390: Renaissance Orchards Keeved & French Style Ciders | WA

390: Renaissance Orchards Keeved & French Style Ciders | WA

Author: Ria Windcaller: Award-winning Cidermaker, Podcaster | Craft Beer Columnist December 6, 2023 Duration: 1:10:21

Meet Chris Rylands of Renaissance Orchards

First there was Cider Supply and then Chris founded Renaissance Orchards with his wife Melinda. This move was a natural progression of a series of events that include resources needed for making a keeved cider and the thirst for a particular style of cider.

The orchards and the Rylands are based in Ferndale a town just south of the Canadian border in Washington state.

Cider Chat Episode 390 Chris Rylands of Renaissance Orchards
Chris Rylands

In this Cider Chat with Chris of Renaissance

  • What happened to Cider Supply?
  • Why French style ciders?
  • The orchards at Renaissance
    • number of apple varieties and pear 
  • Products
    • cider
    • scion
Cider Chat Episode 390-Melinda-Renaissance-200x300-1
Melinda

Spotlight on Single Varietal Ciders

Hear how Chris dug into 16 cider specific apples to understand the best blending practices for cidermaking. Each label shows:

  • a picture of the specific apple
  • charts that apple's
    • tannin
    • aromatics
    • acidity
    • astringent
    • sweetness
    • phenolics
  • The origin of the apple, including location
  • How to use – best as a blender or as a single variety cider
Cider Chat episode 390-single-varietal-Renaissance-300x200-1

Contact for Renaissance Orchards

Mentions in this Cider 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

Cider Chat
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