174: Beginner Cider Making Q & A | Part 1

174: Beginner Cider Making Q & A | Part 1

Author: Ria Windcaller: Award-winning Cidermaker, Podcaster | Craft Beer Columnist April 3, 2019 Duration: 47:59

A Question and Answer (Q & A) on Beginner Cider Making

with 5 panelists in the cider industry

Beginner Cider Maker Panel Q & A (ltor), Marcus Robert, Trey Godfrey, Eleanor Leger, Brent Myles, Ben Calvi.[/caption]

Pre-recorded at CiderCon2019 in Chicago

This is Part 1 or a 2 Part series on Beginner Cider Making questions answered by cider industry pros.

Audience Questions at CiderCon2019

Q & A topics:

  • What is cider?

"Fermented fruit juice of apples" says Eleanor Leger

  • Wish I knew then what I know now...
    • Marketing

"You are going to learn to make cider, but to be able to sell it…" Marcus Robert

  • Breweries getting into cider
  • Managing residual sugar in the bottle for packaging.
    • - a huge range of answers on this topic
  • Can you use sulfites?
  • The challenge for small cidermakers
  • The down fall of Potassium Sorbate in the natural market
  • Contract Fermenting to test product
  • Ice Cider - "if I use a freezer am I cheating?"
    • Stabilizing an ice cider
    • Yeast strain for ice ciders
  • Cryo concentration
    • Is using a freezer considered cheating 
      • In the US you can not label it as Ice Cider - it can be called "Iced Cider".

Find the full show notes for Episode 174 at CiderChat.com

Direct Link at: https://ciderchat.com/podcast/174-beginner-cider-making-part-one/
Listen to wherever you get your podcasts and don't forget to subscribe so you never miss what's coming next in Ciderville.

Prefer to watch?
Find Cider Chat on YouTube for more cider stories, orchard adventures, and global cider culture.

💛 If you love what you're hearing, please consider supporting Cider Chat.
Your support helps keep the podcast on the air and makes it possible to share more conversations like this one.


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…