Point of Origin Episode 8

Cider Coast to Coast

Cider in the United States is having an explosive moment. Bolstered by a new generation of growers in California and New York, plus a thirsty generation of millennial drinkers, it is the fastest growing among all alcoholic beverage categories. In this episode we meet the makers and protagonists of this emergent movement.

Meet Megan Larmer, who is the Director of regional food at the Glynwood Center for regional foods and farming, Robbie Honda, owner and cidermaker at Tanuki Cider, and Jolie Devoto, half of the dedicated duo behind Golden State Cider.

Listen to Episode 8

Available on Apple Podcast, Spotify, & iHeartRadio

What is cider?

Cider is simply the fermented juice of apples. The fermentation and treatment process makes cider effervescent, or fizzy, and much like wine, ciders can range from dry to sweet as levels of tannins vary. Typically ciders contain 4-6% alcohol by volume, which is less than wine and beer.

In colonial America, cider was one of the most commonly drunk beverages, as beer grains were much harder to cultivate than apple orchards. So much so that taxes and wages in rural communities were often paid in cider, and even children were given the beverage in diluted forms.

The Glynwood Center’s cider project has had a profound impact on preserving Hudson Valley’s historic orchards. Working in cross-collaboration with growers, cider makers, chefs and researchers, their work has been essential to building a vibrant cider culture. Meet some of the Valley’s hidden gems:

Fishkill Farms: enjoy a “tree-to-glass” experience at their Treasury Cider Garden, framed by the Catskill Mountains beyond where you can sample ciders from heirloom varieties from the ever popular Honeycrisp and Ginger Gold apples.
Orchard Hill Cider Mill: inspired by the great cider regions across Europe, Orchard Hill’s quality fruit reflects the legacy of heritage grower Soons Orchards, which has been farming apples since 1910. Their pommeau, an aged apple brandy inspired by those that can be found in Normandy France, is particularly notable.
Visit Brooklyn Cider House: Founded in 2014, siblings Peter and Susan Yi quit their jobs to share their cider rapture with the world and dedicate themselves to brewing Basque country inspired ciders. Now they manage a bar and restaurant in Bushwick, a 200-acre farm, and have revitalized a history Hudson Valley orchard where where you can taste cider and enjoy wood-fired meals.
The Glynwood Center for Regional Food and Farming is a non-profit organization serving food and farming changemakers from New York’s Hudson Valley and beyond. As the Director of Regional Food, Megan Larmer’s work focuses on increasing the viability of farming in the Hudson Valley and working to establish a food culture that is closely tied to agriculture.

“To make the best cider, your family tree better be...well...an apple tree.”

— Jolie Devoto, 2nd Generation Apple Farmer

Redfield Cider

Why the Redfield Apple?

A Redfield Apple - https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt — *A Redfield Apple - https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt*

“ Redfield is the name of a stunning apple variety that was born on US soil and was very nearly forgotten. You see, the Redfield apple has a bit of a problem: it doesn’t taste very good to eat, so it was never widely grown. It’s wildly tart and has a sharp, astringent edge to it that will make your mouth pucker. Bury it in sugar and it makes a serviceable pie, but the Redfield apple best expresses itself in a glass, as cider.

We first tasted what the Redfield apple could do thanks to the work of the Maloney family of West County Cider, an industry pioneer in Western Massachusetts that makes a brilliant Redfield-dominant cider. The late Terry Maloney is credited with rediscovering the apple on a walk through the reference orchard at Cornell University, identifying it as a candidate for great cidermaking. West County's Redfield was one of the ciders that set us on the journey of opening our own shop, and the cidery continues to inspire our work and the work of other producers around the country, many of which are planting and using the Redfield apple to build flavor and complexity in their own ciders. "

- www.redfieldcider.com/story