Cider Chat

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...

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 Vine...

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...

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...

A pending lawsuit spearheaded by Ron Extract of Garden Path Fermentation could change how cider makers label harvest year and "vintage" on cider over 7% ABV. Ron explains why the current TTB rules block truthful harvest-year labeling, how this impacts both producers and consumers, and what success would look like for the cider community. 00:00 Introduction and Podcast Overview 00:43 Cider Labeling...

In This Episode, We Cover Why Sorbus domestica is often nicknamed  "the chocolate pear"  (and why that name actually helps people  get it ) What  bletting  means, and why sorbs can be delicious  before  they turn fully brown (depending on the fruit) The "custard stage" vs. fully bletted "medlar-like" stage (and how this relates to cider pressing windows) Ben's sorb travel finds across: Croatia  (i...

Recorded live at CiderCon, this episode brings listeners into a rare, in-depth conversation about Chile's living cider tradition —one shaped by more than 450 years of apple fermentation, deep regional biodiversity, and community-based agriculture. Moderated by Eli Shanks, this panel features cider makers, cooperative leaders, and academics from southern Chile who explore how apples arrived, adapte...

Carlos Flores is an architect, landscape designer, and co-founder of Punta de Fierro Fine Cider. At the 2025 CiderCon in Chicago he presented Carlos presented "Developing An Experimental Edible Forest in a Heritage Apple Orchard." - this episode features his full presentaiton and you will also find his audio synced with all the power point slides at the Cider Chat YouTube Channel. Find full showno...

Meet Patrick McCauley , a Michigan-based cider maker and researcher, who is questioning some of the most common myths about American cider history. What Patrick uncovers is a far more regional, farm-based, and resilient cider story than the usual "cider died because of Prohibition" narrative.   00:00 Introduction to Cider and Prohibtion 00:23 Meet the Host and Guest 01:56 Listener Support and Comm...

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...