498: Heeman's Cellar | Somewhere Cider from Ontario
From Cider Chat by Ria Windcaller: Award-winning Cidermaker, Podcaster | Craft Beer Columnist
April 8, 2026 · 1h 12m · Season 10 · Episode 498
About this episode
This episode features a visit to Heeman Cellars in Ontario, exploring their cider and mead production and tasting various apple blends.
In this episode of Cider Chat, we visit Heeman Cellars in Ontario, where a multi-generational strawberry farm expanded into cider and mead production focused on heritage apples, terroir, and experimentation. We taste blends, single varietals, and rare apples including Wayne, Swayzie – Pomme Grise, Yarlington Mill, and crab apples while discussing Ontario cider history, barrel aging, Pet Nat cider, and what it means to make cider that comes from somewhere. 00:00 Somewhere Cider Idea 02:17 Episode Setup Tom Heeman 03:44 Cider Travel Updates 06:16 Road To Episode 500 10:19 Heeman Farm Origins 11:18 Orchard Plans Partnerships 12:04 London Ontario Location 14:13 Apples Bees Cider Bug 15:28 Cider Mead Beginnings 17:18 Launching During Covid 19:58 Style Shift Toward Dry 23:26 Ontario Terroir Apples 25:48 Family Buy In 27:51 Tasting Flight Begins 30:10 Magic Apple Story 34:52 New Traditions Pet Nat 36:14 Somerset Blend Deep Dive 37:55 Ontario Blend Origins 38:23 Aging Takes Time 39:04 Yarlington Mill Pour 40:28 Terroir and Acid Balance 41:51 Somewhere Cider Philosophy 42:12 Happy Space Mission 45:16 Wayne Apple Discovery 47:13 Old World Notes Explained 51:32 Swayze Pomme Grise 55:15…
People in this episode
Host: Ria Windcaller
Guest: Tom Heeman
Topics covered
- cider production
- heritage apples
- Ontario cider history
- terroir
- family farms
- cider tasting
Keywords
- Heeman Cellars
- Ontario cider
- heritage apples
- cider tasting
- Pet Nat cider
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Heeman Cellars
Products: Pet Nat cider, cider, mead, Yarlington Mill, Swayzie – Pomme Grise, Wayne, crab apples
Places: Ontario, London Ontario
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