Cider Chat

Jeffrey House and his wife Angela founded the California Cider Company in 1993 and built ACE Cider into a nationally distributed brand before selling the company in 2021. In this Cider Chat, Jeffrey gets into what it actually takes to build a cider business: distribution, margins, product development, persistence, scaling, knowing when to sell, and why making great cider is only part of building a valuable company.

Mentions in this Cider Chat - Boston CiderFeast – November 14, 2026 - French Cider Blossom Time Tour – April 24–May 1, 2027 – Find out about Totally Cider Tours: https://ciderchat.com/totally-cider-tours/ - eCiderNews – This week's story features the new Somerset cider box collaboration from Wilding Cider and Rawlins Family Cider- Wilding and Rawlins Team Up on Somerset Cider Box

Time Stamps

00:00 Cider Without Overthinking 02:13 The ACE Cider Origin Story 03:19 Out & About in Ciderville 06:05 Cider Events, Tours & News 09:31 Meet Jeffrey House 11:18 From Local Apples to National Scale 15:52 Building a Cider Company to Sell 18:58 Immigration & the Early Hustle 24:19 Finding Product Winners 30:34 The Reality of Cider Distribution 33:37 Building the Brand & Planning an Exit 37:21 Location, Costs & Business Decisions 38:32 Serendipity, Timing & Luck 39:58 The Entrepreneurial Mindset 41:58 Building a Product vs. Building a Business 42:29 The Pareto Principle & Persistence 44:41 Scaling, Cash Flow & Margins 46:38 Standing Out with Fruit Ciders 47:35 Selling ACE Cider 52:26 The Reality of Corporate Ownership 54:11 How the Cider Market Has Evolved 56:07 The Origins of ACE Fruit Ciders 58:36 Jeffrey House on Cider's Future 01:00:43 The Cider King 01:01:52 Ria's Wrap & Totally Cider Tour 01:03:17 Closing Song

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🌐 Episode show notes: https://ciderchat.com/podcast/517-what-made-ace-cider-brand-worth-40-million/ 📰 eCiderNews: https://ciderchat.com/ecidernews

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What does time taste like?

Join Cider Chat MC Ria on the 2026 Totally Cider Tour through Normandy, Domfrontais and Brittany, where cider, poiré, Pommeau and Calvados become a way of experiencing place, people and time.

The journey begins with a reconnaissance adventure near Étretat and continues into orchards, cellars and conversations with makers, including Jacques Perritaz of Cidrerie du Vulcain and Eric Bordelet. At Eric's table, a tasting across vintages reveals how cider, poiré and Cormé continue to transform in the bottle.

Then hear directly from the people who traveled on the tour about what surprised them, what they learned and what they'll remember from cider country in France.

Mentions in This Cider Chat

Totally Cider Tours

Bent Ladder Estate Ciders & Wine | Episode 392

Giard | 13 Generations Making Cider, FR | Episode 177

France Blossom Time Tour 2027 Interested in joining the next Totally Cider Tour to France? Email [email protected]

Timestamps

Note: Cider Chat uses dynamic ad insertion. Depending on the ads served, actual playback times may vary slightly from the timestamps below.

00:00 Lost After Dark in Normandy

01:16 Finding the Trail Back

03:02 Welcome to Cider Chat

04:07 Reconnaissance in Étretat

08:25 La Mer à Boire with Jean-François Bougeant

10:05 An Unexpected Normandy Dinner

10:50 The Totally Cider Tour Begins

12:46 Meeting Jacques Perritaz

14:06 Learning to Work with Tannins

14:52 Drought, Deep Soil and Healthy Trees

16:04 Tasting Time with Eric Bordelet

18:43 Argelette Across the Years

23:27 Cormé and Transformation in the Bottle

25:48 Ted's France Tour Reflections

33:16 The Magic of Low-ABV Cider and Poiré

33:43 Carla and Galen's Tour Reflections

34:46 What the Calvados Cellar Teaches You

37:03 Learning from the Distillers

38:53 Discovering the Range of Calvados

40:28 Joyce and Andy's Tour Reflections

42:21 Discovering Poiré and French Towns

44:41 Discovering Pommeau and Calvados

46:58 Martin on Aged Perry and Access

54:57 France Tour Wrap and Blossom Time 2027

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🌐 Episode show notes: https://ciderchat.com/podcast/516-totally-cider-tour-france/

📰 eCiderNews: https://ciderchat.com/ecidernews

Support Cider Chat

If you enjoy independent cider journalism and conversations with cider makers from around the world, consider supporting Cider Chat.

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What happens when a cider region has the apples, but not centuries of rules telling cidermakers what cider is supposed to be?

Recorded at CiderCon 2026 in Providence, Rhode Island, this World of Cider session brings together three Latvian cider makers and Asnāte Ziemele of Baltic Cider.

The Baltics have a long apple-growing heritage, but their modern cider movement is remarkably young. That gives today's makers room to experiment with local heirloom apples, wild seedlings, European cider varieties, pét-nat, still cider, wild fermentation and more as they develop their own Baltic cider identity.

In This Cider Chat Why Baltic cider is something of a blank slate Northern climate, orchards and local apple varieties Wild seedlings, crab apples and European cider varieties Pét-nat, still cider and wild fermentation Building consumer understanding of real cider Organic orchard practices and wildlife pressure Cider regulations, ABV and taxes Food pairings and where to find Baltic cider Building a Baltic cider identity without fixed traditions Featured Panel

Asnāte Ziemele | Baltic Cider

Jānis Matvejs | Abuls Cidery

Mārtiņš Knipšis | Pienjāņi Cidery

Māris Plūme | Mr. Plūme Cidery

Timestamps

00:00 Baltic Cider Blank Slate

01:16 Host Intro and Cider Tours

03:17 Why the Baltics Now

04:05 Meet the Baltic Cider Association

04:52 Origins After 1991

05:57 Climate and Growing Conditions

08:17 Orchards and Apple Types

10:22 Styles and Ingredients

11:39 Challenges and Marketing

12:07 Abuls Cidery Story

14:36 Abuls Orchard and Pét-Nat

16:30 Pienjāņi Orchard Journey

19:47 Conservative Dry Cider Approach

21:51 Mr. Plūme Philosophy

26:17 Wild Fermentation Method

28:01 Audience Q&A and Sweet Cider

28:45 Real Cider Education

29:59 Selling Sweet and Natural Cider

30:16 Restaurants Build Awareness

31:09 Organic Orchard Practices

33:03 Wild Apples and Bitters

33:46 ABV Limits and Taxes

35:37 Building a Baltic Cider Identity

36:49 Apples in Latvian Life

38:54 Food Pairings with Cider

40:01 Where to Drink Baltic Cider

41:17 Market Niches and Bottles

43:11 Baltic Cider Association Communication

44:28 Regulations and Labeling

47:20 Fences and Wildlife Pressure

47:57 Grafting and Tree Sourcing

48:58 Closing Thanks and Signoff

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🍎 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cider-chat/id1054230417

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▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CiderChat

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eCiderNews: https://ciderchat.com/ecidernews/

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Lees are more than sediment at the bottom of a tank. Recorded at CiderCon 2026 in Providence, Rhode Island, cidermaker and fermentation consultant Ryan Monkman explores how cidermakers can put lees to work throughout fermentation, élevage, and bottling.

Ryan digs into fine and gross lees, cracking lees, bâtonnage, autolysis, oxygen management, fault correction, bottle conditioning, and practical ways to decide which lees to keep and which to let go.

Timestamps

00:00 Cider Is Sensory

02:25 News From Ciderville

04:29 Back To CiderCon

05:29 Fine, Gross And Cracked Lees

07:58 Passive To Active Uses

09:29 Harvesting And Storing Lees

13:16 Cracking Lees

18:53 Why Crack Fresh Lees

21:46 Using Lees In Fermentation

26:15 Bâtonnage And Élevage

28:30 Using Lees To Correct Faults

31:10 Bottling, Canning And Kegging

35:22 Dosing Lees For Ancestral Cider

36:41 Traditional Method And Sur Lie

38:07 What To Watch For With Lees

39:55 Bâtonnage Timing And Technique

41:55 Bâtonnage And Oxygen

43:25 Cracked Lees And Autolysis

44:26 Building Three Cider Styles

47:03 Élevage Strategies

48:17 Bottling The Three Ciders

49:35 Lees, Yeast And Terroir

50:54 Ryan Monkman Wrap Up

Mentions in This Cider Chat

• eCiderNews
  • Cider led the August Beer Purchasers Index for the first time, coming in ahead of imports.
  • Michigan's important fall cider season
  • An update to the remembrance of cider author and advocate Ben Watson, with additional reflections from his longtime friend Annie Card.
  • Subscribe to eCiderNews for the latest cider news and analysis.
• Totally Cider Tours | France
  • Ria is heading back to France with Totally Cider Tours for an autumn journey through French cider country, with more stories from the orchards and cideries coming to Cider Chat.
• CiderFeast Brooklyn
  • CiderFeast returns to Brooklyn on October 3, bringing cider makers and cider fans together in New York City.

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🎧 Spotify: Spotify

▶️ YouTube: YouTube

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🌐 Episode show notes: https://ciderchat.com/podcast/514-doing-more-with-lees/

📰 eCiderNews: eCiderNews

Support Cider Chat

If you enjoy independent cider journalism and conversations with cider makers from around the world, consider supporting Cider Chat.

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📱 Instagram: @ciderchatciderville

What happens when a cidermaker decides to do less and give cider more time?

Spencer Morris of Sowams Cider Works in Warren, Rhode Island, makes cider with more than 70 apple varieties, old mechanical rack-and-cloth presses, glass demijohns and a remarkably hands-off approach.

Explore still cider, single-varietal apples, long aging on the lees, native fermentation, and why some Sowams ciders aren't released until they are three or four years old.

Timestamps *]:pointer-events-auto R6Vx5W_threadScrollVars scroll-mb-[calc(var(--scroll-root-safe-area-inset-bottom,0px)+var(--thread-response-height))] scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" data-turn-id="f4dc7e49-9de6-4914-ad45-cd7bb6b521f7" data-turn-id-container="f4dc7e49-9de6-4914-ad45-cd7bb6b521f7" data-testid="conversation-turn-10" data-turn="assistant">

00:00 Doing Less and Giving Cider Time

00:25 Meet the Guest

01:59 Single Varietal Cider

05:25 News from Ciderville

08:24 Fall Cider Festivals

10:29 Arriving in Rhode Island

12:55 Inside Sowams Cider Works

14:38 Spencer's Cider Story

18:38 Orchard and Rootstocks

22:37 Harvest Timing

24:55 Fermenting in Demijohns

31:59 No Sulfites, No Filtration

35:15 Aging Cider and Favorite Apples

37:07 Storing Apples Before Pressing

37:49 Concentrating the Fruit

38:30 Culling Apples and Sediment

40:53 Hands-Off Fermentation

42:07 Customers and the American Palate

46:15 Rhode Island Heritage Apples

48:53 Tasting the Orchard Blend

51:44 Serving Cider and Batch Numbers

55:03 Blending Apples at the Press

58:04 Tasting Rhode Island Greening

01:01:13 Weather and Vintage Variation

01:02:17 Visit Sowams and Final Thoughts

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🌐 Episode show notes: https://ciderchat.com/podcast/513-sowams-cider/

📰 eCiderNews: https://ciderchat.com/ecidernews

Support Cider Chat

If you enjoy independent cider journalism and conversations with cider makers from around the world, consider supporting Cider Chat.

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Cider Chat MC Ria Windcaller reads her August eCiderNews editorial, Plant the Damn Apple Tree, reflecting on entrepreneurship, uncertainty, abundance, and what an apple tree might teach us about the time in between.

FROM THE EDITOR'S DESK: SUMMER 2026 NEWS CYCLE REFLECTIONS

Cideries close. People in our community are passing. The weather is never dull.

And somewhere in all of that is a question:

Knowing how uncertain the outcome is, would you choose otherwise?

READ THE ORIGINAL eCIDERNEWS EDITORIAL

Plant the Damn Apple Tree https://ciderchat.com/plant-the-damn-apple-tree/

EPISODE 512 TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Editorial Welcome 01:08 Maybe and the News 02:16 Why We Keep Trying 02:43 Cidery Closures Context 03:56 My Entrepreneur Ledger 05:45 Choosing Abundance 07:01 Plant the Apple Tree 07:52 Time and My Mom 08:48 Deal and Sign Off 09:50 Ciderville Outro Chant

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Support Cider Chat

If you enjoy independent cider journalism and conversations with cider makers from around the world, consider supporting Cider Chat.

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📬 Story tips: [email protected]📱 Instagram: @ciderchatciderville

Hungary may not have a centuries-old cider tradition like England or France, but that is exactly what makes its modern cider movement so exciting.

In this episode, Cider MC Ria Windcaller travels to Budapest to meet András Kovács and Marcell Lukatsi, founders of Bright Cider, who are helping shape what Hungarian cider can become. From traditional method sparkling cider and heirloom apple varieties to the newly formed Hungarian Cider Association and the country's first-ever Cider Salon, discover how a new generation of makers is defining a distinctly Hungarian cider identity.

Along the way, you'll hear how two friends turned a shared love of cider discovered on ski trips into one of Hungary's most innovative cideries, why forgotten local apple varieties matter, and how cider can open the door to unexpected discoveries in art, history, and culture.

Timestamps

00:00 Hungary Cider Surprise

01:14 Show Intro and Guests

02:40 Ciderville News Roundup

04:48 French Cider Tour Preview

06:48 Tea Room Interview Setup

10:27 Bright Cider Origin Story

12:14 Naming Bright Cider

13:52 Founders' Backgrounds

19:29 Pandemic Launch and Team

20:31 Traditional Method Focus

22:07 Hungary's Heirloom Apples

26:17 Rosie and Product Lineup

29:24 Vranja Quince Blend

29:58 Cider Lineup Overview

30:43 Ice Cider Cryo Method

31:30 Yeast Choices Explained

32:47 Stainless Steel and Eco Focus

35:50 Events and Finding Bright Cider

37:45 Hungarian Cider Association

39:10 Defining Cider in EU Law

43:03 Apples, Pears and Orchards

47:13 Future Plans in Etyek

50:48 Travel Reflections and Signoff

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🌐 Episode show notes: https://ciderchat.com/podcast/511-hungarian-cider-comes-of-age/ 📰 eCiderNews: https://ciderchat.com/ecidernews

Support Cider Chat

If you enjoy independent cider journalism and conversations with cider makers from around the world, consider supporting Cider Chat.

🍎 Become a Patron or Commercial Partner: https://www.patreon.com/c/ciderchat

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📬 Story tips: [email protected] 📱 Instagram: @ciderchatciderville

Most cider makers dream of expanding their barrel program. Jason Lummen did the opposite.

In Episode 510, Ria Windcaller visits The People's Cider Company in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where Jason explains why he shifted from barrel-aged ciders to dry, sessionable ciders that keep people coming back for another round. Along the way, they discuss local apples, pub culture, changing American tastes, and what it means to build a cidery around community rather than complexity.

Time Stamps

• 00:00 Craft Palate Lightens
• 01:04 Meet Jason Lummen
• 02:06 Welcome to Cider Chat
• 04:02 GLINTCAP Reunion Story
• 06:43 Ciderville News Roundup
• 10:09 Totally Cider Tours
• 11:27 Sessionable Success Shift
• 12:21 Cheers with Pommeau
• 12:45 Fruit Ridge Apple Sourcing
• 15:13 Old Orchards vs. Trellis Systems
• 18:29 Cider Maker Origin Story
• 23:44 The Pressing "Aha!" Moment
• 25:49 Tiny Pub, Big Vibe
• 30:10 House Yeast and Wild Ferments
• 31:04 The Flavored Cider Debate
• 32:14 A No-Sulfites Philosophy
• 33:19 The Shift to Sessionable Cider
• 33:38 Brick Street Nightclub
• 35:32 Rethinking the Barrel Program
• 36:57 Why American Palates Are Changing
• 39:02 A Toast with Pommeau
• 39:45 The People's Cider Company Origins
• 42:24 The Raised Fist Logo
• 46:16 Winning Over New Cider Drinkers
• 50:44 COVID and the Patio Lifeline
• 52:28 Life as a Publican
• 53:28 The Best Part of the Job
• 56:37 Contact Info for The People's Cider Company
• 57:23 Closing Reflections

🍎 Find the full show notes for Episode 510 at CiderChat.com

Direct Link: https://ciderchat.com/podcast/510-the-peoples-cider-company/

🎙️ Listen wherever you get your podcasts and don't forget to subscribe so you never miss what's coming next in Ciderville.

▶️ Prefer to watch? Find Cider Chat on YouTube for more cider stories, orchard adventures, and global cider culture.

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Become a patron at: https://patreon.com/ciderchat

Episode 509 takes us to the heart of Latvia to meet Dace and Māris Plūme, the husband-and-wife team behind Mr. Plūme, an award-winning orchard cidery known for both still and naturally sparkling ciders.

Their journey began with a chance taste of homemade cider that inspired Māris to train in Normandy and Austria before returning home to help shape Latvia's growing fine cider movement. Along the way, they explain why still cider deserves a place alongside sparkling cider, how heirloom apples define their work, the role of wild fermentation, and why patience is one of a cider maker's greatest tools.

Ria also shares the latest News from Out and About Ciderville, including updates on CiderCon 2027, eCiderNews, GLINTCAP, orchards around the world, and this fall's French Cider Tour.

Ciders tasted: • Semi-Sweet Still Cider • Pearadise Pet-Nat

Timestamps

Timestamps

- 00:00 – Still Cider Origins - 00:23 – Welcome to Cider Chat - 02:31 – Ciderville News Update - 05:42 – Orchards Around the World - 08:48 – Fires and Normandy - 10:54 – Meet Mr. Plūme - 11:55 – Latvia and Location - 13:17 – Māris' Cider Journey - 15:34 – Latvian Traditions - 17:24 – Heirloom Apple Abundance - 19:29 – Orchard and Grafting - 22:20 – Learning the Craft - 25:52 – Life as a Married Cidermaking Team - 28:01 – A Microcidery Philosophy - 29:35 – Tours and Education - 30:59 – Bottle Sizes and Sales - 31:52 – Small Bottles and Hops - 32:44 – Wild Fermentation - 33:27 – The Story Behind Their Still Cider - 34:44 – Reading Latvian Labels - 35:35 – A Latvian Toast - 35:52 – Tasting the Still Cider - 36:58 – Why Still Cider Matters - 39:33 – Awards and Philosophy - 41:44 – Yeast and Apple Blends - 43:20 – The Baltic Cider Scene - 47:35 – Stopping Fermentation Naturally - 48:56 – Aging and Storage Challenges - 52:23 – Pouring Pearadise Pet-Nat - 54:40 – Flavor Notes and No Sulfites - 59:11 – Where to Find Mr. Plūme - 1:00:40 – Thanks and Sign Off - 1:02:42 – Closing Outro: We Like Cider Round

The announcement that CiderCon 2027 will be co-located with the Craft Brewers Conference sparked one of the most active online discussions the cider community has seen in years.

In this episode of Cider Chat, ACA Board President Christine Walter joins host Ria Windcaller to discuss why the decision was made, the financial realities facing CiderCon, how the conference will operate alongside the Craft Brewers Conference, and what it means for the future of the American Cider Association.

The conversation also explores cider's identity, the role of orchard-based producers and commercial brands, the ACA's current leadership structure, and whether this partnership is intended to become a long-term model.

Whether you're planning to attend CiderCon 2027 or simply want to better understand the thinking behind one of the cider industry's biggest announcements, this episode offers an in-depth conversation on where things stand today.

Time Stamps

00:00 Why CiderCon Is Co-Locating

00:15 Meet Your Host

01:31 CiderCon 2027 Shakes Up Ciderville

03:29 News Out and About Ciderville

04:51 French Cider Tour Update

08:48 Setting Up the Conversation

10:46 The Future of the American Cider Association

12:41 Why the ACA Chose This Partnership

16:25 Survey Results and Other Options

21:25 Protecting Cider's Identity

21:47 How Co-Location Will Work

28:30 Why Now? Lessons From Providence

32:37 Concerns About Beer Culture

34:46 Safety, Inclusion, and Progress

38:15 Headlines, Keynotes, and Programming

40:36 What Cider Can Learn From Beer

43:42 Big Cider, Small Cider

47:43 Messaging, Tours, and Community

51:46 Leadership and Financial Challenges

56:22 National Conference or Regional Future?

1:01:12 A One-Year Experiment?

1:03:56 An Invitation to Show Up

1:07:08 Host Reflection

1:09:21 Until Next Time in Ciderville

🍎 Find the full show notes for Episode 508 at CiderChat.com

Direct Link: https://ciderchat.com/podcast/aca-cidercon-2027-questions/

🎙️ Listen wherever you get your podcasts and don't forget to subscribe so you never miss what's coming next in Ciderville.

▶️ Prefer to watch? Find Cider Chat on YouTube for more cider stories, orchard adventures, and global cider culture.

💛 Enjoy cider? Help keep #ciderGoingUP. Your support helps keep Cider Chat on the air and makes it possible to share more conversations like this one.

Become a patron at: https://patreon.com/ciderchat