Cider Chat

Meet Chris Rylands of Renaissance Orchards First there was Cider Supply and then Chris founded Renaissance Orchards with his wife Melinda. This move was a natural progression of a series of events that include resources needed for making a keeved cider and the thirst for a particular style of cider. The orchards and the Rylands are based in Ferndale a town just south of the Canadian border in Washington state. Chris Rylands In this Cider Chat with Chris of Renaissance What happened to Cider Supply? Why French style ciders? The orchards at Renaissance number of apple varieties and pear  Products cider scion Melinda Spotlight on Single Varietal Ciders Hear how Chris dug into 16 cider specific apples to understand the best blending practices for cidermaking. Each label shows: a picture of the specific apple charts that apple’s tannin aromatics acidity astringent sweetness phenolics The origin of the apple, including location How to use – best as a blender or as a single variety cider Contact

Author Daniel J. Bussey's "The Illustrated History to Apples in the United States and Canada" The Illustrated History of Apples in the United States and Canada is a seven-volume set of books that documents the history of apples in North America written by Daniel J. Bussey. The book was edited by Kent Whealy and published in 2016 by JAK KAW Press LLC.  Daniel J. Bussey The set covers over 16,000 apple varieties, including nearly 10,000 synonyms and 1,400 watercolor paintings. Each volume is between 500 and 600 pages long and weighs 32 pounds (14.515 kg). In 2018 this compendium received the Literary Award by the Council of Botanical and Horticultural libraries. Dan was inspired by Fred Lape’s book Apples and Man. Another key literature source was John Ashton Warner’s American Pomology (1867). The bibliography with line drawings of apples resulted in developing links with a network of book dealers and a rather exhaustive delving into historic documents, that predated the internet, right across the USA in the

Discover the Apple Grand-mères/Grandmothers of North America Todd Little-Siebold (Ph.D.) spoke at New York Apple Camp (2023) on a presentation titled the "Three Grandmothers" or Grand-mères in French. The sub title is "We have to reframe how we think about the origins of American Apple". Todd is a professor of history and Latin American studies at the College of the Atlantic based in Bar Harbor Maine. As such this presentation is academic in nature and inspires both present day pomologist and apple fans of today and tomorrow to continue to trace the ancestral roots of the apple. Enjoy this exploration in to the continuing research behind the origins of apples. Todd Little-Siebold The “French” Grandmothers or Grand-mère Le grand- mère: Rienette Franche (Grise or Grauwe) Unknown 13 Reinette a longue (Queue or Reinette a la long Queue) Calville Rouge Understand (French) history to understand American Apples This research requires looking at genetics and early settlement of French explores long before

Catching up with Michelle McGrath CEO of the ACA CiderCon 2024 takes place in Portland, Oregon, making it the perfect time to chat with the American Cider Association's CEO Michelle McGrath. The Northwest Cider Association is also involved helping with the cider tours on Monday and Tuesday and Oregon Cider Week! Who is Michelle McGrath? Why did your job title change from Ex Dir to CEO? The latter, is a typical of a for-profit organization title. Was this new title part of signifying a greater change for the ACA moving forward? What are the key services that the American Cider Association is providing to its membership? Who can join the American Cider Association? CEO Michelle’s must attend (do not miss) recommendation for CiderCon 2024 CiderCon 2024 What is CiderCon? How do the host cities get chosen? This year it returns to Portland Oregon, for the first time since 2016. What can attendees expect with this site (physical overview) what is different from the downtown location in 2016. Planni

The Purpose of Secondary Fermentation when Making Cider Improve the overall quality and characteristics of the final product during secondary fermentation by; Clarification: During primary fermentation, yeast converts sugars into alcohol, creating a cloudy mixture with suspended yeast and particulate matter. Secondary fermentation allows these particles to settle over time, resulting in clearer cider. Stabilization: Secondary fermentation helps to stabilize the cider by allowing it to age in a less active state. This aging process can reduce the risk of off-flavors and other fermentation by-products that can negatively impact the cider. Reduction of Sediment in Bottles: By allowing most of the sediment to settle out in the fermentation vessel rather than in the final packaging, secondary fermentation ensures a cleaner, more professional-looking bottled cider. Risk Reduction: Transferring cider to a new vessel after primary fermentation reduces the risk of contamination from dead yeast cells that can autolyze

Searching for Cider’s Universal Life Force a.k.a: Ki Of course Cider has Ki , as it is related to the Japanese martial art Aikido. It all began when four words “Bravey, Wisdom, Love and Friendship” were spoken at New York Apple Camp in the summer of 2023. Apple Historian, author and well known apple detective John Bunker was the key note speaker at camp who also happened to be quoting from a book titled “The Art of Peace’.       The book was written by Morihei Ueshiba, the Founder of Aikido, and was translated into English by John Stevens who was a student of the Founder. And it was within that book that he found those four inspiring words “Bravey, Wisdom, Love and Friendship”. The Founder , or Ōsensei as he was lovingly spoken often of Ki and its power. In short it is a universal life force that is present in all of us and all living things, including apple trees, orchards and cider.  Mentions is This Cider Chat We first hear John Bunker discussing how “Bravery Wisdom, Love and Friendship” can be

The process where fresh pressed apple juice is transformed into a delightful alcoholic beverage (cider) happens during primary fermentation. Before we get into the steps here is a list of Equipment and Ingredients you will need for this stage of cidermaking. Fresh apple juice or cider (unpreserved) Yeast (wine or cider yeast recommended) Fermentation vessel (carboy or food-grade bucket) Airlock Sanitizer Racking cane or siphon Note book for writing down recipes and more Optional: metabisulfite (or campden tablets), pH test strips or pH meter, Yeast nutrient, pectic enzyme Some of the links on this page are affiliate links. Support Cider Chat at no extra cost to you! Simply click on this link to make your Amazon purchase, and Cider Chat will receive a small commission. Thank you for your support! Sanitization: Cleanliness is key! Ensure all your equipment is thoroughly sanitized to prevent any unwanted bacteria from spoiling your batch. Listen to Episode 382: Beginner Tips for Squeaky Clean Cider Equipment

Meet the Medlar Specialist Jane Steward, is the world’s premier Medlar Specialist. She is both a Grower and Producer of medlar preserves at Eastgate Larder, based in the UK, and the Author of the first ever book featuring Medlars called, “Medlars: Growing & Cooking Jane Steward picking Medlars at Eastgate Larder In this Medlar Chat What is a Medlar (pome, what do they look like) and why should we care about Medlars? What do they taste like? Where do Medlars grow and where did they come from?  Growing Medlars Medlar cultivars When to pick the fruit? A bit about how Jane came to be a “Medlar Specialist" The Book: Medlar, Growing and Cooking by Jane Steward (2023) published by Prospect Books Cider Chat recommends supporting your local independent book stores. Jane's Medlar book is available on Amazon and by purchasing via this link Cider Chat does receive a kick back as an affiliate of Amazon at no further cost to you. Eastgate Larder Products Medlar Jelly Medlar Chutney Medlar Gin Liqueur Contact the

Dive into cider making essentials. Learn the importance of pristine equipment and elevate your cider's quality. Ideal for beginners starting their journey. Tip #1: Understanding the Importance of Sanitation Sanitation is critical to cider making, because apple juice creates an environment where not just our chosen yeast can thrive, but also where harmful microbes can multiply. And these microbes? They can spoil your entire batch of cider. "Spoiled" cider produces off-flavors when undesirable bacteria and wild yeast get a foothold. These undesirable flavors can range from a medicinal or band-aid taste, caused by phenolic compounds, to a buttery flavor from diacetyl, or even a vinegar-like sourness from acetobacter bacteria. And it is not just about taste. Some strains of bacteria, like those producing mycotoxins, can potentially be harmful when consumed. While most off-flavors might just lead to a cider that's unpleasant to drink, certain microbial contaminants can lead to digestive issues or worse. That's

Cider Making at home is a Perfect DIY Cider Making is fun! If you are a cider fan who would like to try to make cider at home without breaking the bank, this episode is the perfect DIY project to start your journey. New to Cider Making? Start Here! In this episode: Simple steps to DIY cider at home Basics of how fermentation works Where to get your juice and what kind of apple juice should you use? Equipment needed to make a gallon of cider The process for both a "controlled" ferment and a wild ferment. What you will need - to turn a gallon of apple juice into cider Apple Juice By buying your equipment via the links provided, you provide a monetary kick back to Cider Chat at no extra cost to YOU. Win/Win

The Architectural and Horticultural Endeavors of the Downing Brothers In the realm of landscape design and horticulture, few names are as revered as those of Andrew Jackson Downing and his brother, Charles Downing. Through their combined efforts, they have left a lasting imprint on the field, shaping not only the aesthetics but also the principles that govern landscape design and horticulture. Andrew Jackson Downing, born in 1815, was an iconic figure in 19th-century America, regarded as one of the founding fathers of landscape architecture. His visionary work combined aesthetics, functionality, and harmony with nature, aiming to create landscapes that were both beautiful and beneficial to the soul. He was an ardent advocate for the integration of parks and public green spaces in urban areas, emphasizing the profound impact such spaces could have on the well-being of the residents. Downing’s contribution to landscape design and architecture is noteworthy. He was the author of seminal works like "A Treatise

Delve deep into the realm of cider co-ferments Enjoy this special talk with a tasting of select co-ferments from New York Apple Camp 2023. Hear the discussion on techniques, flavors, and challenges. This talk was hosted by: Dan Pucci, author of "American Cider: A Modern Guide to a Historic Beverage" (2021) Matt Sanford, head cider and wine maker at Rose Hill Farm, New York Matt Sanford and Dan Pucci Co-ferments in this tasting All co-ferments where made in New York. Blackduck Cidery Aronius: A unique co-ferment consisting of 92% apples and 8% Aronia berries, which lend a tannic profile to the glass. Rose Hill Cider Pomme Cerise 2020 & 2021 blend | 20% sweet and sour cherries and 80% apples, this blend showcases the layering of flavors over time.  Mentioned - Rose Hill Cider Pearly Dewdrops' traditional fermented drink made of plums. Cuvée with carbonically macerated Shiro, Early Golden, Oblinaya and Satsuma plums, cherries and nectarines that are blended with apple cider. Dark, resinous fruit f

Nothing Sharp about the "Ice Cider Queen" Eleanor Léger is affectionately dubbed the Ice Cider Queen by many followers, most notably this podcast. She founded Eden Specialty Cider in 2007, the year of the first harvest of apples for producing Ice Cider at Eden. The act of freezing apple juice outdoors during the coldest days and nights of the winter to extract the water and then ferment the pure juice into what is known as Ice Cider is not new to Canadian makers just over the border from Eden's Newport Vermont headquarters. What is unique however is how Eden marketed and refined the technique to showcase to this delectable aperitif/digestif to a wider audience. Eleanor Léger Many awards later, a White House serving, and a reputation for some of the best Ice Cider in the world is now par for the course for the Queen and her growing realm.  In 2023 Eden is celebrating its fifteenth anniversary and has broadening the business, based in the northeast kingdom of Vermont, to include to two additional brands, Shel

Fable Farm Fermentory's Co-Evolution of Humanity & Apples The Apple Calls Us In | Fable Farm, VT started 15 years ago... In this episode hear how brother's Jon and Christopher Piana found their way to Fable Farm and how you can get there and enjoy the bounty too! Jon and Chris Piana Hear about: Jon and Christopher's back stories Fable Farm's Feast and Field Event Every Thursday during the summer months, enjoy out door music, food, cider, and more libations The Tasting Room The Cave - underneath the huge barn at Fable Farm The Quarterly Wine Club Foraging Apples Native yeasts, apples and grapes Co-ferments Jon opening bottle in Cider Cave  Ciders Walden (7.0%) A small amount of the 2020 pet nat, Emanation, was barreled down to age an additional two years. Emanation (6.0%) 1-2 years in the bottle, this cider has been rolling out since 2015 Apples from Walden Heights Nursery and Orchard   Fluxion (6.9%) made with a blend multiple vintages, which is a technique called Solera a spritz of maple

Walden Heights Nursery & Orchard (WHNO) was created in 1997 This 22 acre farm with 8 acres of orchards on a hillside outside of Hardwick, Vermont in the town of Walden was founded by Todd Parlo and Lori Augustyniak. It is a sustainably managed and certified organic fruit orchard and nursery. In this chat, we speak with both founders as they share the history and current educational offerings at WHNO. Todd Parlo and Lori Augustyniak (w/ frozen jug of apple juice) at WHNO We also discuss how WHNO was awarded a SARE (Sustainable Agricultural Research and Educational Project) grant to study: The evaluations of apple cultivars for hard cider production in the Northeast. The goal of the project as Todd Parlo states it, is “To increase the pool of possibilities for a cider maker. And to get numbers on the constituents of juices of a variety of apple cultivars." 313 apple varieties from WHNO were tested during this project. Todd in the Walden orchard The study was completed and as of 2023 the results of the s

Cedar Hannan began selling his ciders branded as “Wildbranch” in 2020. He both forages apples and has a small orchard planted that he planted four years ago on his farm based in Craftsbury, Vermont. The ciders are both wild ferments and occasionally have cultured yeasts too. He sells locally at Vermont farmers markets and doesn’t have any immediate plans to increase his production which is currently at 900 gallons per year. Cedar Hannan The Low Carbon Footprint of Cider Cedar was originally looking at brewing as a retirement goal, but (as he notes in this episode) there are already a fantastic number of breweries in the surrounding area. In addition, the carbon footprint of beer is a bit larger than that of making cider at a local scale. Thankfully for us all, Cedar went with his hunch and is making Wildbranch Cider his full time gig, having quit his IT job. Each of the following is what Cedar looks for when foraging apples or pears for Wildbranch. Flavor  - aroma Tannin Acidity Sugar content Wildbranch

Bonus Cider Chat Live on NY Apple Camp July 28th - 30th at the Ashokan Center in the Hudson River Valley (on the west side of river) is the first ever NY Apple Camp! Elizabeth Ryan of Stone Ridge Orchard who is producing this event catches us up on the scheduled events and talks.   Special Kickoff tour The weekend begins with an optional tour on Friday focusing on the life of Andrew Jackson Downing. The tour goes to the original site of the Downing Nursery and Downing Park. Then a 2 hour lunch with cider  and off to Esopus  - where the Esopus Spitzenberg originated from. Hear about all the great happenings at NY Apple Camp  Find the Schedule of events and presentations at  https://www.hvcenterforfoodartsandag.org/apple-camp-schedule.html#/ Tickets at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ny-apple-camp-2023-tickets-657779936497 The Friday tour is optional and there is a request for donations of $30. Mentions in this Cider Chat Live Fermentis: AB-1 (Apple Balance) yeast is one of 3 SafCider Yeasts for your cider!

Orchardist Ben Applegate on cold climate orchard care Ben is the Orchard Manager at Eden Specialty Cider based in northern Vermont and shares his insight on cold climate apple varieties and orchard tips. This chat took place at Eden's orchards based in what is known as the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont in the town of West Charleston.  Ben Applegate There are 50 Apple varieties at the Eden orchard. Here is a list of just some of the apples discussed in this episode:  Newton Pippin Liberty Stembridge Cluster Rubinette Northern Spy Trembletts Bitter Ben discusses which varieties work well in a cold climate, while recommending that as the temperatures continue to rise both in Vermont and globally, he advises to plant trial apples for the changes ahead. Tips for new orchardists Why you should do a Soil test before planting and what to do with that knowledge Why pruning too early can offset young trees Which apple tree damaging insects to worry about In this Cider Chat episode: We learn about the challenges fac

Cider and Spontaneous Fermentation The wild "ambient" yeast found on apples, in the air, on cider presses can all contribute to a spontaneous fermentation within the cider must, which is the juice that has been freshly pressed from a fruit such as apples or grapes and is fermenting. In this episode we hear from Hugues Guichard, who works at the Institut Français des Productions Cidricoles a research institute focusing on cider based in Normandy, France. Hugues presented this lecture at CiderCon 2023, which is hosted by the American Cider Association. Hugues Guichard at CiderCon 2023 Allowing a cider to go through a full spontaneous fermentation successfully is a growing trend within the industry as consumer continue to seek "natural" ciders. Hugues provides a complete overview of the French cider industry and the science behind spontaneous ferments. Subscribe to the Cider Chat YouTube Channel to be notified when the  audio of this lecture synced with the power point slide show goes live to the public. Becom

Small, Medium and Large Scale options for Mechanical Harvesting of Apples Cornell University Associate Professor of Horticulture Gregory Peck Ph.D and Angry Orchard Head Cidermaker Joe Gaynor provide an in depth study of mechanical tools for orchards of all sizes. The presentation took place at CiderCon2023. No need to be an orchardist to enjoy this topic on mechanical harvesting of apples. Some of these same tools presented are also used in vineyards for harvesting grapes. Particularly interesting for cider fans and makers alike, is the debunking the myth that apples that fall on the ground can't be used to make cider. Dr Peck provides a great overview on this topic. Topics in the Mechanical Harvesting Presentation Comparison of Cider Economies of New York, US and UK Bush Cider Orchards - wide row spacing for mechanical harvesting Cumulative Net Present Value (NPV) using Outsourced Machine Harvesting (~$300/acre) Is it Profitable to Grow Cider Apples in NY? The cost of hand picking - Labor in America Cumu