461 RAW Levi Danielson

461 RAW Levi Danielson

Author: Ria Windcaller: Award-winning Cidermaker, Podcaster | Craft Beer Columnist May 28, 2025 Duration: 54:24

Levi Danielson is the founder and cider maker at RAW Cider, based in Dayton, Oregon. With roots in the Driftless Region of Minnesota and a cidery nestled among cider apples and pears in the Willamette Valley, Levi's story is one of wild ferments, place-based cider, and planting for the future – both in Oregon and back home.

461 Levi Danielson of RAW Cider Pouring a glass
Levi Danielson

Building RAW Cider

Levi's path began in microbiology and health policy before a leap to France introduced him to wild fermentation and orchard life. After interning and later leading production at Dragon's Head Cider in Washington, Levi launched RAW Cider in 2020 with méthode champenoise ciders that quietly matured during the pandemic.

Since then, RAW Cider has:

  • Opened a year-round tasting room on an orchard in Dayton, Oregon
  • Earned gold and silver medals for its first releases
  • Focused on native yeast fermentation, minimal intervention, and orchard-first practices
  • Planted and top-grafted cider and perry fruit in both Oregon and Minnesota

Pear Ambitions and a Regional Vision

Levi's passion for perry is central to RAW Cider. With 60-year-old pear trees, now top worked with perry pear varieties and wild seedlings grafted in the Mississippi River Valley, plus collaborations in Hood River, he's betting on American perry's future.

He believes Hood River could become the "Domfrontais of the U.S."—a new home for pear-driven sparkling ciders that mirrors the pear region in Normandy, France.

Listen to episode 313: Wild Yeast Fermentations | CiderCon 2022 featuring a panel discussion with Levi Danielson

Contact info for RAW

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
Podcast Episodes
189: Put Cider in the Penny | SILO Distillery, VT [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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…
188: Cider & Wine Safari w/Randall Grahm at Popelouchum [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:16
Before our Popelouchum Safari, hear about... Two New Cider Zines We begin with an overview of Graftwood and Full Juice, two new cider zines out of the United Kingdom. Graftwood is a subscription based quarterly whereas F…
187: We Want More Cider! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:23
"We Want More Cider" was clearly the take away heard from cider enthusiasts attending the annual Hard Core Cider Tour held in Santa Cruz, California June 27, 2019. Sipping Syndicate's Albert Martinez spearheaded the Hard…
186: "Just Fucking Fermented Juice" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:28
"Just Fucking Fermented Juice" is splayed out in big white letter across the back of Krista Scruggs' black hoodie. The slogan both amuses and taunts gawkers. Krista wore the hoodie with slogan while attending the annual…
185: Who are the Pomme Boots? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:37
Who are the Pomme Boots? The Pomme Boots Society was founded in 2015 an organization for women working in the cider industry. The first meet up of Pommes Boots was at CiderCon2016 held in Portland, Oregon. This episode w…
184: Judging Best in Show | BigE 2019 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:04
The feature on cider judging in this week's episode begins at 9:43 minutes. The 7th annual BigE Cider and Perry competition took place on June 8, 2019. There were 6 cider judges and this episode features the judging of t…
183: Normandy Cider Trail Tips [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:02
Normandy Cider Trail Tips Annie Sargent is the Producer and Host of a fantastic and informative podcast for anyone thinking about traveling to France called "Join Us in France Travel Podcast". In this episode, Annie and…
182: Traditional Straw Pressed Cider | Sanford Orchards, UK [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:17
Discover traditional straw pressing of cider at Sandford Orchards with Barny Butterfield based in Devon. Traditional Straw Pressing Notes: The press is made up with a combination of thatching reeds. If you are familiar w…
181: The Cider Insider | 100 Craft Ciders to Drink Now [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:49
The Cider Insider | 100 Craft Ciders to Drink Now This chat with Susanna and James Forbes was recorded at CiderCon2019, the annual trade conference hosted by the American Cider Association known at that time as the Unite…
180: Cider Is Wine | Simon Day, UK [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:21
180: Cider Is Wine | Simon Day of Once Upon a Tree, UK This chat was recorded at CiderCon2019 in Chicago. Simon Day and I did not speak directly on the topic of the "Cider is Wine" debate, but I do suspect that his early…