189: Put Cider in the Penny | SILO Distillery, VT

189: Put Cider in the Penny | SILO Distillery, VT

Author: Ria Windcaller: Award-winning Cidermaker, Podcaster | Craft Beer Columnist August 7, 2019 Duration: 1:01:02

Put Cider in the Penny was recorded at SILO Distillery in Windsor, Vermont in August of 2019.

I had been wanting to catch up with Nicole LeGrande Leibon, every since she moved on from making cider at Farnum Hill Cider in Lebanon, New Hampshire.

 She arrived at SILO to make cider in late 2018. She quickly got SILO set up with a Semi dry cider (sold in cans) and a Bourbon Barrel Aged cider (sold in 750ml bottles). In additon to her role as cidermaker, she has also stepped into the role of assistant distiller under Erin Bell.

Erin Bell began working at SILO working the marketing end of things, but found herself distilling in 2015.

Erin Bell and Nicole Leibon | SILO Distillery

Erin Bell and Nicole LeGrande Leibon | SILO Distillery

 

SILO was founded in 2012 and is situated in the Artisan Park, that is also home to a number of craft producers, like Harpoon Brewery (which also has City Roots Cider) and Blake Hill Preserves and Vermont Cheese Company.

The location is right off of Interstate 91 and there is a Tasting Room that is open year round.

In this chat we learn a bit about Erin's background and approach to distilling along with how Nicole has integrate the copper still into helping her with reductive cider.

  • Reductive cider will often smell eggy and though there is nothing wrong with the cider, the eggy off smells must be removed. One solution to removing the off odor is to add a copper penny to one's cup. For a cider maker like Nicole who is managing a whole lot of cider, the SILO copper still came in very handy for removing the off odor. But she tell it best so go to 40 minutes in this recording and find out how she put the "Cider in the Penny".

SILO's still

  • Carl Still from Germany
  • 350 gallon hybrid pot and column still
  • 4 plate finishing plate
  • 21 plate vodka column
  • Extended helmet gin run for flavorings

SILO Distillery Still Stack

Says Erin, "The harder you make the spirit work, the cleaner it gets. We collect the heart of the run - throwing away the rest."

Barrel Program at SILO

  • using 10 - 15 gallon barrels
  • 30 gallons for the bourbon
  • All the barrels are from Green Mountain Grain and Barrel based in Richmond vermont
  • SILO bourbon is aged for 20 months

#ciderGoingUp at SILO

  • SILO is planning on increasing cider production 50% this Fall 2019!

Front View of SILO Distillery

 

Contact For SILO Distillery

Website: https://www.carl.info/en/distillation-facilities/

Address: 3 Artisans Way
Windsor, Vermont 05089

SILO SUMMER HOURS
Sunday – Thursday
11am – 6pm

Friday – Saturday
11am – 7pm

+1 (802) 674 4220
Info@SILODistillery.com

UP COMING Cider Tours

2nd Annual New England Cider Tour - October 31, 2019

  • Sign up by sending an email to ria@ciderchat.com
  • SILO is our finally stop of the day on this one-day tour
  • Tour and Tasting at Farnum Hill
  • Lunch, Tour and Tasting at Fable Farm Fermentory
  • Tin Hat Cider will be at Fable Farm

Mentions in the Chat

Eden Harvest Cider 

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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.
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