Cider Voice

In the latest instalment of 'Seminal Ciders' Adam catches up with someone who's been writing about cider even longer than he has – Natalia of @ciderexplorer.

Based in Germany, Natalia's been covering the continental cider scene since 2017, shining a light on central European cider cultures as well as countries whose cider doesn't always get a spotlight.

We talk about the cider that got her started, the current state of German cider, the magical event that is @CiderWorld, the first cider she ever gave full marks, the bottle that persuaded her perry could be good and more!

Featuring ciders from Poland, Germany, Austria, France and Croatia: @cydr_ignacow @gutshof_kraatz @blakstoc @Jerome.forget61 @kertelreiter_cider @buzdovan_craft_cider

Albert explores apples @rosscider

Albert and Adam sit down to chat with Gabe Cook aka The Ciderologist on everything from his origins in the cider world, to the state of bittersweet cider, to education in cider and perry and the way forward. Part trip down memory lane and part assessment of the current British cider scene.

Join Gabe's substack: https://theciderologist.substack.com/

Sign up for the Certified Cider Professional Programme here: https://www.theciderologist.com/pages/certified-cider-professional-programme

BBC Natural World: Wye, Voices from the Valley (2007).

Albert grows weird apples at @rosscider

Albert’s away again so it all goes off the rails – Adam’s distracted by how good a cider is and Justin’s gone for a sauna.

But then we rein it back in and chat about Justin’s first experience leading a cider and perry tasting – ‘an introduction to Herefordshire.’

We talk what he served, what he learned, preferences and preconceptions and and Gin Pear/Cookie Dough Affogato.

Planning a tasting with some of your own friends? This is the episode for you.

Albert toils @rosscider

For the third instalment of our 'this is your life, but in cider' series, Adam finally stops just talking to co-hosts and sits down with drinks writer Rachel Hendry (@ratchellle), who is definitely appearing in a full-length cider voice episode for the first time.

With absolutely no technical hitches whatsoever we cover accidentally becoming an award-winning beer writer, the relationships between pub regulars and the staff who work in those pubs, ciders so good they make you scream and the trials and tribulations of fact retention.

Have a listen and discover Rachel's five all-time most important picks, from the perry that 'did it' to the 'most fun drink ever'.

Albert makes cider @rosscider

In the second part of our series on the drinks that shaped our journey in cider, it’s Albert’s turn to reveal the bottles that have most impacted him.

Shockingly, three of them are Ross-on-Wye – though Albert didn't actually press the apples in any of them, though he helped bottle and shape the latter two. Even more shockingly however, two of the ciders aren’t Ross-on-Wye's at all!

In this episode we learn the bottle ‘that did it’ for Albert and the two Ross-on-Wyes that shaped his cider making trajectory. Plus the British cidery that’s most impacted him and a recent cider that inspired him to keep learning and evolving.

A lovely conversation with one of aspirational cider’s modern greats (Adam’s words, not Albert’s!)

Ciders by @rosscider @littlepomona and @haykinfamilycider

Albert makes cider @rosscider

In our new episode we finally sit down and get properly technical (ish) thanks to Laurence Cocking, former winemaker now cidermaker extraordinaire at @littlepomona.

In other news, we get an earth-shattering four emails from listeners – and it turns out we’ve had one of them since February. Justin and Adam refuse to skip the banal bit. Laurence brings traditional method know how, ably supported by Justin’s advice on ‘blasting the dead yeast cells out’. And Albert wants to know just how damn big champagne bubbles are.

In an epic instance of poor co-ordination Justin and Adam both taste ciders from @bluebarrelcider, with Laurence and Albert staying on brand.

Albert methods traditionally @rosscider

This time, Justin, Adam and Albert go on a walk through the complex world of bittersweet (and bittersharp) cider. Armed with questions, praise and a few fairly satisfactory answers, our earnest trio attempt to define dryness, get technical about tannins, try to figure out polyphenols, and ponder the platonic ideal of corner shop snack pairings... with only a mere couple of digressions about punts and cheese.

Ciders from Skyborry Cider & Ross-on-Wye

Albert is bitter @rosscider

Adam is sharp @adamhwells

Justin is sweet @justinwells1346

The team debriefs after a truly epic craftcon. We try to choose favourite moments – from Albert’s grey face to Justin’s journey home to Adam pretending to understand the science of tannins. We celebrate the marvellous positivity, dynamism and curiosity that craftcon instils in the British – and Italian! – cider communities, and we deviate seamlessly into a discussion of ourpomona.org, and the ways we can reach out and connect for the 363 days a year we don’t get to be at craftcon.

Ciders by @tornplant and @tomoliverscider

Albert crafts @rosscider

In this mini-episode Adam runs out of both co-hosts and synonyms for superlatives as he sits down to chat with two of the pod's best friends, Helen Anne Smith and Rachel Hendry of Burum Collective.

We talk through their newly-launched collaboration ciders with Little Pomona: what they are, why they were made, what the process was and how come one of them just wouldn't sparkle?

Along the way we touch on Burum's ongoing work to promote free education and inclusivity in hospitality, the importance of time in cider and the number of days' toil needed to become a proper cidermaker. (We settle on two – Albert's mileage may vary).

Albert is fantastic @rosscider

Adam is fantastic @cider_review

Justin is fantastic @justinwellsjustin

Contribute to Our Pomona

Adam has written a book! It’s called Perry: A Drinker’s Guide (guess what it’s about), and it’s out at the start of May.

So in this episode we’re indulging him by chatting all about it. Why write a book about perry? How did it all come together? What were the challenges and surprises? And who wrote that AMAZING foreword?

Meanwhile Justin is on his own mission for perry. Listen out for crunching sounds next time you pass a hedgerow, that’s all we’ll say!

You can pre-order a copy of the book here: https://shop1.camra.org.uk/product/perry-a-drinkers-guide/

Book a ticket to the launch event at Ross-on-Wye’s The Yew Tree here: https://shop.rosscider.com/product/perry-a-drinker-s-guide-by-adam-wells-launch-party-perry-tasting-friday-3rd-may-at-7pm/816

Other launch events include:

Big Apple, Much Marcle, 11:30am 5th May

CAMRA Launch event, London, week commencing 13th May (date TBC)

Station House, Durham, 22nd May

Artistraw Cider, Hay on Wye, afternoon 26th May

Castle Tap, Reading, evening 26th May

By The Glass, Cardiff, 11th June

Little Pomona, Bromyard, 6pm 22nd June

Manchester Cider Club, 8th August

London Cider Club, 26th September

Plus look out at all big CAMRA festivals. And we hope to add a few more events soon!

Albert runs the book @rosscider

Adam smudges pages @cider_review

Justin (hawthorn) leafs through @justinwellsjustin

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