Cider Chat

Enjoy this annual winter tale from Cider Chat Central! In this special holiday episode, Cider Chat invites you to step into the enchanting world of the Talking Pommes.  The Talking Pommes Grand Winter Party is more than just a story - it's a celebration of all things pome, community, tradition, and the joy that comes with every glass of cider. The cider house hums with anticipation as Ria, Perry P...

At the New York Cider Fest in November, there were 2 Cider and Cheese sessions. Cider Chat Emcee Ria Windcaller attended one featuring ciders from 4 different makers. This cider and cheese pairing was led by Rachel Freier, a cheesemonger who is based in the Finger Lakes. She brought deep knowledge, humor, and a whole lot of heart as we tasted our way through four ciders and three cheeses. 00:00 In...

Tom Oliver is delightfully talented, mischievously witty, and not only a renowned cider maker but also a top-notch perry maker. He may say, "If you're going to make perry and work with pears, you've already identified yourself as being criminally insane," but what we found was simply a bold maker willing to go the extra mile for every bottle. Enjoy this audio snap shot at  Oliver's Cider and Perry...

00:00 Introduction and Podcast Overview 00:32 French Pronunciation Fun 02:27 Holiday Gift Ideas for 2025 02:59 Cider Chat News and Updates 04:42 Listener Stories and Experiences 07:49 Upcoming UK Cider Tour 2026 12:47 Featured Presentation: 2025 Holiday Cider Gift Guide 13:35 Cider Chat Partners and Supporters 25:30 Stocking Stuffer Tips and Cider Supplies 31:36 The Perfect Name for American Pomme...

New York Cider Fest 2025 brought together makers and enthusiasts for an unforgettable day at City Winery Manhattan. In this special collection of on-the-floor recordings, Cider Chat® captures  Audio Snap Shots  with festival patrons. Hear how attendees at the New York Cider Fest are viewing cider today — what styles they're excited about, how they're drinking it, and the foods they love to pair wi...

What is Pommeau? Pommeau is a: fortified blend of  fresh apple must  (unfermented) and  apple brandy  (typically Calvados in Normandy or Lambig in Brittany). The unfermented apple juice and brandy are combined before fermentation, which halts the process entirely and preserves natural sweetness. By law in France, Pommeau must be aged a  minimum of 18 months  in oak and produced within designated r...

Learn how to pick the right Cider and Perry for every dish on the Thanksgiving table. This week we are not chasing brand names. We are building flavor intuition. Consider Thanksgiving not as one single taste on a plate; it is a stack of distinct taste worlds. Each one asks for its own kind of cider or perry. In this holiday feature, Ria and the Talking Pommes a.k.a. Perry Pear, Mr. Quince, and The...

How to clarify, stabilize, and finish cider the right way The Purpose of Secondary Fermentation when Making Cider Once the apple juice has started fermented and it is now slowing down, it is time to rack over your cider for secondary fermentation. Secondary fermentation is where your cider moves from "young" to "refined." This stage improves clarity, stability, and overall quality before bottling...

Perry making has deep roots in Gloucestershire, stretching back to the 17th century when French wine imports were cut off during the Napoleonic Wars. Local farmers turned to their own fruit, and the rich soils around  Hartpury  proved ideal for growing Perry pears. This episode features audio snapshots from the 2025 Totally Cider Tour stop at the  National Perry Pear Centre . Our guide,  Phil Kest...

At the base of Burrow Hill  life moves at the pace of apples and oak. Here,  Julian and daughter Matilda Temperley are testment to the value of family for carry a business such as cider and brandy forward into the next 100 years. " You have to believe in the Romance of it because you are thinking so far in advance " Matilda Temperly From orchards planted for future generations to brandy resting qu...

What makes a Pét Nat cider sparkle naturally and how is it connected to the rural method you might have heard about in the UK? In this episode , we take a practical look at: What Pét Nat cider is and how it relates to the "rural method" A clearer way to describe fermentation: Active Ferment → Quiet Phase → Maturation When and how to rack cider for clarity and flavor How to time bottling for perfec...

A Toast to Perry and Place Enjoy an intimate recording from the 2025 Totally Cider Tour_UK Edition. This unforgettable evening featured  James Forbes of Little Pomona , leading guests through a cider dinner pairing in the  Malvern Hills  located on the border of  Herefordshire  and  Worcestershire  in England. James presents both a welcome Perry, Ciders and a very special  aperitif. We beging with...

Newton Court Cider  began as a 30-acre farm selling apples to Bulmers. When the market changed, Paul Stephens turned those same orchards into a modern day cider business. Front view of Newton Court's restaurant and visitor centre in Herefordshire, surrounded by orchards and outdoor seating. His early inspiration came from  Brian Shanks , the co-founder of  Bold Rock Cider  in Virginia. Though Bold...

In October 2024, Cider Chat MC Ria Windcaller recorded with  Tom Vowles of Hedger Cider  and  Ben Crossman  in Somerset. Initially, the two recordings felt like separate brand stories. Then, nearly a year later to the day as the produciton of this audio began and the transcript peeled away a story of entwined history came to light and a shared connection:  Coates Cider  of Nailsea. Tom Vowles Sudd...

UK Cider Tour 2025 Audio Snap Shots Wallace and Ria in Bristol In this Episode 469 of  Cider Chat , we brings listeners inside the UK Totally Cider Tour 2025 through the voices of the guests who joined. From Somerset, Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, to Wales guests on this tour discovered not just cider and perry, but also community, history, and inspiration. First Impressions and Highlights Many...

Cider Maker and Founder Lee Van DeWater of Pierrepont Cider shares his story in this episode on how he is forages apples to share a taste of terroir from New York's North Country. Lee Van DeWater Foraging Apples for Cider - Sustainable? Lee's cider journey started with childhood memories of sweet cider and apple trees planted by his great-grandfather. But it wasn't until he worked in Montana—buyin...

How Canton Apples and Frosty Twig Fused Two Brands into One In New York's "North of Upstate" region, in the town of Canton is the Canton Apples production building. It is now also home of a partnership shaping the local cider scene. Owner  Joel Howie  and cider maker  Dan Gallagher  live just a mile apart, and their skills mesh perfectly. Joel brings over a decade of experience growing apples, pre...

A Century of Cold-Hardy Trees Saint Lawrence Nursery in Potsdam, NY, has been helping cold-climate growers find success since the 1920s. Originally founded by Fred Ashworth and later expanded by Bill MacKentley, the nursery is now stewarded by Connor and Allyssa Hardiman, the third generation in a nonfamilial succession. What Sets Saint Lawrence Nursery Apart Cold-Hardy Genetics Over 250 apple var...

From Farm to Glass: Cider at 1000 Stone Farm At 1000 Stone Farm in Brookfield, Vermont, Kyle Doda and Betsy Simpson have built a dynamic model that unites organic farming, community-supported agriculture, small-batch cider. First came the farm and then over ten years, the couple expanded their offerings to include fruit trees, livestock, mushrooms, and now a seasonal restaurant and tasting room: ...

A conversation with Czech Cider Fan Dan Samek This episode brings us to the heart of Europe by way of Vermont. Ria sat down with Dan Samek, a cider enthusiast and home distiller from Prague, to talk about the evolving cider scene in the Czech Republic. They met at Kilowatt Park which is on the west side of the Connecticut River in White River Junction, Vermont. Dan Samek This was the first stop on...

Eric Depradine of Zydeco Meadery crafts mead with Heart, Honey, and Heritage As securing permission, Eric was able to start his fermentation journey in high school with a science project using cane juice. That spark stayed with him through his time in Louisiana and Kansas, eventually shaping what is now  Zydeco Meadery  in North Attleborough, Massachusetts. Eric Depradine What makes these meads so...

A Digital Media Empire Embraces Cider at The Newt The Newt in Somerset is a world-class estate blending cider-making, luxury hospitality, and horticultural excellence. The estate is owned by South African owners Karen Roos and her husband  Koos Bekker , who is a South African tech entrepreneur known for his innovative ventures, including transforming media group Naspers. Bekker's vision extends be...

Levi Danielson  is the founder and cider maker at  RAW Cider , based in  Dayton, Oregon . With roots in the  Driftless Region of Minnesota  and a cidery nestled among cider apples and pears in the  Willamette Valley , Levi's story is one of wild ferments, place-based cider, and planting for the future – both in Oregon and back home. Levi Danielson Building RAW Cider Levi's path began in microbiolo...

An intimate sit down with James Forbes of Little Pomona to talk about grief of losing his wife and business partner Susanna Forbes, the growth of the cidery, and the evolving identity of one this select cidery. Remembering Susanna   Forbes Susanna Forbes, co-founder of Little Pomona, passed away in 2024. Her warmth, encouragement, and belief in others shaped the cidery from day one. As James puts...

Fourth-Generation Farmer, First-Generation Cidermaker Sophie Horstink of  De Groote Wei , which means  The Great Meadow  in Dutch, is crafting Dutch cider as a value added project at her family's farm. Located in the eastern Netherlands near Arnhem, the farm spans 16 hectares and has long produced dessert apples and pears. Sophie Horstink The Horstink family market is well-known and is a go-to pla...