Cider Chat

• 455: Zero Percent Sh*t | John Edwards Returns

  John Edwards, longtime cider maker and integral team member at Ross on Wye Cider & Perry Co., and the creative force behind his personal label Fly be Night Cider was last on the podcast in 2019. John Edwards In this Cider Chat with John Edwards ohn is part of the tight-knit crew at Ross Cider who keep things running from orchard to bottle. The team has embraced a belt press system, which John finds surprisingly nimble—even for small batches. While Ross is rooted in tradition, they’re also evolving their process to match the scale and diversity of their orchard. Transitioning to stainless steel fermentation tanks Working with old and rediscovered apple varieties Committed to wild yeast and natural fermentation Managing fire blight Diversifying the orchard’s apple stock with varieties like Kingston Black, Golden Ball, and Cider Lady’s Finger. Fly Be Night: A Creative Outlet Fly by Night remains John’s personal cider expression—just a few barrels a year, shared with friends. Each release gets a new label (last year’s was “Space Goat”), and while the iconic “0% Sh*t” label is retired, the spirit of fun and integrity lives on. A Cellar Surprise for Ross Fest 2025? John has one cider still in the cellar: a 2014 Foxwhelp that might just see bottles soon. Whether blending at Ross or bottling at home, John’s work reminds us that cider thrives on community, curiosity, and a bit of mystery. Mentions in this Cider Chat Episode 195: Fly Be Night Cider | 0% Sh**, UK Totally Cider Tour UK Edition

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• 454: Wild Ferment Meets Fine Cider: Inside Oliver’s Barrel Room

  Rainy Days Goes Best with Dry Cider in the Barrel Room Walking into the barrel room at Oliver’s Cider and Perry Company, you might think you know what to expect. But surrounded by whitewashed stone walls, standing beneath the old Hessian sacking floor, and facing rows of aging barrels, I quickly realized this wasn’t just a cidery—it’s a living, breathing creative space for cider making. Tom Oliver sources fruit both from his farm and from local orchards across Herefordshire. This isn’t an estate cidery where everything is grown on-site—but what sets Oliver’s cider and perry apart is Tom himself. A master blender with an instinct for balance, he brings character to every bottle. And while the farm may not produce every apple, it certainly imparts its own terroir through the land, the barns, and the quiet, purposeful rhythm of the work. Tom and Ria In this Cider Chat Blending Tradition with Innovation Tom is now experimenting with distillation: apple brandy, pommeau-style blends, and barrel-aged perry into brandy too! He’s careful with naming, refusing to call something a “Pommeau” unless it honors French tradition. Barrels sourced from rum, sherry, port, bourbon, and white wine shape each unique blend. Tasting in the Barrel Room In the barrel room We tasted perries straight from the barrel—some from single ancient trees, others blended with gin pears or red pear varieties. Each sip revealed: Confectionary sweetness Banana, melon, pineapple notes Mellow malolactic fermentation This isn’t a showpiece cidery as Tom puts it, “It’s a working farm“, evolving from a hop yard and now cider. Tom calls it “just a part of the agricultural calendar.” No pretense, just purpose. Tom Oliver straddles the line between tradition and experimentation with ease. Whether it’s a single-varietal showcase or a spirit-kissed blend, the goal remains the same: make cider that speaks of time, place, and people. Contact info for Oliver’s Cider and Perry Co. Website: https://www.oliversciderandperry.co.uk Mentions in this Cider Chat 2025 Totally Cider Tour_UK Edition Send an email to [email protected] to get on the wait list for the next cider tour! Tom Oliver Featured episodes: 029 Tom Oliver| Oliver’s Cider and Perry, UK 105 Tom Oliver on Making Perry | UK 366 Acclaimed Cider w/Minimal Intervention | Tom Oliver

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• 453: Homage to Perry Legends by Tom Oliver at AppleFest | UK

  Celebrating Perry’s Past, Present, and Future Tom Oliver began his keynote by saying, "At this year’s Applefest Banquet, I had the honor of lifting a glass to the people behind the pear—specifically Perry. It wasn’t just a toast to the drink itself, but to the incredible commitment behind its preservation and craft." Tom Oliver Three Perry Legends Charles Martel Known for his Stinking Bishop cheese and peri-based products. Catalogued disappearing peri pear varieties, creating the first national collection at the Three Counties Showground. His book on Gloucestershire pears remains a landmark work. Jim Chapman Solicitor turned perry champion. Discovered the Hartbury Green pear and launched the Hartbury Orchard Centre. Now curates over 100 varietals displayed annually at the Malvern Autumn Show. Prefers dry, still perry—no bubbles, no fuss. Kevin Minchew Perry pioneer bottling single varietals long before it was fashionable. Crafted standout perries like Gin and Huffcap in whiskey barrels. His final release, Last Hurrah, is a 23-year-aged marvel at 11% ABV. Why Perry Matters "Each of these individuals helped elevate Perry to something worth saving, savoring, and sharing. Their legacies shape not just what’s in our glass—but how we think about heritage, land, and tradition. Let’s keep their torch lit. Raise your glass—Perry!" quote from Tom Oliver AppleFest menu   Contact info for Oliver’s Cider and Perry Website: https://www.oliversciderandperry.co.uk Contact info for Hereford AppleFest Website: https://herefordcitycouncil.gov.uk/hereford-applefest-2025/ The AppleFest will be taking a pause for 2025 - stay tuned for 2026 Mentions in this Cider Chat Totally Cider Tours - UK Cider Tour 2025 Ciderganza at Ross Cider and Perry Co. Gabe Cook - Ciderologist Hereford Beer House - United Kingdom Jane Peyton Keynote Episode 440: Jane Peyton Keynote |Hereford AppleFest Banquet

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• 452: Mac to Redfield: Four Phantoms Brewery Embraces Cider | MA

  Drew Phillips opened the doors of Four Phantoms in Greenfield, Massachusetts in 2021. He began his fermentation career in the Pacific Northwest, and while waiting to open his own brewery, he took on the role as cider maker at Artifact Cider Project. Drew Phillips Known for his creative ciders and beers, Drew blends tradition with innovation, sourcing local fruit and experimenting with wild fermentation. Check out his talk on the making of Old Gods . In this episode, Drew shares how Four Phantoms’ unique approach reflects the terroir of Western Massachusetts. Early Challenges of a Brewery/Cidery: Gaining a License Drew initially couldn’t produce cider legally due to licensing restrictions in Massachusetts. After securing a farmer winery license, he started making cider alongside beer and mead. All ciders are crafted from Pine Hill fruit in Colrain, Massachusetts. Signature Ciders and Fermentation Techniques Late Harvest – 6.5% Apples (Spy, Golden Russet and Baldwin) Tamlane – 6% 100% Macintosh apples, aged on black birch wood, giving it a herbal, German liqueur note. Redfield – 7.7% 100% Redfield apples – A red-fleshed apple cider with natural acidity and structure. Chapin’s Waltz – 8.5% A blend of Golden Russet, Baldwin, and Northern Spy, co-fermented with low intervention. King of the Wharf – 7.5% A Mac-based cider aged on rum-soaked oak chips, giving it a smooth, warming finish. Old Gods – 8% Inspired by Finnish farmhouse brewing, fermented on black birch. Listen to Episode 345 on how Old Gods a Co-Fermentation of Wort and Apple Juice was made! Ciders Tasted during this chat Low Intervention and Sense of Place Drew emphasizes low-intervention cider making — no back-sweetening, minimal sulfites, and natural wild cultures. The ciders reflect the unique qualities of Western Massachusetts apples and local wood aging. Poly tanks and oak aging contribute to the distinctive flavors and textures. Community and the Future of Four Phantoms Four Phantoms Tasting Area by the production room Drew values the connection between local agriculture and cider. He sees cider’s future as more craft-focused than beer, with room for independent voices. “Cider resists commercialization,” says Drew. “It’s about sense of place.” Contact Info for Four Phantoms Website: https://fourphantoms.net Mentions in this Cider Chat Totally Cider Tours Cider Route Itinerary send a request to Cider Chat Cider Rap Song – by Robert Sherman of EsoTerra Ciderworks in Durango, Colorado

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• 451: Hello Season 10 and The Berkshire Roundtable

  In this Season 10 premier of Cider Chat, "Introductions" are featured from over 40 persons in attendance at the annual 2025 Berkshire Roundtable. Kicking off Season 10 of Cider Chat The opportunity to begin Season 10 with "Hellos" from a wide range of people in the cider community is the perfect fit for this milestone episode. Here at Cider Chat Central we hope that this Season opener acts as a reminder that there is a wealth of knowledge at hand at a grass roots level in every region of the US. Of course, this holds true for other countries as well and right about now this reminder feels very timely. In Wisdom Lies Hope — hope for sustaining orchard ecosystems, hope that information can be passed on, history can be preserved and through shared learning and collaboration we can all create a better world. We wish you all strength in knowing that so many others are working toward the same goal of stewarding this earth with care and intention. That shared purpose is a source of hope and resilience, even when the path ahead feels uncertain. What is the Berkshire Roundtable? The Berkshire Roundtable is an annual gathering held each March at Stump Sprouts, a rustic retreat center in Buckland, Massachusetts. This event brings together orchardists, cider makers, and industry professionals to exchange ideas and strengthen community ties. Meetings take place over the course of a day and a half, in a large room at the retreat with everyone sitting in a round circle. Berkshire Roundtable group photo New Beginning for the Berkshire Roundtable The Berkshire Roundtable has been taking place for the past 35 years! Micheal Phillips was integral in starting this meetup of orchardist and makers. In 2012, the Holistic Orchard Network (HON) was founded by Michael Phillips. His influential book, The Holistic Orchard, continues to be sought after by orchardists around the world. Find more of his books at the Cider Books Resource page on this website. Michael passed away unexpectedly while out in his New Hampshire orchard on February 27 2022. Today, HON continues on with leadership from Micheal Biltonen and others. Michael's work is continuing on by his wife Nancy and daughter Gracie Phillips and the HON work today. Gracie and Nancy Phillips Contact Info for HON and Heartsong Farm/Lost Nation Orchard Holistic Orchard Network with Berkshire Roundtable info : https://holisticorchardnetwork.org/   Heartsong Farm and Lost Nation Orchard Mentions in this Cider Chat 392: Bent Ladder Estate Ciders & Wine | Ohio   408: Cider’s Pomological Life Coach | Know Your Roots, NY   312: Angels Dressed Like Bears | Michael Phillips 1957-2022   Heartsong Farm and Lost Nation Orchard workshops   Follow MJ in Australia @getontheciders and his cidery @ciderinfusion   Follow Adrian Luna @hardciderguy

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