199: Bellwether Cider Since 1996 | NY

In 1996 Bellwether Hard Cider and Wine Cellars opened for business in a repurposed chicken hatchery in upper New York state in the Finger Lakes regions surrounding Lake Cayuga. Now in its 23rd year of business, this family operation makes both cider, wine and is now planning to get into distilling.

Bill Barton of Bellweather Cider — Bill Barton of Bellwether Cider

This chat began outdoors under the covered porch outside the Tasting Room as a soft rain fell.

Bill began as a home fermenter making 5 gallon batches of wine and cider and then scaled up to a 1500 gallons when he first started the cidery.

Bellwether brings in juice from surrounding orchards and is even making cider for City Orchard based in Houston, Texas, slated to open in November 2019.

“Yeast is not a particularly important component”

Bill looks for the following in a balanced cider

Acid
Tannin
Sugar

He does not pitch any cultured yeast, but instead uses what is called an “Ambient” yeast – which I and other might call “wild yeast” in that it is what is found in both on the skin of the fruit and in the building.

Serial #0001 — Serial #0000 from this nearly one of a kind bottling line for 750ML at Bellwether

Bottle line for 750ML Millennium line — 750ML Millennium line #0001

Bellwether Ciders

ambient yeast
back sweetened with sweet reserve “juice” only “if necessary” at bottling
Juice from Finger Lakes orchards
6% alcohol by volume is what most ciders ring in at Bellwether
ferments dry
offers both carbonated and still

Flagship ciders

Original
Liberty Spy – one of the top best sellers. A blend of Northern Spy and Liberty
Lord Scudamore – is a Sparkling Cider that has been bottled conditioned for 5 years!

Bit of a reverse scene for packaging product at Bellwether