A carboy or some sanitized vessel to hold the juice, with enough room for it to ferment and not bubble over.
An airlock to release CO2 and keep out Oxygen
That is the basics, but in truth there is more to consider before you start publicizing your Cidermaking workshop.
When Matthew Somerville reached out to me in September 2018 to speak with me on a cidermaking course he was setting up in his area of Ontario (Port Perry), I gladly jumped at the chance to have a chat.
The Skype call
This episode features that conversation as we discuss all the particulars of setting up a cidermaking course for non professionals.
Matthew Somerville and Andy Paul own Two Blokes Cider in Port Perry and Toronto, Canada. Port Perry is a 1 hour drive from Toronto
They are newly licensed in 2019. To prep for that moment they planted 2000 apples trees – cider varieties- in 2015 on a family farm.
What follows below is an overview of tips from our conversation.
The goal of Cidermaking 101
The goal: Make cider making as simple and attainable as possible.
Basics of what to have on hand
Recommend 2 demos – one with dry yeast and the other liquid ( recommend sweet mead and making a cyser, by adding up to 3 pound of honey per 5 gallons – the new makers will be pleased with the results. I have found this to be a fail safe cyser to make during demos)
Have 2 glass carboys pre filed with cider(half filled, so it can be easily moved after the workshop to your cellar)
Have airlocks pre sanitized and enclosed in a ziplock bag.
If adding honey (as I usually did with one batch) have a sanitize funnel to make pouring the yeast.
Have cider on hand for folks to taste and to discuss what you did last year to make that cider. Having a taste of cider will definitely elicit questions.
Options on set up
pick your own apples and press on site
do a bulk pressing and prepare the cider before hand by setting up the ph and sulfite before the course begins.
– Ria's favorite way to go – don't worry about the ph and don't worry that the cider is cool. It won't be absolutely perfect but that is the beauty of cider. Use the fresh pressed juice on hand, plop in the yeast and spend a bit of time on primary fermentation and the first initial racking.
Yeast:
Pick a yeast that leaves a bit of residual sugar.
Recommend 2 yeast for a demo
Sweet Mead Yeast – buy it in liquid form
And 71B
Be prepared post the workshop for incoming emails as the new cidermakers go home and begin wondering if what they are doing is right.
Final Goal: Have people wanting to keep coming back to cider.
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.
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