59: Ciderville Tales | Monterey Bay, CA

59: Ciderville Tales | Monterey Bay, CA

Author: Ria Windcaller: Award-winning Cidermaker, Podcaster | Craft Beer Columnist December 19, 2018 Duration: 52:59

The farmers of Monterey Bay California have been growing apples since the state constitution was first ratified in1849. The primary apple of the region is Newtown Pippin due partly to the demand for this apple by Martinelli's, a 4th generation family run cider and apple juice producer.

If you speak to any orchardist in the area, there is a undeniable agreement that if not for Martinelli's there would likely be no orchards in the area today.

This episode takes the listener along on my travels to the region to meet makers and plan for an up coming Totally Cider Tour" Monterey Bay. If you would like to get on the list for this tour now - do send an email to ria@ciderchat.com.

We begin with a song by Robbie Robertson of The Band "Christmas Must Be Tonight", sung by my cousin Jay. Then we head out on the road to meet with makers for an evening of cider and chat surrounding the upcoming cider tour.

Makers at the Cider Dinner hosted by Santa Cruz Cider Company

After the meet up on the next day, I met with John Martinelli of S. Martinelli's Cider Co. in Watsonville

Mentions in this chat

CiderCon2019 - February 4-8, 2019 - register to go today

Cider Competition February 10th - 2019 New York International Cider Competition

The 1st Annual New York International Cider Competition is Cider focused competition that is held in conjunction with the 6th Annual New York International Beer Competition.

Top Trade Buyers from the New York Metro Area including Cider Bars, Retail Stores, Distributors and Importers will be judging the cider by its category and actual price.

It is open to all commercially made cider from around the world. Your cider does not have to be sold and or imported into New York to be in the competition.

Please Help Support Cider Chat Please donate today. Help keep the chat thriving!

Find this episode and all episodes at the page for Cider Chat's podcasts.


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
160: The Way of the Amateur [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:04
The Way of the Amateur How do you pronounce Amateur? Did you know there is more than one way to approach this word? Do you use "amateur" as a compliment or an insult? If you are swinging back and forth on your answers to…
158: CiderCon2019 | M. McGrath - USACM Exec Dir [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:30
Please Help Support Cider Chat Please donate today. Help keep the chat thriving! Find this episode and all episodes at the page for Cider Chat's podcasts. ---------------------- The United States Association of Cider Mak…
157: County Cork's Killahora Orchards | Ireland [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:44
Killahora Orchards of County Cork is located on the southern tip of the Emerald Isle a.k.a. Ireland and was once the center of the world butter market. Historically it is also known as the "rebel city". Today it is a thr…
156: Not all lees are gross [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:50
Lees: When should we love them and when should we leave them? And what the heck is "lees" anyways? The main chat in this episode begins around 10 minutes in and features Curt Sherrer presenting his workshop titled "All L…
155: Sex(ism) in the Cidery [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:46
Sex(ism) in the cidery was a panel discussion moderated by, Franklin County CiderDays committee chair April Woodard on November 3, 2018. The goal was to take the larger context from the MeToo Movement to the cidery commu…
154: Turning Straw into Gold | Apple Falls Cider Company [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:42
Matt Oskamp and Amelia Campbell started Apple Falls Cider Company in 2017. The cider house is situated alongside the farm store at Campbell Orchards located in Prince Edward County, Ontario. Campbell Orchards is owned by…
153:  Journey to the World's Largest Apple Tree | Kazakhstan [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:17
In this episode author of "The New Cider Makers Handbook" Claude Jolicoeur presents an overview of his trip to Kazakhstan in August of 2017. This presentation was recorded at the 24th Annual Franklin County CiderDays on…
152: How to teach Cidermaking 101 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:06:48
Teaching Cider Making is fairly straight forward: Have on hand: Fresh pressed apple juice A carboy or some sanitized vessel to hold the juice, with enough room for it to ferment and not bubble over. An airlock to release…
151: The Sweet and Sour Side of Cider Podcasting [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:07
Dave Carr makes cider using wild yeast and oak barrels (primarily). Raging Cider and Mead is based in San Marcos, California, which is about 15 minutes in land from Oceanside and based in San Diego County, California. Da…
Hallelujah! 150 Episodes of Cider Chat! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:55
In this episode 150 The Nose visits the Cider House Recording studio and helps Ria look at "What is possible" in the coming year. With now a 150 episodes there is a lot to review and reminiscence after meeting so many wo…