242: Selecting Cider

242: Selecting Cider

Author: Ria Windcaller: Award-winning Cidermaker, Podcaster | Craft Beer Columnist October 7, 2020 Duration: 30:41

Tips on "SelectIng Your Perfect Cider"

With so many choices on the shelf, purchasing cider can begin to feel daunting! This episode will provide tips to help you make that choice when faced with a wide range of cider styles.

242 Selecting Cider

Here are the key tips to consider when -  Purchasing Cider

Look for:

  • Cider made from 100% apples.
    •  Look for single varietal ciders to begin honing in on the wide variation of one cider to another
    • Stay away from the fruit and hopped cider until you have a sound idea of what a dry cider to semi sweet cider presents
  • Look for a Dry Scale
    • Look for the horizontal graph below on most of all New York ciders
      New York Orchard Based DrynessScale2019 slide 5

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • Color - the range can be from light straw to deep amber. There are redflesh apples like Redfield, which will lend a red hue like a Rosè.
  • Cans or Bottles - what really matters is the cider within.
    • Cans have become increasingly popular with even some high end cider finding their way into cans. Plus they are better for the environment, because they are easier to recycle than glass, weigh less than glass thus decreasing shipping cost and are more compact to pack.
    • bottles are nice objects with long stems, often cork and cage which offer up a "Pop" when opened. For a date night, it is always bottle 100%!

Help Support Cider Chat Please donate today. Help keep the chat thriving!

Find this episode and all episodes at the page for Cider Chat's podcasts.


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
248: New England Quince Taste Test [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:40
The New England Quince Taste Test 2020 was hosted by Vermont Quince. Nan Stefanik founded Vermont Quince in 2012 and coined the hashtag #growquince Her passion for this pomme is contagious and her quince based products h…
247: Marijuana, Cider and the Law [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:49
Marijuana as of 2020 is now legal in 15 states in the United States. CBD products are popping up in can drinks nearly every where you look these days. Is it legal? Can cider now be fused with cider or at least CBD or per…
246: Becoming Pomona [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:54
Becoming Pomona was recorded at the 25th Franklin County CiderDays in November of 2019. The goal of this pomona panel discussion was to share personal stories on the inspirational effect of CiderDays on women in the cide…
245: Apples of New England [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:51
245: Apples of New England "Apples of New England" was presented by Russell Steven Powell Powell served as executive director of the New England Apple Association from 1998 to 2024 ( the NEAA closed it's doors on June 30…
244: Traveling the Cider Trail | Part 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:53
Franklin County CiderDays now has a "Cider Trail" with 16 stops covering western Massachusetts and the Berkshires! This is part 2 of the series on traveling the Cider Trail and we will look at 10 stops along the trail. E…
243: Cider Trail 2020 | CiderDays Part 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:34
Plan the Perfect Cider Road Trip! This is Part 1 of a two part series on the new Cider Trail for Franklin County CiderDays 2020. The following is a recommended loop to visit 5 venues on the map. You can go in either dire…
241: How to Bottle Cider at Home [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:26
How to Bottle Cider at Home is Part 6 and the final episode of the Cidermaker Series "Oh September" for 2020 Learn How to Make Cider at Home in Part 1 of this Cidermaking Series. Part 5 To Rack or Not To Rack is a must l…
240: To Rack or Not to Rack | Cidermaking Series Part 5 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:44
This chat provides a a sip of something for everyone, from makers who want to improve their skills to consumers who enjoy knowing why a cider tastes a particular way. In this Cider Chat, we look at the next step after pr…
239: Scrub-a-Dub Valves & Vessels [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:25
Cleaning considerations for 3 different cider operations - DYI, Farm Winery and Production with Stormalong Cider. (l-r) Ben Roberts-Sano, Bright McConnell, Shannon Edgar DIY - Home Cidermaking It is soak and scrub for th…
238: Cidermaking Chemistry | Pt 3 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:29
This is Part 3 featuring chemistry safety tips for cidermakers! Part 1 - How to Make Cider at home, provides a recipe for making a 1 gallon jug of cider Part 2 - Makers Tips for Growth and Cleanliness was the first part…