Chile’s Living Cider Tradition: Heritage Apples, Chicha, and the Revival of Southern Cider
hile’s cider story is older, deeper, and more culturally embedded than many drinkers realize. In this live panel recorded at CiderCon, cider makers, orchardists, academics, and cooperative leaders come together to trace more than 450 years of apple fermentation—from Indigenous Chicha traditions to today’s revival of heritage orchards and modern craft cider.
Rather than a “new” cider scene, what emerges is a living tradition, shaped by biodiversity, women-led agriculture, and apples that evolved far from industrial systems.
This episode was pre-recorded at CiderCon 2025. The title of this panel discussion was: Chilean Cider Honoring Rich Traditions
Speakers in this episode representing Chile:
- Jose Antonio Alcalde MSc PhD iAssociate Professor in the Dept of Fruit Crops and Enology, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
- Rene Galindo @TenCaiSidra
- Carlos Flores @puntadefierro
- Fabian Lara Mercado Policy Coordinator for INDAP of the Ministry of Agriculture and @3erciclo
- Gicella Thamar Saldivia González @cooperative_chilwe
- Eli Shanks Translator and cider maker @puntadefierro
Three Cider Regions, One Living Culture
Cider production in Chile centers in three southern regions: Araucanía, Los Ríos (home to Valdivia), and Los Lagos, which includes the Chiloé Archipelago. Apples arrived in Chile as early as the 16th century via Spanish colonial routes, thriving in a cool, rainy climate shaped by Antarctic currents.
Over centuries, seed-grown apples naturalized and diversified, creating a vast array of local ecotypes, many unnamed, many intensely tannic, and many found nowhere else in the world.
Chicha and Cider: Same Roots, Different Names
In southern Chile, apple fermentation has long been known as Chicha. Historically, the term carried a rural or lower-status connotation, even when the beverage itself was complex, fully fermented, and deeply cultural. This panel makes clear: Chicha and cider are not opposites – they are the same tradition, named differently.
Reclaiming Chicha as something to be proud of is part of the broader effort to honor Chile’s fermentation heritage rather than overwrite it with imported definitions.
Chilean Heritage Apple Orchards at Risk
Many of the orchards discussed in this episode are over 100 years old, composed of dozens of varieties growing together in low-input, seed-grown systems. These “heritage orchards” produce apples with high acidity, intense tannins, and extraordinary fermentation potential.
Yet they are disappearing. Aging farmers, development pressure, and higher returns from other crops have placed these orchards at risk. The panel underscores a key truth: cider only survives if orchards survive.
Women as Orchard Stewards
A powerful through-line in this conversation is the central role of women. Across southern Chile, women are often the primary caretakers of orchards—preserving trees, managing harvests, and safeguarding biodiversity—while men historically handled pressing and fermentation.
Modern cider projects are increasingly recognizing and supporting this reality by paying fair prices for apples and reinvesting in orchard preservation.
Native Woods, Native Knowledge
Traditional cider and Chicha fermentation in Chile has long relied on native woods such as Raulí (Nothofagus alpina) and Alerce, not for oak-derived flavor but as living vessels that carry microbial continuity. These materials reflect a philosophy where place matters more than polish.
Cooperation on an Island: Chiloé’s Model
On Chiloé, a cooperative of 16 families came together to preserve agroecological farming, local apple ecotypes, and shared production. On an island without a bridge—defined by rainforests, rivers, and isolation—cooperation isn’t optional; it’s survival.
The cooperative model allows small producers to protect biodiversity while reaching broader markets without sacrificing identity.
The Future of Chilean Cider
The panel closes with cautious optimism. Education, international exchange, and thoughtful market development are opening doors, while events like Chile’s Pomum Cup signal growing confidence.
Chile isn’t trying to copy Old World or New World cider models. It’s offering something distinct: cider rooted in landscape, culture, and continuity.
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Mentions in this Cider Chat
- CiderCon2026
- Hungary Cider Salon
- UK Blossom Time Totally Cider Tour
- French Cider Totally Cider Tour
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