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_outlineA conversation with Czech Cider Fan Dan Samek
This episode brings us to the heart of Europe by way of Vermont. Ria sat down with Dan Samek, a cider enthusiast and home distiller from Prague, to talk about the evolving cider scene in the Czech Republic. They met at Kilowatt Park which is on the west side of the Connecticut River in White River Junction, Vermont.
This was the first stop on the Cider Tour to Vermont and New York in May 2025.
In this Cider Chat featuring Czech Cider
1. A Fruitful History
- The Czech Republic is rich with apples, pears, plums, and cherries and exports a lot of fruit.
- For centuries, fruit trees lined roads to feed traveling soldiers. This is a legacy left from the Barak times, in the 18th century
2. Cider by Way of Calvados
- Dan journey to cider started while he was working at a French winery
- He has an affection for Calvados and thus made cider to distill.
- His process blends natural fermentation and dry yeast (He favors the yeast known as 72B).
- The apples come from old trees in his one-acre garden-orchard near Prague.
3. Small Scene, Big Potential
- Early cider makers in the Cech Republic began around 2007.
- Prague had a cider shop (InCider) and a cider bar, but today you can find cider at most bars.
- Cidrerie Kliment and Utopia are two standout producers—Utopia leans all natural.
4. Enthusiasts Leading the Way
- Many Czech homes still have fruit trees.
- Backyard fermenters use presses ranging from barrel-style to hydraulic.
- Gardening clubs and university programs help spread knowledge.
5. Beyond Apples
- Dan grows quince and medlars and has a Sorbus domestica tree in his orchard.
- Morovia which is to the north of Prague has a Sorubus Domestic museum.
- There’s a growing appreciation for traditional and lesser-known fruits in fermentation.
Mentions in this Cider Chat
- Czech Cider Data Base https://databazecideru.online/dejv/
- Natalia who write the Cider Explorers blog post on Czech Cider and Prague Cider Fest
https://ciderexplorer.wordpress.com/2017/07/17/where-to-drinkbuy-cider-in-prague/ - Prague Cider Festival – Slavnost Cideru to be held June 12–14, 2026
- Art + Science Concerts and Campouts start July 5th | Oregon
- De Groote Wei Cider Fest – August 16, 2025 | Netherlands
- The Flower Expo
- Paper Crane Cannabis – Boey Bertold organic and regenerative family-owned farm
- Totally Cider Tour UK_Edition 20225