013: Ryal Schallenberger | Northwest Mobile Juicing, Montana

Meet one half of the family team at Botanist and Barrel

Botanist and Barrel is a family owned and operated cidery. Kether Smith and brother Lyndon and their respective spouses Derick McGuffey and Amie Fields make the magic happen at this eclectic cidery. They began selling cider commercially in 2017 and they all enjoy making cider.

There are two tasting rooms. Production happens at the Cedar Grove Location and in Asheville you can visit the Botanist and Barrel Tasting Room.

In this Cider Chat

Lyndon and Amie were interviewed while attending CiderCon 2024 in Portland Oregon. They provide tips on how to approach their products when visiting the tasting room.

• Try a flight. There are four flight options.
  • Sour and Spice Flight
  • Barrel aged
  • Any thing goes
  • Hybrids and co-ferments
• The ciders and co-ferments of Botanist and Barrel
• Tips for working with family members
• Visiting the tasting rooms

Contact and Visit Botanist and Barrel

• Ashville Tasting Room
  • Website: https://www.botanistandbarrelasheville.com/
  • Address: 32 Broadway Street, Ste 110, Ashville North Carolina
  • Telephone: (828) 338-9516
• Cedar Grove Tasting Room
  • Website: https://www.botanistandbarrelasheville.com/
  •  
  • Address: 105 Persimmon Hill Lane, Cedar Grove, NC 27231

Mentions in this Cider Chat

• New York International Cider Competition 2024
• French Cider Tour 2024
• Episode 288 Space Time Mead and Cider Works | Pennsylvania 
• @degerdenner in the Netherlands
• Cider Summit

go to CiderChat.com to find over 400 episode with from makers around the world

Meet the Founders of Presque Isle Farm Cider a.k.a PIF

Molly and Dion Stepanski are the founders of of PIF Cider with an inviting Tasting Room located in Alpena, Michigan. They met in New Orleans where Dion was working as a Jazz muscian and Molly in a store. In 2014 they move to farm vegetables at Dion’s family farm in Posen, MI. There they planted a one acre orchard which Dion describes as high density, but not trellised. They sources their apples from Michigan’s TraverseCity area which is to the west of Alpena.

From the outset they wanted to make English Style Ciders and by all accounts they are hitting this target straight out producing delectable ciders that please the palate and made this cider podcast host swoon with delight.

In this Cider Chat with PIF Producers

• The backstory of PIF and the Stepanski’s journey to cider
• Cider making techniques at PIF
  • Native yeas
  • Barrel program
  • Blends and Single varietal
• The cider fans of Presque Island and the surrounding area.
  • What can guests expect when visiting.
• How to get PIF products!

PIF Cider Tasted

• 2022 Farmhouse 8.2%
  • Kingston Black
  • Bulmers Norman
  • Brown Snout
  • Northern Spy
  • Label by their son
• Kingston Black and Bulmers 50/50
  • Made in Stainless
• Single Varietal Spitzenberg 2021 12.5%
  • Aged for 2 years in Bourbon Barrel
• Clean Ciders meaning pitched yeast
  • Golden Russet, Harrison blend 9% semi dry
  • Bulmers Norman and Coxs Orange Pippin
  • Farmhouse back sweeten with French Bittersweet concentrate
    • This is in a can and is a slight variation from the 750 ml bottles

Contact info for Presque Island Farm Cider

• Website: https://pifcider.com/
• PIF Tasting Room address:
  • 205 W. Chisholm St. Alpena, Michigan
• Taproom Telephone: tele: 01-989.340.0970
• Instagram: @pifcider

Mentions in this Cider Chat

• New York International Cider Competition 2024
• French Cider Tour 2024
• Étienne Dupont – listen to Episode 337

Chef Duffy Talks Cooking with Cider

Chef Brian Duffy is one of the culinary’s industry’s most dynamic and innovative personalities. 

With a career that spans decades, He has been captivating audiences with his infectious passion for food and his unique approach to the culinary arts. He is well known for his appearances on the tv and the series “Bar Rescue,” where Chef Duffy helped transform struggling bars, offering expert advice and renovations to revitalize their business and create successful, thriving establishments.

In this episode of Cider Chat we are tapping into Chef’s contemplative side and getting his thoughts on the both cooking with cider and pairing cider with food.

In this Cider Chat with Chef Brian Duffy

We taste through 4 ciders

• Sweet
  • Coyote Verde 4.25% Back Sweetened Tart Granny Smith Apple
    • Producer Fishback Stephenson Cider House | Iowa
• Semi Dry
  • Grapes in a Suit Case
    • Producers Botanist and Barrel / North Carolina and Artifact Cider Project / Massachsetts
• ^{Semi -Dry}
  • Premium Hard Cider (6.9%) all native years, no sulfites, barrel aged
    • Producer: WildCraft Cider Works / Eugene Oregon
• Dry
  • Malus (7.5%) juice is from apples pressed in New York and shipped to Florida
    • Producer: Green Bench Brewery and Mead & Cider / Saint Petersburg Florida

Topics in this Cider Chat

•  What is Chef Brian Duffy up to.
• Cooking with cider
• Pairing cider with food 
• Let’s talk PH when pairing cider – Most bars serve high acid pub food/dishes with drinks. For those who want to balance acid and alkaline offerings, what are the options? Looking for pub/restaurant dishes that you would recommend.
• 3 tips for a success restaurant or cidery serving food
• Typical mistakes to avoid when serving food

Contact Chef Brian Duffy

• Website: ChefBrianDuffy.com
• Instagram: @chefbriduff
• Duffied Live podcast

Mentions in this Cider Chat

• French Cider Tour September 24 – 28, 2024
• Bar & Restaurant Expo March 18th -20th, 2024 use code ChefDuffy50 for $50 off you pass
• Episode 035: Danielle von Scheiner | Big Apple Hard Cider, NYC

A Special Valentine to Ciderville with Love

This episode is a special valentine to Ciderville with a little bit of help from the Talking Pommes and an eventful appearance by The Nose!

 We are in the Cider House reviewing the last year and have written a special card to everyone out there in your special spot in Ciderville.

In this episode we say good bye to Season 8 while reviewing the uniques of cider, what we all need to do to keep relationships in Ciderville healthy, and how to help keep cider going up a.k.a #ciderGoingUP.

Mentions in This Cider Chat

• Find all past episode from Season 8 of Cider Chat
• @cidersoms - follow along on Instagram
• Work with Cider Chat
• French Cider Tour September 24 - 28, 2024
• Send Cider to Cider Chat
• Support Cider Chat
• Cider Chat Swag Store - get your cider t-shirt today!

Fermentations Run without Fear at Wildcraft

Sean Kelly founded Wildcraft Cider Works in 2014. His journey to cider making began in 2008. It follows his botanicals passion, quest for tree resources & conservation, in concert with travels to Latin America where he learned how to ferment. He honors the preservation and the medicinal value of the plants and does a mighty fine job of capturing the essence of a wide variety of pomes, grapes and botanicals in the glass.

Cider Making at Wildcraft

• Only Native Yeast
• No sulfites
• Co-ferment
  • botanical
  • grapes
  • pome fruits – pear, quince, medlars
• Barrel aging

Cider’s Tasted in this Cider Chat

• Pisgah Heriloom
• Restoration Perry – wild rootstock pears
• Medlar

Wildcraft Products

• Ciders
• Perry
• Brandies – POM-MISTELLE – a set of 3 brandies, apple, quince and pear
• Fire Cider
• Hot Sauce – Peppers gleaned from Camas Swale Farms. Fermented and aged in house brandy barrels

Annual Events at Wildcraft

• March 2nd Tap Takeover – an array of ferments on tap
• Fiddlehead Festival – Last weekend of April
• Harvest Party – fall

Mentioned in this Cider Chat

• Freeman Rowe
• French Cider Tour – September 22-28, 2024 Reservations are now open

Pre-conference PDX Audio Clips

This Cider Chat Live features clips from CiderCon 2024 which took place in Portland, Oregon. What was particularly unique about this year was the ice storm that took place.

Pictured below is a car driven from the border of Oregon and California to PDX. It is incased in ice and is a testament of just how ferocious the storm was. Despite the ice, the cider kept pouring.

Enjoy this Cider Chat Live

Ander's car and its Ice Cap when he arrived at the main hotel

Bookmark this episode for loads of Portland Oregon a.k.a. PDX Tips

Oregon Cider Week and CiderCon 2024 are all converging in PDX and this episodes has all the tips you need arrive and hit the ground running. Portland resident Sean Connolly, who is also known as Cider Experience on Instragram and Facebook has delivered big time with tons of tips and insider knowlege to help everyone feel like a local.

In this Cider Chat on PDX Tips

• Temperature
  • Highs 47 degrees
  • 50/50 chance of rain or sunny
  • Bring layers

• What to wear
  • Jeans and plaids work
  • Casual dress code and functional

PDX Tips to look like a local: Loose the umbrella and let your hair get wet! When using an umbrella, it is obvious you are from out of town!

• Transportation
• Airport (PDX) to CiderCon – The Met Red line is not in service beginning January 14th. Service will be still provided via shuttle buses which will take a bit longer than the 30 minute ride. It is still a great deal at $2.80
  • go to Trimet.org for more info

• Driving: Download Car Parking App: Parking Kitty 

• Bicycles for Rent in PDX
  • Nike Launch a travel by bike – https://biketownpdx.com/
  • There are lots of bike lanes
  • Spring Water Corridor runs the length of the Willamette River approximately 7-8 miles

• Need Tech help or supplies?
  • The Lloyd Center is close by and in old town Portland there is a full service Apple Stor

PDX Tips for purchases: There is no Sales Taxes in Oregon

• Restaurants near CiderCon
  • Red Robin
  • Spanish Tapas
  • Noble Rot – beautiful views of the city
  • Big Pink – City Grill on 33rd floor with great views
  •  Sizzle Side Pizza
  • Spirit of 77 Seas recommends for good pub faire

• Grocery stores by Hyatt
  • Safeway approximately 3/4 mile
  • Trader Joes about 4 miles away in the Hollywood district

• Karaoke
  • Ambassador PDX Bar and Lounge 
  • Alibi PDX
  • The Baby Ketten Club

PDX Tips: The city is Food Trucks heaven – Look for “Food Cart Pods” via Travel Portland ‘s online food cart finder

Cider

Cider Locations closest to Hyatt and Oregon Convention Center

• Schilling Cider House – a wide range of taps approx 1 Mile from the Hyatt
• Spirit of 777 Tap take over
• Pizza Thief – the tap
• Lil Spirits – a block and half from Convention Center – tap takeovers – 437 NE Lloyd Blvd Portland, OR 97232
• The Place PDX – A cider bar will be hosting multiple cider events

In Pearl District on west side of river

• Cider Bite – splits taps between sweet and dry
• Portland Cider Company  – 35 taps 
  • Locations in Oregon City and Beavertown
•  Swift Cider is located in the north side of town

• Bring Cider or Beer Home
• The Place PDX – buy bottles to go
• John’s Marketplace big collection of both cider and beer – 3560 SE Powell Blvd -Portland, OR 
• McMenamins has a large selections
• New Seasons Market
• Pick up cider and beer at the Portland International Airport
  • Look for Made in Oregon Store in airport

 Sean’s PDX Tips for Fun in Portland

• Walk by the River
• Forest Park: The largest urban park in the country
• Mount Tabor Park
• Hopscotch – light and music theme area, high sensory experience (take an hour to enjoy)
• Dance: McMenamims at Lola’s Room
• Relax and Soak at McMenamims Soaking Pool or Common Ground Wellness Center

PDX Tips for Cannabis: Oregon Legalized Cannabis in 2015. There are 5 dispensaries around the hotel conference center. Look up: WhatsLegalOregon.com

Mentions in this Cider Chat

• CiderCon 2024 January 15-19th, 2024 Portland Oregon
• Artisans by Cider Summit| Portland, Oregon January 20, 2024
• Oregon Cider Week January 13-20th, 2024
• Totally Cider Tours – France – listen to past episodes and get on the wait list for the 2024 tour!

It’s time to make your Cider Notes for 2024

The list of cider notes can be quiet long, but in this episode we are going to make it doable and easy for you.

In this Cider Chat on Cider Notes

• The Talking Pommes encourage Ria to slow down
• Sign up for the last cider tour heading out at CiderCon 2024
• French Cider Tour reservations
• Wassails
  • January 5th at the Botanist and Barrel, Cedar Grove North Carolina
  • January 28th Berkshire Cider Project at the Tourist in North Adams Massachusetts
    • Learn about Wassailing in Episode 393

Past Cider Making Episodes

• 381 DIY Cider Making for Beginners
• 382 Beginner Tips for Squeaky Clean Cider Equipment
• 384 Beginner Cider Making Tips forPrimary Fermentation 
• 386:  Managing Cider’s Secondary Fermentation – DIY Tips

Equipment needed for Cider’s Secondary Ferment

Find a complete list with links to purchase at the Cider Making Equipment page at ciderchat.com

• Extra Apple Juice to for topping off
• Secondary Fermenter – glass carboy of equal size
• Airlock and Bung
• Racking Cane or Auto-Siphon
• Sanitizer
• Hydrometer or Refractometer
• Tubing & a clothes pin ( a Ria tip to have on hand for clamping tubing as you go so it can be managed to insure that the tube doesn’t slip down into the lees and stir them up)
• Bottle Brush and Cleaning Equipment

Mentions in this Cider Chat

• 363: Exploring Cider Using 33 Books Flavor Wheel
• Sean Connolly Cider Experience
• Subscribe to Cider Chat YouTube Channel