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
009: Ryan Burk | Angry Orchard, New York [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:09:30
Who is Angry Orchard? Angry Orchard is the #1 cider brand in the US and there is a very good reason why it holds this coveted place. Undoubtedly, being a subsidiary of Boston Beer Company means connections to Jim Koch's…
008: Cider Team | Les Vergers de la Colline, Quebec [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:23
Les Vergers de la Colline, Quebec Now Cidrerie Milton This epsiode was recorded in person with the team at that time of this Quebec based cidery. Note: The name of this cidery has changed since the time of this recording…
007: David Cordtz |Sonoma Cider, California [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:30
David and son Robert have spearheaded an organically certified cidery right in the heart of the wine country in California. Sonoma Cider is located in Healdsburg California, a bit east and north of San Francisco in the a…
006: Paul Zocco | Cidermaker of the Year [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:08
Paul Zocco, of Zok’s Homebrewing and Winemaking, is a 12 time winner of the title “New England Cidermaker of the Year” and he is discussing cider recipes and trends in this episode. Paul Zocco, New England Cidermaker of…
005: President John Adams chats cider & podcasting! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 4:03
President John Adams chats cider & podcasting! Cider Chat MC Ria chats with the 2nd US President John Adams about cider and podcasting - via this mini promo/spoof for "Thanks, Podcasting". Welcome to “Thanks, Podcasting!…
004: Nick Gunn and Dave White | West Coast Ciders [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:00
Gunn and White on a Cider Road Trip Nick Gunn of Anthem Cider and Wandering Aengus in Oregon (as of 2024 both cideries have closed – Nick is now with BenchGraft a cider consulting business) and Dave White, Whitewood Cide…
003: Robert Colnes | Building a Ciderhouse [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:59
Robert Colnes, of New Salem Preserves wanted to build a ciderhouse for the farm's bountiful orchard. Little did he know when he started that he was on journey that would take him two years to complete. New Sale Preserves…
002: Wouter Bijl | CiderCider Netherlands [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:39
Wouter Bijl's opened CiderCider in 2009 online and then as the first cider store for the Netherlands. The Dutch can now proudly proclaim cider has arrived. Proost! This cider chat goes back and forth to the US to the Net…
001: Field Maloney | West County Cider Colrain MA, USA [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:59
Field Maloney of West County Cider Field Maloney of West County Cider Terry, Judith and Field Maloney – American Cider Pioneers West County Cider, of Colrain Massachusetts was one of the very first producers of cider pos…
000: Welcome to Cider Chat! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:12
Welcome! Let’s begin the journey to Ciderville! Interviewing cidermakers importers, orchardists, foodies, farmers and cider enthusiasts around the world. Let’s delve into the semantics of cider…or is it hard cider, cidre…