464: Czech Cider: From Roadside Apples to Cellar Ferments

464: Czech Cider: From Roadside Apples to Cellar Ferments

Author: Ria Windcaller: Award-winning Cidermaker, Podcaster | Craft Beer Columnist July 2, 2025 Duration: 1:10:01

A conversation with Czech Cider Fan Dan Samek

This episode brings us to the heart of Europe by way of Vermont. Ria sat down with Dan Samek, a cider enthusiast and home distiller from Prague, to talk about the evolving cider scene in the Czech Republic. They met at Kilowatt Park which is on the west side of the Connecticut River in White River Junction, Vermont.

Cider Chat Ep: 464 Dan Samek of Prague in the Czech Republic
Dan Samek

This was the first stop on the Cider Tour to Vermont and New York in May 2025.

In this Cider Chat featuring Czech Cider

1. A Fruitful History

  • The Czech Republic is rich with apples, pears, plums, and cherries and exports a lot of fruit.
  • For centuries, fruit trees lined roads to feed traveling soldiers. This is a legacy left from the  Barak times, in the 18th century

2. Cider by Way of Calvados

  • Dan journey to cider started while he was working at a French winery
  • He has an affection for Calvados and thus made cider to distill.
  • His process blends natural fermentation and dry yeast (He favors the yeast known as 72B).
  • The apples come from old trees in his one-acre garden-orchard near Prague.

3. Small Scene, Big Potential

  • Early cider makers in the Cech Republic began around 2007.
  • Prague had a cider shop (InCider) and a cider bar, but today you can find cider at most bars.
  • Cidrerie Kliment and Utopia are two standout producers—Utopia leans all natural.

4. Enthusiasts Leading the Way

  • Many Czech homes still have fruit trees.
  • Backyard fermenters use presses ranging from barrel-style to hydraulic.
  • Gardening clubs and university programs help spread knowledge.

5. Beyond Apples

  • Dan grows quince and medlars and has a Sorbus domestica tree in his orchard.
  • Morovia which is to the north of Prague has a Sorubus Domestic museum.
  • There's a growing appreciation for traditional and lesser-known fruits in fermentation.

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: 100

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