513: Still Cider, Single Apples and Time | Sowams, Rhode Island

513: Still Cider, Single Apples and Time | Sowams, Rhode Island

Author: Ria Windcaller: Award-winning Cidermaker, Podcaster | Craft Beer Columnist August 26, 2026 Duration: 1:06:34

What happens when a cidermaker decides to do less and give cider more time?

Spencer Morris of Sowams Cider Works in Warren, Rhode Island, makes cider with more than 70 apple varieties, old mechanical rack-and-cloth presses, glass demijohns and a remarkably hands-off approach.

Explore still cider, single-varietal apples, long aging on the lees, native fermentation, and why some Sowams ciders aren't released until they are three or four years old.

Timestamps

00:00 Doing Less and Giving Cider Time

00:25 Meet the Guest

01:59 Single Varietal Cider

05:25 News from Ciderville

08:24 Fall Cider Festivals

10:29 Arriving in Rhode Island

12:55 Inside Sowams Cider Works

14:38 Spencer's Cider Story

18:38 Orchard and Rootstocks

22:37 Harvest Timing

24:55 Fermenting in Demijohns

31:59 No Sulfites, No Filtration

35:15 Aging Cider and Favorite Apples

37:07 Storing Apples Before Pressing

37:49 Concentrating the Fruit

38:30 Culling Apples and Sediment

40:53 Hands-Off Fermentation

42:07 Customers and the American Palate

46:15 Rhode Island Heritage Apples

48:53 Tasting the Orchard Blend

51:44 Serving Cider and Batch Numbers

55:03 Blending Apples at the Press

58:04 Tasting Rhode Island Greening

01:01:13 Weather and Vintage Variation

01:02:17 Visit Sowams and Final Thoughts

 

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🌐 Episode show notes: https://ciderchat.com/podcast/513-sowams-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

Cider Chat
Podcast Episodes
514: Doing More With Lees | Ryan Monkman [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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507: Expand Your Universe | Woodfolk Cider, Ontario Canada [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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504: Why Breweries Are Making Cider (and What It Means) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:20
What happens when breweries start making cider… not because they have to, but because they want to keep drinking beer? That question kicks off episode 504 featuring Dan Kramer and Ben Anhalt of Element Brewing Company. "…