055: Apple Songs to Sing-a-long

055: Apple Songs to Sing-a-long

Author: Ria Windcaller: Award-winning Cidermaker, Podcaster | Craft Beer Columnist November 18, 2016 Duration: 32:01

Apple songs and sing-a-longs helps put a rhythm to the work day and marks Wassail celebrations around the world.

This week's chat we begin with a fun Apple Song led by David Gott, who has worked as a pruner and maker of fresh pressed Sweet Cider. David's banjo style and ability to lead a group in a sing-a-long is reminiscent of the late and legendary singer/songwriter Pete Seeger.

The beginning of this chat, which by the way I recorded while sitting on the floor at my AirBnB while away from home for work, I chat on the basics of 'racking cider over' once the initial fermentation is done.

Tips for racking cider.

  • Sanitize all your racking equipment, the outside of the carboy and inside the new carboy (5 or 3 gallon glass vessel).
  • Use food grade tubing,
  • Use a clothes pin to hold the food grade clear tubing at the mouth of the carboy so it doesn't slide down to the bottom and suck up all the "smutch" on the bottom. Leave that behind and pour off into a mason jar once done, then place the jar into your refrigerator and let is separate. You can then drink the clear liquid off and get to know your cider better on its path to conditioning.
  • Use sterile water in the airlock or if you have the cash use vodka in the airlock. The airlock is an S-shaped tube that goes into a stopper. It releases the CO2 that is being produced during the initial fermentation, while keeping Oxygen out.
  • The biggest tip is to have fun.

About 13 minutes in we sing two more songs.

The first is make up by David Gott and Rick Stone called Thick Grow the Branches oh!

The second the Wassail Song

Wait till the end and sing-a-long for an oldie but goodie song.

Mentions in this chat

YouTube video of Ria picking the Lady Apple titled: Real Cidermakers pick their own apples

www.hasegawaladders.com/ light weight apple picking ladders

Episode 003: Robert Colnes | Building a Cider House. Robert passes away this past spring. This Sing-a-long was recorded at the farm where Robert and Carol B. Hillman's son built the ciderhouse. Stunning!

 

 

Ask for the following 3 #CiderGoingUP Campaign cider supporters - By supporting these cider makers, you in turn help Ciderville.

Big Apple Hard Cider - NYC

Kurant Cider - Pennsylvania

Oliver's Cider and Perry - Herefordshire/UK

Go to this page to see the ciderchat.com show notes page with photos

Please Help Support Cider Chat's (Ria's) to CiderCon2017. Please donate today.

Find this episode and all episodes at the page for Cider Chat's podcasts.


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
448: Cider Institute: New Name, New Reach, and More Cider Education [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:31
The Cider Institute: Training the Next Generation of Cider Makers The Cider Institute, formerly known as the Cider Institute of North America (CINA), is the premier resource for cider education. Founded in 2016 at CiderC…
446: Monica Cohen, the New CEO of the American Cider Association [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:58
Monica Cohen on Leading the ACA Monica Cohen, the new CEO of the American Cider Association (ACA), stepped into her role at CiderCon 2025 in Chicago. With a background in dairy marketing and a passion for helping craft i…
445: Unspoken Creed | Stories in Ciderville /Denmark [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:06
An Unspoken Creed By Sune Kroghansen Enjoy this special Story in Ciderville from Denmark! "Roedding The restart of the cider adventure in Rødding. In the mid-00s, the villagers of Rødding had begun making cider. It faded…
444: Worleys and Honey's: Somerset Cider Makers [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:07
A sit down Cider Chat with the makers behind Worleys and Honey's Cider! Neil Worley was last on this podcast back in 2016 on episode 26! He and Ria met up at CiderCon which was being held that year in Portland Oregon. Ne…
442: Bob Cork: 40 Years in Cider | Shepton Mallet, England [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:03
Bob Cork's Cider Career Bob Cork Bob Cork has 40 years of experience in cider making, starting in 1980. Initially an apprentice engineer, he transitioned to cider making, thanks to his engineering background. He now work…
441: Wilding Cider and the Rural Method | Somerset, UK [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:08:21
Wilding Cider, founded by Sam and Beccy Leach in 2019, uses Regenerative farming practices and a "rural method" to cider making. Based in Somerset the culinary skills of Sam blend with Beccy's Sommelier palate. Their ded…
440: Jane Peyton Keynote |Hereford AppleFest Banquet [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:55
Jane Peyton, author of The Philosophy of Cider and founder of the School of Booze, brings her deep knowledge of cider and its cultural history to the forefront in this enlightening conversation. Jane Peyton at Hereford A…
439: The Night Before the Holiday Pressing [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:20
The magic of Ciderville awaits you. In this special holiday episode, Cider Chat invites you to step into the enchanting world of the Talking Pommes. The Night Before the Holiday Pressing is more than just a story—it's a…