503: Audio Snapshots from the UK Blossom Time Tour | What Is Proper Cider?

503: Audio Snapshots from the UK Blossom Time Tour | What Is Proper Cider?

Author: Ria Windcaller: Award-winning Cidermaker, Podcaster | Craft Beer Columnist May 13, 2026 Duration: 1:12:50

Episode 503 takes you through England and Wales with audio snapshots from the UK Blossom Time Totally Cider Tour while exploring one big question: What is a proper cider?

Travel orchard roads through Somerset, Herefordshire, Gloucestershire, and Wales as tour guests share reflections on traditional cider, perry pears, wild fermentations, farmhouse hospitality, blossom-covered orchards, and the people keeping cider culture alive. From Ross on Wye and Oliver's Cider and Perry to Gwatkin Cider Mill and beyond, this episode captures the feeling of living inside cider country for a little while.

Time Stamps

00:00 Proper Cider Defined
01:42 Tour Craft and Group Flow
04:07 Season Updates and UK Teasers
07:22 Pouring Quince and Rolling Clips
08:50 Trevor's Tour Takeaways
13:25 George and Marla's Cidery Story
20:18 France vs UK Cider Culture
24:35 Tom's Cider Journey via Spirits
32:28 Richard and Elizabeth's Mountain Cidery
39:36 Tour Gratitude Recap
40:52 UK Apple Diversity Takeaway
41:39 Cider Kindergartner Graduates
44:19 Cheese Box and Stinking Bishop
45:55 Perry Pear Center Passion
46:43 Usk Castle Cider Picnic
47:27 Blossom Tour with Syracuse Duo
49:11 Far Orchard Mystique and Bees
50:22 Cask Cider Hospitality
53:03 Gwatkins Bag in Box Secrets
55:21 Why Guided Tours Work
59:16 Last Minute Traveler Gene
01:01:08 Farmhouse Cider and Beer Overlap
01:06:33 Proper Cider at Wilkins
01:10:24 Signing Off and Theme Song

Find the full show notes for Episode 503 at CiderChat.com

Direct Link: https://ciderchat.com/podcast/503-uk-blossom-time-proper-cider/

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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: 50

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