114: Lee Reeve | World Cider Experience, Japan

114: Lee Reeve | World Cider Experience, Japan

Author: Ria Windcaller: Award-winning Cidermaker, Podcaster | Craft Beer Columnist January 31, 2018 Duration: 1:03:37

Lee Reeve arrived in Japan in 2003 as an artist from the United Kingdom Today in Yokohama, he is still crafting his magician skills, but his love of cider has led him into Japan's growing cider market.

We chat on the current pulse of cider in the country and what Lee is doing to help inspire cider  makers and consumers alike. And:

  • What kind of apples are used in Japan to make cider and is this changing.
  • French vs English cider
  • Cider events in Japan

Lee sees that cider being package in primarily large bottles 750ML as a deterrent to the general public at large not reaching for cider when it is only packaged in large bottles

And, the world "cider" in Japan usually refers to a carbonated alcopop versions of cider. Yet, there are many French cidres (the Japanese do use this kind of spelling widely for cider) available, but as mentioned, Lee being from Scotland means he obviously has a hankering for ciders styles that harken back to his homeland.

All this cider love lead Lee to meeting Clive Poole the owner of the Full Monty British Pub and Cider House with 7 draft lines of cider and over 80 bottle option too! Lee and Clive created a working relationship where Lee would write about the cider at the Full Monty and in turn get cider. Along with Kai, Clive's wife, these three entrepreneurs founded the World Cider Experience and now have the magazine InCiderJapan.

What is InCiderJapan?

  • - a media, promotion, consulting company
  • - also an importing and retailing cider related good and merchandise.
  • - InCiderJapan is a quarterly magazine with the first edition being this winter's edition of InCiderJapan.

The goal of InCiderJapan magazine is three fold

  • to be educational and informative for the public
  • to provide a platform to Japanese makers
  • to provide the world with a insider's view of the Japanese cider market

Contact for Lee Reeve

eMail: mailto:contact@worldciderexperience.com 

Website: inCiderJapan

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/inciderjapan

Instagram: @inciderjapan

Full Monty British Pub and Cider House

http://fullmontyyokohama.com/

 Ask for the following 9 #ciderGoingUP Campaign sponsors - By supporting these cider makers, you in turn help Cider Chat

  1. Kurant Cider - Pennsylvania : listen to Joe Getz on episode 14
  2. Big Apple Hard Cider - NYC : listen to Danielle von Scheiner on episode 35
  3. Oliver's Cider and Perry - Herefordshire/UK ; listen to Tom Oliver on episode 29
  4. Santa Cruz Cider Company - California : listen to Nicole Todd on episode 60
  5. The Cider Project aka EthicCider- California
  6. Albermale CiderWorks : listen to Chuck Shelton on episode 56
  7. Cider Summit : listen to Alan Shapiro founder of this cider fest on episode 75.
  8. Ramborn Cider Co. Luxembourg.
  9. Big Fish Cider Co. Virginia

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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

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