459: The Apple Finch’s Pet-Nats at de Groote Wei Cider | Netherlands
Release Date: 05/14/2025
484: Rethinking American Cider History with Patrick McCauley
Cider Chat
Meet Patrick McCauley, a Michigan-based cider maker and researcher, who is questioning some of the most common myths about American cider history. What Patrick uncovers is a far more regional, farm-based, and resilient cider story than the usual “cider died because of Prohibition” narrative. 00:00 Introduction to Cider and Prohibtion 00:23 Meet the Host and Guest 01:56 Listener Support and Community 04:51 Cider Salon Hungary, Uk & French Cider Tour 08:03 Featured Conversation with Patrick McCauley 10:25 Cider Production and Historical Insights 14:48 Regional Cider Production in...
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483: The Talking Pomme’s Grand Winter Party
Cider Chat
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...
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482: FLX Cider & Cheese Pairing with Cheesemonger Rachel Freier
Cider Chat
At the New York Cider Fest in November, there were 2 Cider and Cheese sessions. Cider Chat Emcee Ria Windcaller attended one featuring ciders from 4 different makers. This cider and cheese pairing was led by Rachel Freier, a cheesemonger who is based in the Finger Lakes. She brought deep knowledge, humor, and a whole lot of heart as we tasted our way through four ciders and three cheeses. 00:00 Introduction to New York City Cider Fest 01:55 Networking at the Cider Fest 02:50 Exploring the Finger Lakes Cider Scene 04:36 Upcoming Cider Tours and Events 09:32 Cider Making Tips and Anecdotes...
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481: Totally Cider Tour: A Merry Visit to Tom Oliver’s
Cider Chat
Tom Oliver is delightfully talented, mischievously witty, and not only a renowned cider maker but also a top-notch perry maker. He may say, “If you’re going to make perry and work with pears, you’ve already identified yourself as being criminally insane,” but what we found was simply a bold maker willing to go the extra mile for every bottle. Enjoy this audio snap shot at Oliver’s Cider and Perry Herefordshire, recorded on the 2025 Totally Cider Tour_UK Edition. Hear him share the story behind transforming his family’s old hop barns into the heart of his cider and perry...
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480: Holiday Cider Gift Guide 2025 and Playing with Pommeau
Cider Chat
00:00 Introduction and Podcast Overview 00:32 French Pronunciation Fun 02:27 Holiday Gift Ideas for 2025 02:59 Cider Chat News and Updates 04:42 Listener Stories and Experiences 07:49 Upcoming UK Cider Tour 2026 12:47 Featured Presentation: 2025 Holiday Cider Gift Guide 13:35 Cider Chat Partners and Supporters 25:30 Stocking Stuffer Tips and Cider Supplies 31:36 The Perfect Name for American Pommeau 45:24 Conclusion and Final Thoughts 00:00 Introduction and Language Fun 00:14 Cider Chat Episode 480 Overview 01:10 Naming Poot in America 02:27 Holiday Gift Ideas for 2025 02:59 Cider Chat News...
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479: New York Cider Fest | Audio Snapshots
Cider Chat
New York Cider Fest 2025 brought together makers and enthusiasts for an unforgettable day at City Winery Manhattan. In this special collection of on-the-floor recordings, Cider Chat® captures Audio Snap Shots with festival patrons. Hear how attendees at the New York Cider Fest are viewing cider today — what styles they’re excited about, how they’re drinking it, and the foods they love to pair with a glass, including their favorite Thanksgiving matches. Episode Timeline 00:00 Introduction to Cider Chat 02:34 Exciting News: Totally Cider Tours 10:21 Feature Presentation:...
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478: Pommeau: What Happens When a French Classic Lands on U.S. Labels
Cider Chat
What is Pommeau? Pommeau is a: fortified blend of fresh apple must (unfermented) and apple brandy (typically Calvados in Normandy or Lambig in Brittany). The unfermented apple juice and brandy are combined before fermentation, which halts the process entirely and preserves natural sweetness. By law in France, Pommeau must be aged a minimum of 18 months in oak and produced within designated regions. It’s rich, amber-colored, and served as an apéritif. It is consider to be a French heritage drink shaped by decades of refinement and protected standards. When did...
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477: 2025 Ultimate Cider Pairing Guide for Thanksgiving
Cider Chat
Learn how to pick the right Cider and Perry for every dish on the Thanksgiving table. This week we are not chasing brand names. We are building flavor intuition. Consider Thanksgiving not as one single taste on a plate; it is a stack of distinct taste worlds. Each one asks for its own kind of cider or perry. In this holiday feature, Ria and the Talking Pommes a.k.a. Perry Pear, Mr. Quince, and The Medlars talk through the art of pairing cider and perry for the entire Thanksgiving feast, from the welcome sip to dessert. You will learn how to shop with confidence, how to read a label for style...
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476: Be Medieval, Rack that Cider| Secondary Fermentation
Cider Chat
How to clarify, stabilize, and finish cider the right way The Purpose of Secondary Fermentation when Making Cider Once the apple juice has started fermented and it is now slowing down, it is time to rack over your cider for secondary fermentation. Secondary fermentation is where your cider moves from “young” to “refined.” This stage improves clarity, stability, and overall quality before bottling or serving. 00:00 – Introduction and Welcome 00:27 – Meet the Host: Ria Windcaller 00:45 – The Magic of Clothes Pins 01:14 – Episode Overview: Secondary Fermentation 01:55 – Replay...
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475: At the UK’s National Perry Pear Centre and the Story Behind 99PINES
Cider Chat
Perry making has deep roots in Gloucestershire, stretching back to the 17th century when French wine imports were cut off during the Napoleonic Wars. Local farmers turned to their own fruit, and the rich soils around Hartpury proved ideal for growing Perry pears. This episode features audio snapshots from the 2025 Totally Cider Tour stop at the National Perry Pear Centre. Our guide, Phil Kester, volunteers with 99PINES , where he helps preserve the region’s rare Perry pear varieties. Phil’s passion for Perry and deep local knowledge made this visit one of the...
info_outlineFourth-Generation Farmer, First-Generation Cidermaker
Sophie Horstink of De Groote Wei, which means The Great Meadow in Dutch, is crafting Dutch cider as a value added project at her family’s farm. Located in the eastern Netherlands near Arnhem, the farm spans 16 hectares and has long produced dessert apples and pears.
The Horstink family market is well-known and is a go-to place for locals to shop and would be considered a grocery store.
She released her first cider in 2022. The early response was enthusiastic, selling out quickly and prompting her to scale production. She now ferments around 5,000 liters annually in what is called the ‘cider cave” on the family farm.
De Groote Wei’s Ciders
- Appel Vink (Apple Finch)
- ABV: 6.5%
- Notes: Lightly sparkling with fresh acidity and a hint of sourness. Made entirely from eating apples including Elstar, Jonagold, and Belle de Boskoop.
- Groente Vink (Green Finch)
- ABV: 6.5%
- Notes: A blend of apples as used in the Appel Finch and 30% Conference pears. Also bottle-conditioned, this cider has a rounder mouthfeel and delicate fruit aromatics.
Contact info for De Groote Wei
- Website: https://www.degrootewei.nl
Mentions in this Cider Chat
- VT & NY Cider Road Trip
- Totally Cider Tours
- SpaceTime Mead and Cider Works set to close June 22, 2025 – listen to the Space Time episode 288 with Dan Schreffler
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