463: Zydeco Meadery: Fermenting Roots from Trinidad to New England

463: Zydeco Meadery: Fermenting Roots from Trinidad to New England

Author: Ria Windcaller: Award-winning Cidermaker, Podcaster | Craft Beer Columnist June 18, 2025 Duration: 1:19:00

Eric Depradine of Zydeco Meadery crafts mead with Heart, Honey, and Heritage

As securing permission, Eric was able to start his fermentation journey in high school with a science project using cane juice. That spark stayed with him through his time in Louisiana and Kansas, eventually shaping what is now Zydeco Meadery in North Attleborough, Massachusetts.

463 Eric Depradine of Zydeco Meadery
Eric Depradine

What makes these meads so special?

Zydeco Meadery weaves Eric's Caribbean heritage into every bottle. Drawing from Trinidadian traditions like "Sorrel", a spiced hibiscus drink served during holidays, Eric reimagines this ancestral recipes by using honey instead of cane sugar. Each mead showcases distinctive honey varietals, from Louisiana wildflower to Massachusetts knotweed, adding layers of terroir that reflect the regions that shaped him. The result is a line of meads that are bold, balanced, and culturally rich—fermented expressions of family, migration, and memory.

463 Zydeco Meadery - meads and cysers

Meads and Cysers Featured in this Chat

  • Carnival Rose
    • Carbonated hibiscus mead rooted in Caribbean sorrel tradition
    • 12% ABV, spiced, bold, festive
    • Named in honor of Calypso Rose, the first female calypsonian
  • Yankee Heritage Cyser
    • Apple, raisin, and knotweed honey
    • Inspired by colonial cider traditions and Bear Swamp Orchard & Cidery which is in Ashfield, Massachusetts but is no longer open.
  • Bayou Soleil
    • Traminette grape and citrus blend
    • A nod to Louisiana groves and Eric's wife's love of German varietals
  • Atlantic Creole
    • 100% Massachusetts knotweed honey
    • Molasses-like, earthy, and distinct

Contact Info for Zydeco Meadery

Mentions in this Cider Chat

463 Apple Guy flowers
Lucas of Apple Guy Flowers

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: 100

Cider Chat
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478: Pommeau: What Happens When a French Classic Lands on U.S. Labels [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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477: 2025 Ultimate Cider Pairing Guide for Thanksgiving [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Learn how to pick the right Cider and Perry for every dish on the Thanksgiving table. This week we are not chasing brand names. We are building flavor intuition. Consider Thanksgiving not as one single taste on a plate;…
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473: Tiny Bubbles | How to Make a Pét Nat Cider [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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What makes a Pét Nat cider sparkle naturally and how is it connected to the rural method you might have heard about in the UK? In this episode, we take a practical look at: What Pét Nat cider is and how it relates to the…
471: Cider Tourism 101 | Newton Court, UK [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Newton Court Cider began as a 30-acre farm selling apples to Bulmers. When the market changed, Paul Stephens turned those same orchards into a modern day cider business. Front view of Newton Court's restaurant and visito…