038: Eric Foster | Stem Ciders, Colorado

038: Eric Foster | Stem Ciders, Colorado

Author: Ria Windcaller: Award-winning Cidermaker, Podcaster | Craft Beer Columnist July 6, 2016 Duration: 53:50

Stem Cider was started by Eric Foster and Phil Kao, Michigan natives who founded their urban cidery in Denver Colorado. Since opening in 2014, they have already been awarded a bevy of cider medals at the Great Lakes International Cider and Perry Competition (GLINTCAP) see list below.

Cider Chat 38 Eric Foster Stem Cider
Eric Foster

Stem brings apple and "single strength" juice in from Colorado's western Slope towns of Paonia, Hotchkiss, and as well as the state of  Michigan and the Pacific Northwest.

Cider Chat Ep 38 Ian Capps, head Cider Maker, Eric Foster, co-founder and CEO, Phil Kao, co-founder and his son Jasper. Stem Cider
Ian Capps, head Cider Maker, Eric Foster, co-founder and CEO, Phil Kao, co-founder and his son Jasper.

10 GLINTCAP Awards 2016 for Stem Ciders 

  • Le Chene – Silver/Wood Aged Cider and Perry
  • Whiskey Barrel Aged Apricot – Silver/Wood Aged Cider and Perry
  • Banjo – Bronze/Wood Aged Cider and Perry
  • Perry – Bronze/Wood Aged Cider and Perry
  • Crabby Neighbor Bronze / New World Cider – Modern
  • L'acier Bronze / New World Cider – Modern
  • Winesap Bronze / New World Cider – Modern
  • Branch & Bramble Bronze/Fruit
  • Remedy Silver/ Hopped|Herbal Cider

Contact info for Stem

Stem's Tap Room hours

Stem Cider menu wall in Tap Room
Stem Cider menu wall in Tap Room

Mentions in this Cider Chat

Patrons at the $3/month or more receive the Neil Worley chat on Keeving. A 15-page document loaded with keeving tips. There are more offering for Patrons, find out more by visiting the Patreon page for Cider Chat.


There’s a whole world in a glass of cider, and Cider Chat is your invitation to explore it. Hosted by award-winning cidermaker and writer Ria Windcaller, this podcast travels far beyond the bottle to meet the people who make the global cider culture so vibrant. Each conversation is a journey-you might find yourself in a heritage orchard learning the history of forgotten apple varieties, in a bustling taproom with an importer explaining regional traditions, or in a kitchen with a chef pairing cider with unexpected foods. The discussions get into the delightful nuances, too, whether that’s the semantics of what we even call this drink or how the concept of terroir translates from soil to sip. It’s not just about production; it’s about the community, the travel, and the stories that fermentation unlocks. This is for anyone curious about the craft, history, and sheer enjoyment of fermented apple juice in all its forms. So, pour a glass and settle in for a series that feels like a wide-ranging, informative, and genuinely good-humored chat with friends who happen to be obsessed with cider. You’ll come away with a deeper appreciation for every effervescent, tart, or sweet sip, hearing directly from the growers, makers, and enthusiasts who are shaping this drink’s exciting present and future.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 501

Cider Chat
Podcast Episodes
378: The Inner Realm of the Ice Cider Queen | Eden, VT [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:19
Nothing Sharp about the "Ice Cider Queen" Eleanor Léger is affectionately dubbed the Ice Cider Queen by many followers, most notably this podcast. She founded Eden Specialty Cider in 2007, the year of the first harvest o…
377: Fable Farm Fermentory's Co-Evolution of Humanity & Apples | VT [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:00
Fable Farm Fermentory's Co-Evolution of Humanity & Apples The Apple Calls Us In | Fable Farm, VT started 15 years ago... In this episode hear how brother's Jon and Christopher Piana found their way to Fable Farm and how…
376: Orchard & Cider Variety Research at WHNO | Vermont [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:26
Walden Heights Nursery & Orchard (WHNO) was created in 1997 This 22 acre farm with 8 acres of orchards on a hillside outside of Hardwick, Vermont in the town of Walden was founded by Todd Parlo and Lori Augustyniak. It i…
375: Cider's Low Carbon Footprint | Wildbranch Cider, Vermont [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:51
Cedar Hannan began selling his ciders branded as "Wildbranch" in 2020. He both forages apples and has a small orchard planted that he planted four years ago on his farm based in Craftsbury, Vermont. The ciders are both w…
374: Bonus Episode! CCLive | NY Apple Camp News! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:04
Bonus Cider Chat Live on NY Apple Camp July 28th - 30th at the Ashokan Center in the Hudson River Valley (on the west side of river) is the first ever NY Apple Camp! Elizabeth Ryan of Stone Ridge Orchard who is producing…
373: Orchard Tips for Cold Climates [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:15:17
Orchardist Ben Applegate on cold climate orchard care Ben is the Orchard Manager at Eden Specialty Cider based in northern Vermont and shares his insight on cold climate apple varieties and orchard tips. This chat took p…
372: The Science Behind Spontaneous Fermentation [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:33
Cider and Spontaneous Fermentation The wild "ambient" yeast found on apples, in the air, on cider presses can all contribute to a spontaneous fermentation within the cider must, which is the juice that has been freshly p…
371: Save Your Back! Mechanical Harvesting of Apples [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:52
Small, Medium and Large Scale options for Mechanical Harvesting of Apples Cornell University Associate Professor of Horticulture Gregory Peck Ph.D and Angry Orchard Head Cidermaker Joe Gaynor provide an in depth study of…
370: Innovative Ciders of Domaine Marois | France [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:57
Antoine Marois is Tantalizing the Taste Buds of Cider Fans On a sloping hill on the east side of the picturesque village of Cambremer sits Domaine Marois. The lead up to the home is formidable with a long drive that lead…
369: Baba Yaga & Holistic Orchards | NC [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:28
Discover Kordick Family Farm and Baba Yaga Hear from Dorsey and daughter Brittany, the mother and daughter team at Korkdick Family Farm with Baba Yaga as their guide. Dorsey is a long time apple fan and even attended Pet…