136: Cidermaker of the Year 2018 - Tells All

136: Cidermaker of the Year 2018 - Tells All

Author: Ria Windcaller: Award-winning Cidermaker, Podcaster | Craft Beer Columnist July 9, 2018 Duration: 27:29

This is a mini version of the main podcast this week - as I am super duper busy - so I call this "Cider Chat Live" which is a mini me version of the main podcast - Subscribe to Cider Chat Live too via https://anchor.fm/ciderchat

In this episode, Nathan details how he made his winning Ice Cider that launched him into the US based National Homebrew Competition that was held in Portland Oregon at the end of this past June.

******next year's competition takes place in Rhode Island!

Nathan Williams is a member of the Boston Wort Processors , a homebrew club. He got the apple juice for his award winning cider from Cider Hill based in Amesbury, Massachusetts. Go the "Mentions in this Chat" below and find the link to Chadd Cook the cidermaker at Cider Hill episode on ice cidermaking.

Cidermaking Tips used by Nathan

  • White Labs - 720 Sweet Mead Yeast - because it wouldn't ferment dry
  • He monitors his ciders with a temperature controlled chamber
  • Tilt Hydrometer that floats in the fermenter.
    • You can look at your carboy and can see the current specific gravity

Nathan was looking for an ice cider that had clean acidity

Mentions in this chat

Please Help Support Cider Chat Please donate today. Help keep the chat thriving!

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

Ask for the following ciders - By supporting these cidermakers, 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
  10. Tanuki Cider Co. Santa Cruz California episode 103
  11. Ross on Wye Cider and Perry, UK
  12. Process and Analytical NMR Services - John Edwards provides analytics of cider - stay tuned for his Chemical Fingerprints workshop coming up on Cider Chat
  13. Ironbark Ciderworks, Claremont, California

Join the #ciderGoingUP Campaign today! 


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
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