Cider Chat

Curtis Sherrer is barreling aging single variety apples at Millstone Cellars. An old grist mill dating back to the 1850s houses the Tasting Room.

"If you are looking to save money, all you need is a barrel. You don't need chillers."

Instead of pressing multiple apples and creating the sweet cider that will then be fermenting - Curt keeps apple varieties separate until he finds the perfect balance

At the "Old Grist Mill" they use a cloth press on site that dates back to 1850s.

Says Curt, "Let's take apple juice and see how close we can get to making a chardonnay" of their goal in choosing to become a cidermaker.

Curt recommends looking at bending much like ones does with spices and ingredients: See what will make the most savory cider.

The learnings garnered from making cider from single variety apples, until the final blend are abundant. You will learn about:

- How maturity ( of the apple and cider) matters

- How does maceration change it? Maceration is what happens when you wait to press the pomace (crushed apples), letting the pomace sit for a bit, like 24 hours to 2 days or even longer.

- Learn the taste differences between free run apple juice where the pomace is barely pressed versus crushing and pressing immediately.

Find the full show notes and links to this episode at cider chat.com

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Neil MacDonald is a self described "man of the soil". He co-launched Orchard Pig Cider in 2004 in the Somerset region of England.

His specialty is apple growing and the primary process of the cidermaking at Orchard Pig Cider.

I spoke with Neil while at CiderCon (United States Association of Cider Makers annual congress) in Portland Oregon in 2016.

Neil was granted a scholarship from the Nuffield Farming Scholarship Trust which has helped him hone in on his apple growing passion and helped him travel around the world.

Neil uses what is a called a "Bush Orchard" in the UK, which works well with the mechanics of harvesting within high density orchards for a maximum harvest.
He is sharing what he thinks US cidermakers and orchardist may be very interested in doing in the states.

Neil chats about UK cider traditions and there is a bonus chat on the specs for a paid internship at Neil's farm.

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Cider Cocktails are hot...again. That's right, again! Yes, mixing spirits with cider has been favored by farmers to royalty alike (okay, not sure about the royalty, but I know my gramps used to love to age his cider in a bourbon barrel) ever since cider and spirits have been pouring?

Yes, Ciderville we are both going to become a bit more "in the know" with this special chat with Darlene Hayes on how to make cider cocktails. You might know Darlene, by her blog All into Cider where you can find some quick cider cocktail lore and recipes.

Find out more about this episode and see photos of Darlene making us some cocktails.
at www.ciderchat.com

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Juice suppliers Fruit Smart & Kiril Mischeff give their perspective on the global juice market and how they are watching the current cider trend in the US.

Getting the right blend or single variety juice to make the perfect cider is part of every business plan for cideries both in the startup phase an ongoing. If you are not growing your own orchard, getting apple juice could be a real constraint these chats are informative.

And even if you do have your own orchard there is much to learn about how juice suppliers see the current market.

show notes and contact info for the suppliers can be found at ciderchat.com

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John Bunker in this chat helps totrace the lineage in the US between cider apples and cidermakers. If you ever doubted whether you are on the right track with your cidermaking skills, Have no fear. Not only does John affirm even one's most basic cidermaking skills, but our basic love of the apple.

When I asked John what he would give himself as a job titled, he thought for a moment and then said, "Friend of Apples." That friendship is helping apples throughout the US find their rightful place in history as they get identified one apple at a time.

8 minute Bonus clip only at ciderchat.com with John speaking about ep15 chat with Chris Jackson | FreedomFarmTC, Georgia on growing Antonovaka apples from seed. copy and paste this link to go directly to this chat. http://wp.me/p6S28K-7i

Find all the shownotes and photos to this chat at CiderChat.com

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Chris Jackson is new to cidermaking and his enthusiasm for fermenting is contagious. At Freedom Farm his family is working towards sustainability and he is blogging about it all, via his website FreedomFarmTV.

Chris had shared his photos of his homemade Peach Cider on Twitter and I liked him immediately. Finding out that he was blogging about grafting fruit trees made it a natural fit of a Cider Chat.

In this episode we chat about the different types of graft one could do to get a different variety of apples on an apple tree.

Follow Chris @freedomfarmtv

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Kurant Ciderco-owner and head cidermaker,Joe Getz's business is expanding, just after one year into producing cider commercially in the eastern region of Pennsylvania outside of Philadelphia. Besides making cider at Kurant, Joe is also the Vice President of the Pennsylvania Cider Guild, the commonwealth's organizing body for cider producers and apple growers in PA.

In this chat, Joe and I discuss his ciders and why he calls them untypical American style ciders. We also look at the upward movement of cider in one of the largest state in the Union.

Mechanical engineer and entrepreneur Ryal Schallenberger is helping cidermakers throughout the northwest by providing a mobile juicing service. He drives truck and trailer right in to the orchard and in 30-minutes is ready to start moving through 3 bins of apples an hour with a yield of 150-200 gallons of juice per hour. Northwest Mobile Juicing offered services to cidermakers for the first time in 2015 and there is no looking back. [caption id="attachment_370" align="alignnone" width="225"] Ryal Schallenberger[/caption] In 2016 Ryal is looking at expanding his portfolio of juicing trailers. This means dedicated trailers in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and a fixed location in Montana. In this episode Ryal discusses the roots of mobile juicing. Where did mobile juicing come from? Think German innovation first with the likes of Kreuzmayr (see link below)...a man from Canada going on says Ryal, "The Canadian version of Shark Tank" securing money and viola a business is born. Ryal expands the whole process from start to finish including the cost for starting up such a service. [caption id="attachment_371" align="alignnone" width="300"] Northwest Mobile Juicing[/caption] [caption id="attachment_372" align="alignnone" width="300"] Inside the mobile juicing trailer[/caption] Northwest Mobile Juicing provides:

• Pressing
• Pasteurization
• Packaging

Interested is having Ryal come to your orchard? Or want to get into mobile jucing? Contact Ryal Schallenberger at Northwest Mobile Juicing Tell him you heard his story on Cider Chat Northwest Mobile Jucing

• email [email protected]
• telephone: 406-360-1110

Links mentioned in this podcast Montana CiderWorks Budwood Coop Juicing Systems in Canada is the official rep for the Austrian company Kreuzmayr where the mobile juicing equipment is made in Germany. Donate to Cider Chat and help keep the chat thriving!

Randall Grahm has been rocking the world of winemaking for over 30 years. He began commercially selling wine under the Bonny Doon Vineyard label in 1983 when he opened the winery's tasting room in the hills north of Santa Cruz, California in the village of Boony Doon. He authored Been Doon So Long : A Randall Grahm Vinthology (2012), and has the title and responsibilities of being President for life of Bonny Doon Vineyard. [caption id="attachment_343" align="alignnone" width="250"] Randall Grahm[/caption] Randall's accomplishments in the world of wine are as unique as the man himself. • Aptly titled the Rhone Ranger of California for his work with Rhone varietals. • Pioneered the use of screw on caps on premium wines. Read the most recent list of his accolades. While I have long enjoyed Bonny Doon wines, I was in Santa Cruz to chat with Randall about Bonny Doon cider • 2013 Querry - 750ml is made with pear, apple and quince • Winter Nélis Sparkling Perry Listen to this episode and Cider Chat with Randall Grahm. [app_audio src="http://ciderchat.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/012-Randall-Grahm-Bonny-Doon-Vineyards-California.mp3"] Links to the next big Doon step for Randall via the FaceBook page for Popelechum (pronounced “Poh-puh-lou-shoom") a 400-acre Estate, located just outside of the town of San Juan Bautista, CA. Randall Grahm on Twitter @randallgrahm Bonny Doon Vineyard on Twitter @BonnyDoonVineyd Contact Bonny Doon Vineyard Winery and Office 328 Ingalls Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95060

• (831) 425-3625
• 
888-819-6789

Mentions in this chat with Randall Eric Bordolet cidermaker inspiring Randall's palate Didier Dagueneau, mentored Eric Bordolet Oregon based US Department of Ag- Germplasm Repository What is a medlar? And what does it mean to blet a medlar? Biodynamic Farming Donate to Cider Chat! Help keep the chat thriving!

Wooden barrels are so 2014. What is old is new again as Castle Hill Cider has brought to the states an ancient fermenting vessel that was used for over 7000 years. Qvevri or Kvevri as it is called on this Virginia estate is best known to winemakers in the Georgia Republic. [caption id="attachment_308" align="alignnone" width="178"] Kvevri upon arrival from Georgia Republic[/caption] Where is the Georgia Republic? It is in Europe and lies to the south of Russia and to the north of Turkey.The Georgia Republic has a sprawling cave monastery from the 12th century called Vardzia and a wine growing region of Kakheti.Find out more about Georgia's Qvevritraditional winemaking. In this episode I chat with Cellar Master Geoff Robinson of Castle Hill Cider. Stuart Madany is the Cidermaker at Castle Hill Cider. [caption id="attachment_310" align="alignnone" width="300"] l to r - Geoff Robinson and Stuart Madany[/caption] Castle Hill Cider imported 9 kvevris, with only one breaking in transit. Kvevrirange in size from 250 gallons to 60 and 75 gallons and are buried in the ground with only the opening accessible via a small chimney. [caption id="attachment_314" align="alignnone" width="178"] Placing the Kvevri[/caption] Castle Hill Cider 6065 Turkey Sag Road Keswick, Virginia USA 22947 phone: 434-296-0047 email:[email protected] website:castlehillcider.com Twitter: @castlehillcider [caption id="attachment_309" align="alignnone" width="178"] Ready - Set -Kvevri![/caption] Via the Castle Hill Cider website you can order the Levity Cider that was made in the kvevri. [caption id="attachment_311" align="alignnone" width="178"] Levity Cider with shellfish[/caption] Find out more about the Albemarle Pippin Apple via Thomas Jefferson Monticello Link to Cider Guideandhead to Virginia and follow the Cider Trail? The Cider Swag Contest is open till January 16, 2016. Find the official rules on this page Cider Swag Contest