173: Aomori to Nagano | inCiderJapan

173: Aomori to Nagano | inCiderJapan

Author: Ria Windcaller: Award-winning Cidermaker, Podcaster | Craft Beer Columnist March 27, 2019 Duration: 1:01:28

173: Aomori to Nagano | inCiderJapan

Lee Reeve is the Publisher and Editor of the quarterly magazine inCiderJapan, the country's first and only bilingual magazine dedicated to all things cider. Lee and I recorded a chat while attending CiderCon2019 in Chicago.

Lee Reeve w:Tekikaka Lee Reeve w:Tekikaka Cidre

He came ready to pour a selection of Japanese ciders from makers in two primary regions in the country or what are caller Prefectures - Aomori and Nagano.

We discuss:

  • Lee's goals for inCiderJapan
    • Develop the Japanese Market
    • Connect with the Japanese makers
    • Communicate to the outside world what is happening in Japan
  • How to recover the loss of revenue in apple production
  • Getting people to come back to the rural apple growing regions of Aomori and Nagano
  • The growing Japanese cider market
  • Japan's Bullet Trains and how it gets from one region to another
  • No public drinking laws in Japan - you can walk about with open containers.
    • The drinking age in Japan is 20 years old
  • The aging maker community in Japan
  • Encouraging makers to offer smaller bottles for consumers - moving from a 750ml bottle to a 375 format
    • Average price for a 750 ml of cider $20. Offering a smaller bottle size entices consumers to reach for a bottle on the shelf due to the price point and the cider or cider brand, being for now an unknown product
  • And taste a cider from Tekikaka

Ria and Lee Reeve of inCiderJapan

What is new for Lee beside all of the above?

He is in partnership with Jeremy Stunt of Authentic Cider and they are looking to bring cider to Japan from Tom Oliver, Pilton, Little Pomona, Hallets, and more…Stay Tuned!

inCiderJapan-LOGO

Contact info for Lee Reeve

  • Go to inCiderJapan
  • Here you can find out the latest news on cider in Japan
  • Sign up for the quarterly paper inCiderJapan
  • Buy a t-shirt and showcase your international know how - the t-shirts rock!!!

Upcoming Cider Events in Japan

  • May 25th - The Nagano Cider Collection with a surprise super secret cider maker from Australia
  • July 21st  - The Tokyo Cider Collection

Mentions in this 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

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