Bonny Doon Vineyard and a James Beard Award winner. At the time, inviting a winemaker onto a cider podcast felt like stepping outside the expected boundaries of the category. Looking back now, it marked a turning point.
Long before many of these topics became common discussion in cider, this conversation explores:
indigenous and wild yeast fermentation the use of pied de cuve to build healthy native fermentations beginning fermentations de novo each vintage blending philosophy borrowed from wine quince used as structure and aroma rather than juice perry through a winemaker's lens antique fruits like medlars cider as an expression of curiosity and place Randall GrahmFind the full show notes for this episode at CiderChat.com
Episode 491: https://ciderchat.com/podcast/491-randall-grahm-cider-history/Listen to Episode 491 of Cider ChatĀ® wherever you get your podcasts and don't forget to subscribe so you never miss what's coming next in Ciderville.
Prefer to watch?
Find Cider Chat on YouTube for more cider stories, orchard adventures, and global cider culture.š If you love what you're hearing, please consider supporting Cider Chat.
Your support helps keep the podcast on the air and makes it possible to share more conversations like this one. -
An editorial on leadership, scarcity, and why cider no longer needs to borrow authority from beer or wine.
In Let Cider Lead, host Ria Windcaller steps back from interviews to offer a clear-eyed reflection on the state of the cider industry, drawing on more than three decades in cider and nearly eleven years documenting the modern cider movement through Cider Chat.
00:00 Introduction and Episode Overview 01:02 Upcoming Cider Events 03:10 Totally Cider Tours 06:37 Cider Chat Schedule Update 08:00 Reflections on Cider Industry Leadership 10:53 Cider Industry Norms and Challenges 18:44 Call to Action: Let Cider Lead 19:50 Conclusion and Sign Off 20:25 Outro Song: Strange ApplesFind the full show notes for this episode at CiderChat.com
Episode 490: https://ciderchat.com/podcast/490-let-cider-lead/Listen to Episode 490 of Cider ChatĀ® wherever you get your podcasts and don't forget to subscribe so you never miss what's coming next in Ciderville.
Prefer to watch?
Find Cider Chat on YouTube for more cider stories, orchard adventures, and global cider culture.š If you love what you're hearing, please consider supporting Cider Chat.
Your support helps keep the podcast on the air and makes it possible to share more conversations like this one. -
Natural cider is often misunderstood as funky, volatile, or flawed.
Recorded live at CiderCon 2025, this seminar reframes natural cider as a philosophy of low intervention, balance, and intentional care, not a free pass for faults.Moderator Haritz is joined by Richard of Brooklyn Cider House and Jasper Smith of Son of Man (Oregon) to explore how Basque cider traditions influence modern natural cider production in the U.S. The panel dives into fermentation choices, malolactic fermentation, volatile acidity, sensory evaluation, and why great natural cider is defined by quality, not dogma.
This conversation also examines how natural cider is judged in Spain, what tasting panels consider true faults, and why these ciders are designed first and foremost to be enjoyed with food.
Ciders featured:
Zapiain (Basque Country), Son of Man (Oregon), and Solstice (Brooklyn Cider House)Episode 489 Timestamps
00:00 Introduction to Basque Cider
00:25 Meet the Host: Ria Windcaller
00:42 The Magic of Sidra Natural
01:41 Exploring Natural Cider Production
02:32 Cider FOMO and CiderCon
03:34 Cider Chat Milestones and YouTube Channel
05:21 Thanking the Cider Chat Patrons
08:44 Featured Presentation: Natural Cider Panel
09:23 Defining Natural Cider
11:32 Production Techniques and Philosophies
27:05 Harvest Strategies and Apple Varieties
36:21 Exploring the Price Range of Ciders
37:01 The Science Behind Well-Integrated Volatile Acidity
38:31 The Role of Malolactic Fermentation in Cider
39:55 Tasting Panels and Quality Control in Basque Cider
42:44 Cider Pairing with Food: A Gastronomic Experience
44:31 The Cultural Significance of Cider in Spain
51:31 The Importance of Apple Varieties in Cider Making
55:43 Challenges and Rewards of Natural Cider Production
01:01:48 Final Thoughts and Future of Cider
01:06:55 Conclusion and Farewell
Find the full show notes for this episode at CiderChat.com
Episode 489: https://ciderchat.com/podcast/489-natural-cider-production/Listen to Episode 489 of Cider ChatĀ® wherever you get your podcasts and don't forget to subscribe so you never miss what's coming next in Ciderville.
Prefer to watch?
Find Cider Chat on YouTube for more cider stories, orchard adventures, and global cider culture.š If you love what you're hearing, please consider supporting Cider Chat.
Your support helps keep the podcast on the air and makes it possible to share more conversations like this one. - Laat meer zien
