473: Tiny Bubbles | How to Make a Pét Nat Cider

473: Tiny Bubbles | How to Make a Pét Nat Cider

Author: Ria Windcaller: Award-winning Cidermaker, Podcaster | Craft Beer Columnist October 15, 2025 Duration: 44:53

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?

Cider Chat Episode 473 feature photo Tiny Bubbles for Pét nat

In this episode, we take a practical look at:

  • What Pét Nat cider is and how it relates to the "rural method"
  • A clearer way to describe fermentation: Active Ferment → Quiet Phase → Maturation
  • When and how to rack cider for clarity and flavor
  • How to time bottling for perfect natural carbonation
  • Using a hydrometer to bottle safely at 1.005–1.010 SG
  • Essential tips for bottle-conditioning without blowouts
  • Why a little yeast haze can add charm to your finished cider

Key Takeaways

  • Pét Nat (Pétillant Naturel) means naturally sparkling where the bubbles come from fermentation finishing in the bottle.
  • Racking is a simple but essential step to move cider off the lees without introducing oxygen.
  • Skip the jargon: watch what your cider is doing, not just the calendar.
  • Always use champagne-rated bottles and sanitize everything.
  • The reward? Tiny bubbles, wild aroma, and the pure joy of cider alive in the glass.

Cider Making Resource

Mentions in this Cider Chat

Cider Making How-to Episodes:

Fall Event - November 1, 25th Annual Apple Harvest Fest at Albemarle CiderWorks

 


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
427: Under 30 Startup Ingenuity | Heartland Cideworks, OR [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:47
Collaboration Meets Ingenuity at Heartland Ciderworks This episode is packed with insights for anyone interested in the intersection of entrepreneurship and craft cider-making. In Episode 427 of Cider Chat, Eliseo Bell-U…
426: Red Island Cider: Crafting Stories in Every Bottle | PEI [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:30
Discover Red Island Cider on Prince Edward Island Guest podcaster Al Saxs interviews Red Island Cider owner and maker Robert van Waarden in this episode 426 of Cider Chat. Red Island Cider is located on Canada's reknown…
425: Babycham to Triple Vintage – The Showering's Cider Legacy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:55
The Showering name is synonymous with both innovation and tradition in the world of cider for the past 187 years. In this Episode 425 of Cider Chat, Nick Showering shares a bit on his family's cider-making roots that str…
424: Master Class on Apple Phenotyping w/John Bunker [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:40
Apple Phenotyping: The Tools Every Orchardist Needs In Episode 424 of Cider Chat, we dive deeper into the intricate world of apple identification, this time focusing on apple phenotyping — the art and science of describi…
423:  Apple Id 101 w/John Bunker [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:07:05
In Episode 423 of Cider Chat, we delve into the fascinating world of apple identification a.k.a. Apple Id with the one and only John Bunker, a renowned author and the c0-founder of FEDCO Trees, Maine Organic Farmers and…
422: John Bunker Keynote on Orchards and Legacy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:22
New York Apple Camp Keynote Address by John Bunker In a captivating keynote from the 2023 New York Apple Camp, John Bunker, the founder of FEDCO Trees and renowned author on apple identification, shared his profound conn…
421: Explore the Rich History of Chilean Cider w/Punta de Fierro [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:18
Eli Shanks' of Punta de Fierro Fine Cider In this episode meet Eli Shanks, a passionate cider maker sharing his journey from urban Massachusetts to the picturesque landscapes of Chile, where he co-founded Punta de Fierro…
420: Books, Cider, Cheesecake | Cider Chat Live [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 18:41
Basque Cheesecake and Santa Cruz Cider Cider Chat Live brings you a tasting of a celebratory cider from Santa Cruz Cider Company paires with a what is called Basque Cheesecake! Basque Cheesecake is much less dense than c…
419: Canadian Cider Making: The Wooden Gate Journey [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:18
Wooden Gate: From Farm to Cidery with Clint Caver Clint Cavers and his wife Pamela have been farming for over 30 years at Wooden Gate The Farm and cidery is based in Pilot Mound, Manitoba, Canada which is right over the…
418: Creative Cider Branding Tips with Cultivar [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:25
Paving a Path for Cider Branding at Cultivar Meet Kirk Evans, the founder of Cultivar Creative. In this episode, Kirk shares his journey from a casual cider maker to a professional brand designer specializing in cider pa…