We all need a little good news, a little inspiration, right about now. Fermentation inspiration comes in a variety of forms, so we picked the brain of cidermakers from around the globe on why they went the way of the apple.
Jim Gerlach, Nashi Orchards
Vashon, Washington
“I guess the easy answer is when I had a chance in the ‘90s to taste the wines of Carneros in Napa and started to understand how a place can create distinctive character in a beverage. But I think the idea that a place can be expressed in what you make came quite a bit earlier. My family visited upstate New York when I was a kid and I still remember a visit to Bully Hill Winery. Even though I was too young to drink, the experience, the graphic art and people that we met were very much of that place and created strong memories.”
Tom Oliver, Oliver’s Cider and Perry
Herefordshire, United Kingdom
“A bottle-conditioned Kingston Black cider, retrieved from a cellar with six inches of water in it, underneath [the] kitchen [of] Roger French, cidermaker and author of ‘The History and Virtues of Cyder.’ A wide-angled discourse on the past glory of cider and where the future should lie.”
Melanie Eelman, Annapolis Cider Co.
Wolfville, Nova Scotia
“In 2012, Nova Scotia wineries formed the province’s first appellation wine, Tidal Bay, which is an expression of Nova Scotia’s terroir and a commitment to 100-percent, Nova Scotia-grown grapes. This is very inspiring, and I feel that we need to replicate this with cider within the province. When presented with the opportunity to make cider on a professional basis, I wanted to reflect the concept of terroir that is most often associated with the wine industry and create a line of premium ciders that are rooted in our sense of place with a strong commitment to using local inputs.”
Nat West, Reverend Nat’s Hard Cider
Portland, Oregon
“Doesn’t everyone remember the first time they had Saison Dupont? I was amazed [by] the variety of flavors in the beer, all as a result of the unusual yeast strain. So when it came time to start making cider, my first batch was with the Dupont house yeast. I’ve used that same strain in dozens of ciders over the years and am still constantly amazed at the variety of flavors and aromas produced.”
Kristen Needham, Sea Cider Farm & Ciderhouse
Saanichton, British Columbia
“I was inspired by the conviviality of the Horseshoe Inn, a village pub in Marcross, Wales, near my boarding school, Atlantic College. It was there that I drank cider for the first time, raising a glass with fellow students and villagers in what was a community gathering place. The food was simple, the cider wasn’t fussy — you ordered ‘a cider,’ never a brand — and I was left forever with the impression of cider as a humble and social drink, best when shared in the company of friends.”
Autumn Stoscheck, Eve’s Cidery
Van Etten, New York
“A long time ago, so long I won’t say when, I was invited to a dinner party at the gorgeous old farmhouse belonging to Peter Hoover and Peggy Haine. Peggy — a writer, real estate agent and front woman of [a local] band — cooked up a fabulous fall meal while Peter — a paleontologist, Morris dancer and libations concocter — served us selections from his extensive cellar. The ‘aha’ moment came for me when he poured a glass of Curmudgeon and Crone Golden Russet Champagne. The label, drawn by a local artist, was a playful reference to Peggy and Peter, the most interesting couple this side of the Finger Lakes. The cider tasted just like Champagne. But different. It hinted at apple and other mysteries I was too young to understand. But most of all it spoke to the Finger Lakes, the beauty of this land and of something once lost but now being revived. I was hooked. From that moment, I had to learn what the apple was capable of.”
Andreas Schneider, Obsthof am Steinberg
Frankfurt, Germany
“The German ciders I tasted in my youth were very astringent and vinegary. In comparison, French cider was much more fruity and yet spicy. After leasing my parents’ business in 1993, these terroir ciders were my inspiration to design my apple harvest and produce cider according to my own ideas and philosophy. Namely with fully ripe, organic fruit, which falls by itself from the tree, spontaneous, slow and cool to ferment.”
This article originally ran in print Vol. 14 of Cidercraft magazine. For the full story and more like it, click here.
