Cider Chat

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 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 Song Contact info for Woodfolk Cider Website: woodfolkcider.com Located 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 Patreon Find 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. 💛 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

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 Bâtonnage in Cider? Find Key Takeaways for Home Cider Makers Barrel Room Glossary SO₂ 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 Bâtonnage Tools and Routine 30:47 Bâtonnage 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. 💛 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 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 Fernández, 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 Chat® 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. 💛 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 Culín 29:48 Sharing One Glass 30:15 Cider Pourer Etiquette 31:55 Low ABV Session Drinking 32:24 Wild Fermentation Basics 33:20 Blending Igualación 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

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 Grahm" data-medium-file= "https://i0.wp.com/ciderchat.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Randall-Grahm-188-copy.jpg?fit=200%2C300&ssl=1" data-large-file= "https://i0.wp.com/ciderchat.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Randall-Grahm-188-copy.jpg?fit=200%2C300&ssl=1" /> Randall Grahm Find 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 Chat® 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. 💛 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 Chat® 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. 💛 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.

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 (including fruit for sale at the market + trees growing in yards) Moravia (Czech Republic) — including the Sorbus museum and harvest festival France (sorb hunting with Arnold and tasting cormé/cormé-style ferments) Somerset, UK (a surprise roadside discovery!) Growth habits that can make Sorbus domestica look like an oak Why sorbs may matter in a changing climate: deep root systems drought resistance long lifespan later bloom time (less frost risk) Seed-grown vs grafted sorbs — and why Ben prefers genetic diversity (for now) The surprising reality: sorbs have already been distributed widely in the U.S. through seedlings What's being made with sorbs in Europe: brandy co-ferments with grapes wine experiments Time Stamps 00:00 Introduction to Sorbus Domestica 00:18 Meet the Podcast Host: Ria Windcaller 00:52 Exploring Sorbus Domestica: History and Uses 01:25 Cider Chat Episodes Featuring Sorbus Domestica 02:39 Sorbus Domestica in France and the US 04:05 Cider News and Upcoming Events 07:53 Interview with Ben Kunesh: Chocolate Pears 08:33 The Unique Characteristics of Sorbus Domestica 17:25 Sorbus Domestica Around the World 21:03 The Versatility and Adaptability of Sorbus Domestica 24:20 The Future of Sorbus Domestica in Orchards 25:49 Sorbus Domestica: A Historical Perspective 27:34 Ben's Travels and Discoveries 34:25 Exploring Sorbus Domestica Variations 35:30 Propagation Techniques and Genetic Diversity 37:29 Historical Context and Distribution 39:50 Nursery and Distribution Efforts 41:09 European Adventures and Discoveries 45:30 Tasting Sorbus Domestica Products 54:23 Future Prospects and Cultivation Tips 01:00:58 Conclusion and Final Thoughts 🎧 Listen to Episode 487 of Cider Chat® 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. 💛 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 interviews and deep-dive conversations like this one.

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 shownotes to this episode at https://ciderchat.com/podcast/485-chile-edible-forest-cider/ 00:00 Intro to Cider Chat - news 00:49 Carlos Flores and the Edible Forest 01:43 The Rich History of Chilean Cider 04:03 Upcoming Cider Events and Tours 08:41 Carlos Flores' Journey and Vision 18:40 Creating the Edible Forest 30:59 Bees and Flowers 31:08 Meteorological Station and Climate Change 32:24 Community Involvement and Workshops 33:37 Greenhouse and New Trees 34:12 Summer School and Neighbor's Orchard 36:17 Building a Cider House 37:47 Biofilter and Water Management 39:32 Community Impact and Economic Development 41:34 Pruning and Tree Management 43:14 Future Plans and Experiments 50:22 Funding and Government Grants 55:30 Final Thoughts and Conclusion Contact info for Carlos of Punta de Fierro Cider Website: https://puntadefierro.cl Listen to Episode 421: Explore the Rich History of Chilean Cider w/Punta de Fierro Mentions in this Cider Chat 393: How to Wassail & Drink Hail Totally Cider Tours CiderCon2026 Support Cider Chat via our Patreon Page!

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 Pear, Mr. Quince, and the Medlars prepare the night before their annual pressing. But as every year before there is always magic in the air for Ciderville. With the Talking Pommes truly anything can happen and so it does! With snow blanketed orchards, and just the right amount of "Believe" a sleigh pulled by apples glides through the starry sky. Raise a glass and join us on this festive adventure—because in Ciderville, the magic is always just a sip away. Meet the Stars of the Cider House This holiday episode of Cider Chat brings together some of Ciderville's most delightful characters: Apple: The vibrant leader with a twinkle in their eye. The Medlars: Sweet, quirky, and always ready with a witty remark. Mr. Quince: The taskmaster who wants to be a comic Perry Pear: Full of charm and flair, a natural performer. A Wide Assortment of Pommes: From Dabinett to Kingston Black, they bring their unique personalities to the mix. The Gift of Holiday Cider Magic This story is for anyone who cherishes the magic of the season. As Apple says, "Every glass of cider holds a story, and this one's for you." From Cider Chat to all of Ciderville, we hope this episode brings joy to your holiday season. Raise a glass, gather 'round, and join the Talking Pommes and Ria in Ciderville!