225: Terroir Spotlight | western Massachusetts

225: Terroir Spotlight | western Massachusetts

Author: Ria Windcaller: Award-winning Cidermaker, Podcaster | Craft Beer Columnist May 27, 2020 Duration: 1:08:25

What is Terroir?

New England was the Plymouth Rock of cider in the US for the colonist and western Massachusetts is the launch pad of the modern day US cider market. It was here in 1984 that West County Cider and The Maloney family rekindled America's love affair with cider. Thirty Six years forward to 2020, provides a perfect time to explore the terroir of cider in western Massachusetts with Field Maloney,  Soham Bhatt of Artifact Cider, and Steve Gougeon of Bear Swamp Orchard, Cider and Distillery and Steve Garwood of Ragged Hill Cider. This Tasting and Talk was moderated by Ria Windcaller, of Cider Chat podcast and presented at CiderCon 2020 in Oakland, California. western Mass cider terroir

We begin this talk with Soham Bahatt of Artifact Cider with a newly built Tasting Room and production center in Florence, Massachusetts. We taste the 2017 Roxbury Russett!Soham Bahatt

Next up is Steve Garwood of Ragged Hill Cider based in West Brookfield, Massachusetts. We taste the Traditional Dry!

Steve Garwood, Ragged Hill Cider

Steve G0ugeon of Bear Swamp Orchard, Cider and Distillery shares with us the 12% New England Style Cider

Steve Geugeon, Bear Swamp Orchard, Cider and Distillery

Then Field Maloney of West County Cider shares two ciders, Riene de Pomme and Pura Vida

Field Maloney of West County 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.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 501

Cider Chat
Podcast Episodes
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