Cider Chat

The DOPE Brand Hannah Ferguson is giving us all a reason to visit Youngstown, Ohio. Her DOPE brand is helping to introduce the city to cider like never before. The bio says that the DOPE brand is about a "Winemaker, Marketing, Event planning, other business services" but this only stays in step wit how she is keeping the door wide open for opportunity.  This Winter and Spring she is busy getting her new cidery up and rolling. It is located next to Penguin Brewing Company. The two business are both revving up the neighborhood where the wildly popular  Youngstown Flea [market] is located too. Expect the brewery and DOPE cidery next tood to all be open this year 2022.  Hannah Ferguson The message behind DOPE DOPE stands for Dwell on Positive Energy and Hannah radiates this vibe! Hear her story on how she got there and how she is able to stay there in this episode. Per the DOPE website: "DOPE isn't only a cider and wine manufacturer, but a lifestyle brand that takes pride in creating connections and experiences

Blue Bee Cider Founder Courtney Mailey Courtney Mailey, always knew she wanted to be a farmer of sorts. In the high school she took part in an aptitude test with the result showing that she was to be a farmer. By the way, she was the only kids in her whole class with that goal. Her journey to cider became more obvious after a stint in working in DC, a trip to Ireland (where she met her husband) and an apprenticeship at Albemarle Ciderworks.  She was on the path and took the leap, in 2016 when she bought the current site of Blue Bee Cider in the Scott's Addition area of Richmond, Virginia. Courtney Mailey Topics discussed in this chat Courtney's cider journey Being Richmond's first urban cidery Hewes crab ferments Climate change Richmond’s foodie, art an culture Mentions in this Chat Support these Sponsors of Cider Chat so they can continue to support this podcast and help you make great cider! Fermentis - Yeast and Fermentation Solutions for Cidermakers Sraml - Food Processing and Cidermaking equipment sp

Flynt could have grown pot, but it was apples that really caught her eye Flynt casually joked during this interview that perhaps she could have chosen to become a pot (cannabis) grower as a career before becoming an apple farmer.  I think I can speak for the whole of Ciderville in saying, "we are sure glad she went for the apple" Diane Flynt For Virginia and the rest of the cider industry we all gained when she went full into apple growing in 1997 and became the first licensed cidery in the south. Foggy Ridge Cider began selling cider in 2004 and became a top national brand model for astute drinkers who were looking for a true representation of what a blend of apples could do in a bottle of cider. In 2018, she made and sold her last cider called "Final Call". Having been nominated for the James Beard Award in 2015 and 2016, and becoming a finalist for this award in 2017 and 2018, as Flynt puts it, "It was the right choice to stop selling cider and focus on the orchard." Today Foggy Ridge Cider continues on a

Keynote Speakers of CiderCon 2022 Gary Flowers is a keynote speaker, radio host and the tour guide who leads the Jackson Ward history tour. The tour was one of a number of pre-conference tour offerings for CiderCon2022 attendees who had flocked to the city of Richmond, Virginia in the first week of February. The food and cider was abundantly delicious, with stops at the wildly popular restaurant MamaJ's and Cheddar Jackson.  But it was Flowers who really stole the show and kept our small group riveted with fact after fact on the history of the Jackson Ward community. Gary Flowers In this episode hear the beginning of the tour with Gary Flowers.  Woodland Cemetery Bacon Rebellion  Contact for Gary Flowers Website: Walking the Ward with Gary Flowers In Part 2 of Keynotes from CiderCon 2022 Diane Flynt provides the opening keynote for CiderCon 2022 and encouraged the audience to embrace the story of Apples! Hear in this episode her full keynote address! Diane Flynt A bit about Diane Flynt via the America

Elegast Cidery Beginnings Arjen Meeusem shares his story of living in Portland, Oregon and how a stop at Reverend Nat's Hard Cider to taste the cider inspired him to find out more about this niche market and its viability to make cider in the Netherlands. Arjen Meeuwsen outside the estate based cidery Arjen and his business partners began their cidery in an old green house and then moved to their current location in a 250 square meter shed and utilize the outdoor space for storing their cider. In 2022, the cidery is expanded with a new tasting room and expand production area just outside of Amsterdam set to be open in the summer. Elegast's goal is to use the rising interest in cider to help steer consumers to drink cider to help the orchards aka Drink Cider ~ Save Orchards! Elegast Ciders and Seasonal Offerings Elegast's Saison Cider is a lovely frothy cider with a nod to Saison beers with a cider structure all its own. The goal is to balance the acidity and boost the profile so that there is enough mouth

Maker Arjen Meeuwsen of Elegast Cidery  Offers business tips before you break ground, when your product is being sold and how to tap into a wider audience. Arjen's goal is "Being Present and Being Visible... and Providing a Good Product" Arjen Meeuwsen Maker Tips Size Growing with the market Managing your stock Cash flow Labor vs the economy of machines Widening your cider audience Contact Elegast Cidery Website: http://www.elegastcider.nl/ Follow Cider Chat Sponsors! CiderCon2021 February 1-4, 2022 - A virtual trade conference for the cider industry hosted by the American Cider Association. Register today! New York International Cider Competition - February 21, 2022 4rd Annual New York International Cider Competition for commercial makers. Judges are real buyers making this competition stand apart from all others in cider. Send in your ciders now. Commercial Makers - Enter the New York International Cider Competition  Help Support Cider Chat Please donate today. Help keep the chat thriving! Find th

Falling for the Chocolate Pear Forager of fruits enjoy the hunt of finding hidden trees and more often than not fully laden trees in plain site. Ben Kunesh's path as a forage has led him to fruits of all natures, including the once famous and now newly rising star known as the Chocolate Pear.  Ben Kunesh holding Chocolate Pears The Chocolate Pear has been discussed on two episodes of Cider Chat. Find these must listen to episodes linked below. Up to having this discussion with Ben, I only knew of this tree and its wonderful small pear like fruit as Sorbus Domestica. The fruit ripens into a smooth creamy texture with notes of melon and chocolate. In this episode Ben's tale of traveling to the Cezch Republic and to the area of Moravia. It is here that he met with Vit Hrdoušek who has research and wrote extensively about the Chocolate Pear. The Chocolate Pear Museum known as Oskorušové Muzeum And a the scope on the translation of the Czech book on Sorbus Domestica Contact Ben Kunesh Follow Ben on Instagram

What is a Wassail A Wassail is a celebration of the orchards, most typically apple orchards to honor the natural world and pay tribute with hopes of an abundant fruiting season moving forward. A Wassail is also a cheer When you hear someone say “Wassail” it means -Be Healthy! The reply is “Drink hail” -  To your health! When does it take place? Historically a Wassail would be held on the 6th of January or what is known as the Twelfth Night.  Or on the 17th of January which is called “Old Twelvey” Procession to the main Wassail fire In these modern times a Wassail can take place when it is most appropriate considering the weather and outside temperatures. There is no strict protocols, but rather traditions that when followed harken us all back to our ancestral roots and pagan ways. Where do Wassails take place? In the orchard surrounding a large fire, a fire circle and in some places 12 small rings of fire for the 12 apostles or for the twelve signs of the Zodiac. Indoor Wassails are also doable for tho

Washtenaw County Cider Mills 1841 - Present Day Patrick McCauley grew up in south eastern Michigan and recalls visiting cider mills as a child, enjoying in the fresh pressed apple juice and the cider donuts. Today he is avid cider maker and realtor in the Ann Arbor area a job that allows him to have an eagle eye on backyard orchards. Patrick McCauley Go to this link to see the October 2021 article by Patrick McCauley on the Washtenaw Cider Mills in the Ann Arbor Observer. [ Dexter cider mill 10.23.35 Kids drinking ciderkin Dexter Cider Mill October 1955 Williams Cider Mill In this episode: 119 Washtenaw County cider mills between 1841 and the present, of which 8 are still in business todayThe 1888 attempt to ban alcohol in the county (1909 - 102 cider mills) Chicago Apple King - David Henning The Erie Canal's use as a major transportation route of goods including apples and cider Marth Aray Day - Owner of a Cider Mill "that once stood in the middle of the road"  was not only a woman but also African Americ

Building a Water Wheel to Power a Cider Mill Phil Watson grew up on an old farm with an old cider press that powered a water wheel. When a water wheel turns it produces a lot of force, so his mom back then had the old wheel taken down. That water wheel made a big impression on Phil so years later he built his own water wheel powered cider press on his 200 acre lot where he mills up lumber. In this episode hear the full backstory of building the water wheel with one oak tree. The 3 story cider house is set up with the top floor designed to receive the apples and the old leaf mulcher now used to grind up the apples. The second floor is where the press is set up and there is even a bike on that floor that can be used to also power the press. The bottom floor is where the juice is received in an old milk tank. Making Cider with the Water Wheel Powered Cider Mill Water Wheel - 14 diameter When the wheel is turning: 20 gallons pre pressing on a rack and cloth press that Phil also built. They can do 4-5 pressing

Episode 300 and the song "Strange Apples" In this episode we celebrate the 300th episode of Cider Chat and release a new cider song titled Strange Apples! This song is one part poking fun at ourselves as cidermakers  and enthusiasts for all things cider. I began writing this song one night while sitting along on a sailboat in the Santa Cruz Harbor in Santa Cruz California in August of 2021. I was in town taking care of family (my mom) and had a couple hours to myself, so I squirreled away on my brother's boat with the intention to put to song a little ditty that was playing out in my head. I wore head phones so that I wouldn't be cranking the tune and waking the liveaboard sailors around me. Water is my muse,  having grown up on a river bank and spent many a night singing with my cousin Jay and friends as we floated down the mighty river. In a few short days my cousin Jay and I,  would go into the Santa Cruz Recording studio and do the final wrap to this new cider song titled Strange Apples. A holiday tree a

The Boomers of America's Cider Trade Hudson Valley Farmhouse Cider founder Elizabeth Ryan tells the back story of key legislation that reduce taxes for US cidermakers in the 1990's. Though she may consider herself to be mentored by others, Elizabeth and her fellow cohorts of the day were giants before their time. [caption id="attachment_6714" align="aligncenter" width="200"] Elizabeth Ryan[/caption] Hear the story of what it looked like in the wee hours of day  at the House Way's and Mean Committee when the legislation passed. How then Democratic Representative Charles B. Rangel made a move to get the Republicans on board. Yes, political theater at its best. Key players in this Boomer Circle mentioned in this chat Judith and Terry Maloney - West County Cider | MA Steve Wood - Farnum Hill | NH Jerry House - Ace Cider | CA BF Clyde Cider Mill | CT Joseph Cerniglia - Wood Chuck | VT North America Cidermaking Association Bulmer's Cider | UK Mentions in this Chat CiderCon2021 February 1-4, 2022 - A virtual trad

Gallettes at Scott Farm with Eden Specialty Cider Gallette dinners have been showcased at Scott Farm in Dummerston Vermont on Wednesday throughout 2021. Gallettes are a French cuisine where a batter is swirled around a flat cylindrical plate to form a round, flat, flexible bread. A gallette can be savory and stuffed with main course items such as cheese, mushroom and meat or savory. A savory gallette is filled with sweets like chocolate and or fruits. Making gallettes in quantity for the dinner ahead Gallettes can be found throughout France in cities like Paris and throughout the cider regions of Normandy and Brittany. Scott Farm General Manager Simon Renault hails from Brittany and introduce Gallettes to the farm. Simon also began making cider, keeved cider which is a typical cidermaking technique used in both France and the UK. In 2021, he produced the first ever keeved cider at Scott Farm and plans to ramp up production in 2022 with a bit of help from Eden Cider. Simon Renault Listen to episode 26 with N

Are Apples Odd? They sure are for those who solely define apples not by their names (which are often rather exotic like Mountain Rose or Kingston Black) but rather call them  by their color, red, green or yellow. In this episode hear Sean Turley and William Mullan present Apples 101, an overview on apples, and their origin at an open air event at Scotts Farm in Vermont on October 10, 2021. Turley hails from Maine. He is an attorney who is also a passionate apple forager or more specifically a "Feral Apple Forager". Sean Turley Mullan is an artist from Brooklyn, New York. His book Odd Apples, is a coffee table collectable picture book of gorgeous apples.   William Mullan Topics covered in this Righteous and Odd Apple presentation Myths of temperance Stark Brothers nursery and the apple - Red Delicious How grocery stores change the way apples are eaten vs Farmers Markets Tasting apples Get William Mullan's book Odd Apples. Click on the link below - Affiliate links at ciderchat.com may provide a kick back t

Who is Bauman Cider Christine Walter is the cidermaker and visionary of Bauman's Cider.  She grew up on an apple farm in Oregon runned by her family. As she tells it, Angry Orchard's "Crisp" was the first cider she ever tasted and it was a wake up moment that helped her realize that her family could ferment and sell cider too. Christine Walter   Bauman's is a destination farm these days with a farm stand and events taking place year round. It has a deli, coffee shop, bakery, garden center, country store and now a cidery. In 2015 she took the well know cider course by Peter Mitchell. The family was already pressing 50,000 gallons of fresh pressed apple juice. The first year the cidery used 3000 gallons, the next year 10,000 gallons, in year 3 the cidery used 50,000 which required her to source apples from off the farm. In short she went from the classic Peter Mitchell model of a basic 10x10 foot cidery to a 3000 square foot operation. Despite the added space, she sees the need for more. Christine's rough esti

Who is Western Cider Texans Michael Billingsley and Matthew LaRubbio are childhood friends who now both live in Montana and founded Western Cider in 2010. The cidery is based in Missoula and has an indoor and outdoor tasting room alongside the Clark Fork River.  Michael credits his love for Montana to the television series Lonesome Dove which he describes as an "epic journey of two Texas Rangers who head up to Montana to start a cattle ranch". He fell for Montana via that tv series, moved up and hasn’t left. In 2012 he planted an orchard which now has over 50 varieties of apples. Michael Billingsley “I plant new ones that I don’t have every year because, I have a… bit of a sick obsession. And I just want to find out if there might be some great cultivar out there that I don’t have and maybe I should." Michael Billingsley Cidermaker Kira Bassingthwaighte was born and raised in northern Montana by Glacier National Park. She admits to not fully appreciating the breath taking views that surrounded her as a child

Who is Lockhorn Hard Cider Alaskan natives Anna and Glenn Deal opened Lockhorn Cider in 2010 in Bozeman, Montana. Anna is a botanist and Glenn came to Montana to study and is a nurse. Lockhorn makes modern ciders with apples from Washington State and choice Montana apples like the McIntosh, but the goal is to upscale the ciders as people's palate continues to be drawn to dryer ciders. Anna & Glenn Deal The Tasting Room tips A dedicated gluten free kitchen Cheese and salami boards They make their own hummus and pickles Topics in this chat. Who are the cider drinkers in Bozeman, Montana? farm to table options Locally crafted beverages like cider and craft beer. What to expect at Lockhorn's Tasting Room A perennialwild flower garden and apple trees Production room visible from Tasting Room area Each tank is 18' tall and is 5x5 feet so it provides a bit of fermentation grandeur. The packaging/canner line is upstairs, which is quite unusual, but again is a testimony of how Glenn and Anna were able t

Who is Montana CiderWorks Lee McAlpine is the Founder and Owner of Montana Ciderworks based in Darby, Montana. In 2022, Lee will celebrate the 20th year of operations and has a special Pommeau release made with her cider and distilled locally. It has been aging for 3 years and will only be available at the cidery. In 2002, she planted over 700 cider varieties that focused on 7 English Cider varieties that Lee felt would blend well with the covet Montana grown Macintosh apples. Lee was a firefighter who had a passion for sustainable agriculture and for Montana. Lee McAlpine The Cidery set up Lee has a 20 x 20 foot production room and primarily ferments in Flex tanks and has a small batch program. The Cidery has no Tasting Room, but you can show up and buy cider on site. Lee's cider are fermented for a year before bottling! Topics in this Cider Chat Why the McIntosh is so coveted in Montana The region going back to 1880 specifically growing the McIntosh was a vibrant orchard region at one time. Lee notes tha

Who is Westwind Orchard and their cider Fabio Chizzola & Laura Ferrara are the owners/farmers of Westwind Orchard located in Accord, New York on the west dies of the Hudson River. The orchard was bought in 2002 and was as Fabio described it "abandoned". Over time her pruned and replanted and open the area for Pick Your Own in 2008.  In addition to offering the apples, pizza was being made and sold. In time Fabio noticed that many of teh patrons were bringing their own wine, beer and perhaps cider to drink with the food. That was an a-ha moment, when he realized that they could do more than just offer apples to take home but instead ferment the select crop into cider! Both Laura and Fabio are of Italian descendent with Fabio growing up in Rome, which leads to an obvious statement that rings true. "I’m Italian I know food.…I know how food should taste.” Today the orchard has 70-80 varieties of apples and  the Pick Your Own option is no longer available with all the apples going into the production of Westwi

Who is Ploughman Cider Ploughman Cider is based in Wenksville Pennsylvania on a family farm owned by the Wenks Family for the past 100 years. The farm is called Three Springs and it is exactly 1.5 miles from the ancestral farm that started back in 1818 when the first Wenk arrived from Switzerland. Dave Wenk The farm today has dedicated 6 acres to cider specific varieties. In addition the family grow other fruit trees for the fresh fruit market. The farm itself is managed by David Wenk who begins the episode with telling the back story of how the family came to Adams County. You will also hear from his son Ben Wenk who established the cider brand Ploughman. Ben along with cidermaker Edwin Winzeler began selling their ciders in 2016. Ben Wenk The Future looks bright for Ploughman Cider Fans Expect more More Single Varietal Ciders in the cue Tasting Room and Production Facility in Gardners, which is the same town that Big Hill Ciderworks in episode 289 is located. Both cideries are in Adams County which is a