366: Acclaimed Cider w/Minimal Intervention Tom Oliver

Not only is the cider acclaimed, so too is the Maker Tom Oliver is just as acclaimed as his cider which makes Oliver’s Cider and Perry Co. a global hit on two fronts. He is affable, engaging and knows his way around social media likely due to his work with the Scottish Rock Rock Band, … Read more

Episode 269 Gross Lees in Barrel 300x200

269: Gross Lees in the Barrel | Ask Ryan 2021

The Ask Ryan Series is back! In Spring of 2020 the first Ask Ryan series with Ryan Monkman of FieldBird Cider was posted. This year we return with Ryan once again to dive into more  cidermaking questions. In this segment we return to more questions about oak barrels and cider and the technique known as … Read more

240 to Rack feature Cider Chat

240: To Rack or Not To Rack | Cidermaking Series Part 5

This chat provides a a sip of something for everyone, from makers who want to improve their skills to consumers who enjoy knowing why a cider tastes a particular way. In this Cider Chat, we look at the next step after primary fermentation of cider and discuss the benefits of racking the cider over and … Read more

Pt 3 Ask Ryan Feature

223: Ask Ryan | Quarantine Quad Series, Part 3

Discover two cidermaking techniques that are also used in winemaking, called Maderisation and Bâtonnage. We delve into both of these topics in Part 3 of the Quarantine Quad Series called “Ask Ryan” with Ryan Monkman of FieldBird Cider, Ontario Canada answering questions from Cider Chat listeners. Maderisation: What is this technique and can it be used with cider? Bâtonnage: … Read more

FieldBird Ryan and Nicole Monkman

168: Barrel Aging Cider Inspiration

Using Oak Barrels in Cidermaking – What do you want to know? Ryan Monkman of FieldBird Cider based in Prince Edward County, Ontario Canada presented an extended seminar on Oak Barrels at CiderCon 2019 in Chicago. The workshop description: It’s like a Choose-Your-Own Adventure book…but with booze. A dozen mini-talks on oak. The crowd decides … Read more

In the barrel room w/Lee Baker and Ryan Monkman

132: Barrels & Bâtonnage

Barrels & Bâtonnage w/FieldBird Cider & Keint-He Winery Bâtonnage is a winemaking technique that is also used in Cidermaking. It involves raking the lees or what is seen as the heavy particulars of yeast cells that fall out of solution and down to the bottom of the barrel during primary fermentation. Bâtonnage is all about … Read more

CiderDays Apple Table

076: Lou and Sue Chadwick |Grafting at Second Chance Farm, MA

Lou and Sue Chadwick of Second Chance Farm in Greenfield Massachusetts are what I consider the “Apple Pied Pipers”. For nearly as long as CiderDays (the oldest cider event in the US) has been running I have seen the Chadwicks touting the bounty of apple varieties. This means they have dozen of fresh picked apples … Read more

Alan Shapiro 075 | Cider Summit

075: Alan Shapiro | Cider Summit, USA

Alan Shapiro wasn’t looking to get involved in cider, being a craft beer enthusiast, one sip at the right time changed his mind and he isn’t looking back. He is founder of the widely popular Cider Summit that takes place currently in 4 major US cities (with a 5th city expected to come on board … Read more