Cider Chat

Liberty Ciderworks in Spokane, Washington is an urban cidery focused on traditional methods. While located in the city, their cider reflects deep agricultural roots.

Cider maker and founder Rick Hastings ferments with wild yeast, ages cider for 3 to 12 months, and source fruit from nearby orchards. This approach creates cider with structure, balance, and regional identity.

This interview is with Jamie, who is a certified pommelier, and her husband Ben Pratt who both partnered with Rick in 2019. This interview was recorded at CiderCon in 2026.
00:00 Cider Eyes Open
00:40 Meet Liberty Cider
01:58 Ciderville News Kanga
04:46 Western Mass Cider Stop
07:51 Tour Prep And Pacing
12:53 Spokane Urban Cidery
15:09 Orchards And Sourcing
17:20 How They Joined Liberty
21:54 Tasting Room Third Place
23:29 Cider Series And Flights
29:33 Educating New Drinkers
31:07 American Apples Lineup
32:01 On The Table Golden Russet
32:22 Golden Russet Terroir
33:22 Tasting Notes Compared
35:31 Wild Yeast Unfiltered
38:43 Reserve Versus Core
39:19 Cider Club Shipping
41:59 Future Growth Strategy
44:14 Visit Spokane Taproom
46:38 Events Puzzle Festival
49:21 Barrel Program 55 Chain
52:39 Wrap Up Ciderchat
54:13 Closing Orchard Song
 
Find the full show notes for Episode 496 at CiderChat.com
Direct Link at: https://ciderchat.com/podcast/496-liberty-ciderworks/
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In this archive episode of Cider Chat, we go in a barrel cellar in Prince Edward County, Ontario, with Ryan Monkman of FieldBird Cider and Lee Baker of Keint-He Winery.
Listening to Fermentation
What Is Bâtonnage in Cider?
Find Key Takeaways for Home Cider Makers
Barrel Room Glossary
SO₂ Calculator
00:00 Barrels as Dance Partners
00:29 Episode 495 Replay Setup
01:40 Ryan Monkman Spotlight
04:06 Ciderville News and Cider Salons
06:21 UK Blossom Time Tour Plans
08:18 Entering the Barrel Cave
10:38 Cellar Terroir and Humidity
13:33 Malolactic Fermentation Explained
15:32 Listening to Fermentation
17:51 Comparing Barrels With and Without Malo
21:50 Yeast Trials and Complexity
23:48 Lees Contact and Benefits
26:24 Bâtonnage Tools and Routine
30:47 Bâtonnage Demo in Action
33:49 Hands On Stirring and Smelling
34:17 Stirring The Lees
35:26 Blending For Complexity
36:47 Aging Timeline And Autolysis
38:47 Barrel Faults And Oxygen
41:58 Managing Flor And SO2
44:09 Measuring pH And Sulfur
49:56 Cleaning And Storing Barrels
53:03 Citric Sulfur Storage Method
57:04 Closing Notes And Farewell
Find the full show notes for Episode 495 at CiderChat.com
Direct Link at: https://ciderchat.com/podcast/495-barrel-aged-cider-tips/
Listen to 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 - by supporting Cider Chat.
Your support helps keep the podcast on the air and makes it possible to share more conversations like this one.

In this episode of Cider Chat, we hear from Tom Hart of Humboldt Cider Company, located in Eureka, California along the rugged Pacific coastline behind what locals call the Redwood Curtain. We also discusses preserving the original Albert Etter orchard in Humboldt County and continuing the legacy of these historic cider apples.
00:00 Welcome to Cider Chat
00:38 Wickson Crab and Albert Etter
03:06 News Cider Salons Ahead
05:08 Hungary Salon and Champagne Cellars
09:08 Blossom Time and UK Tour
10:59 Support and Show Notes
12:04 Meet Tom Hart
12:30 Humboldt Cider Origin Story
14:36 Taproom and Local Crowd
16:17 Emerald Triangle Economy Shift
22:08 Apples Supply and Production
25:02 Brand Name and Partnership
26:35 Growth Plans and Cider Board Work
30:44 Juice Tankers and Redwood Roads
33:12 Humboldt Outdoors and Fishing
34:47 Where to Stay in Humboldt
35:02 Farmers Market in Arcata
35:59 Cider Batch Sizes and Varietals
37:02 Meet Albert Etter and Ettersburg
38:44 Etter Apple Legacy Varieties
42:12 Stewarding the Historic Orchard
44:47 Orchard Layout and Perry Pear
46:48 Rare Trees and Homestead Grafting
48:32 DNA Testing and Replanting Plan
58:08 Wildlife Challenges and Wrap-Up
59:54 Show Notes and Support the Podcast
Find the full show notes for this episode at CiderChat.com
Episode 494: https://ciderchat.com/podcast/494-humboldt-cider-albert-etter/
Listen to Episode 494 of Cider Chat® wherever you get your podcasts and don't forget to subscribe so you never miss what's coming next in Ciderville.
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Find Cider Chat on YouTube for more cider stories, orchard adventures, and global cider culture.
💛 If you love what you're hearing, please consider supporting Cider Chat.
Your support helps keep the podcast on the air and makes it possible to share more conversations like this one.

What is Asturian cider?

Asturian cider (sidra natural) is a traditionally fermented apple cider from Asturias, Spain, served through a high pour (escanciado) and shared socially in small servings called culines.

This episode is part of the Cider Chat archive documenting global cider traditions and producers since 2015.

In this epic replay from Season 2 of Cider Chat, Ria Windcaller traveled to Asturias, Spain, and sat down with Anzu Fernández, international delegate for La Sidra magazine and a lifelong ambassador of traditional Asturian cider culture.
 
Find the full show notes for this episode at CiderChat.com
Episode 493: https://ciderchat.com/podcast/493-cider-as-a-sport-sidra-in-asturias/
Listen to Episode 493 of Cider Chat® 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.
💛 If you love what you're hearing, please consider supporting Cider Chat.
Your support helps keep the podcast on the air and makes it possible to share more conversations like this one.
00:00 Cider Is Sport Intro
00:37 Asturias Sidra Legacy
01:34 Rollup To Episode 500
02:49 Season Two World Tour
05:07 Ciderville News And Tours
07:15 Hungarian Cider Salon
09:13 Setting The Asturias Scene
11:12 Meet Anzu And La Sidra
14:05 Doctor By Day Cider By Night
16:24 Home Cider And Espicha
20:04 Tasting Notes And Apples
22:59 Basque Vs Asturian Styles
24:52 Associations And Big Market
26:28 Cider Pouring Competitions
28:46 How To Drink A Culín
29:48 Sharing One Glass
30:15 Cider Pourer Etiquette
31:55 Low ABV Session Drinking
32:24 Wild Fermentation Basics
33:20 Blending Igualación
34:58 Modern Cider Innovations
36:25 Cider Tourism Grows
38:22 Where To Drink Sidra
40:40 Unlabeled Bottles Explained
41:52 Vintage And Market Shifts
43:45 Defining Cider Origins
47:12 Climate And Apple Country
48:49 Tasting The Long Pour
49:56 Tech Talk And Standards
52:54 Closing Reflections

This episode of Cider Chat explores the growing Maine cider scene through Absolem Cider Company in Winthrop, a farm-based cidery helping shape New England's evolving cider identity.

Located on a 60-acre farm in Winthrop, Maine, Absolem Cider Company is a cidery that expresses place, heritage apples, and hospitality.

In this episode, Ria sits down with cider maker Zach Kaiser to explore how Absolem blends traditional inspiration with modern experimentation. From wild-foraged apples and native fermentations to wine-inspired co-ferments and Basque-style pours, Zach shares how Maine's apple history is shaping a new generation of New England cider.
00:00 Intro Cask Cider
00:06 Meet the Guest
01:27 How Cask Service Works
03:08 Why Absolem Uses It
04:07 Episode Roadmap
04:48 Ciderville News MOFGA Workshops
07:19 Listener Shoutout Chalkys Cider
08:29 Featured Chat Begins
09:23 Absolem Farm and Tasting Room
10:31 Where Winthrop Fits in Maine
12:42 Zachs Cider Origin Story
14:24 Founding Absolem Through COVID
16:34 Coferments and Wine Blends
18:13 Wend Wild Apple Cider
22:32 Fermentation Yeast and Malo
24:57 Beer Hybrids and Collabs
25:39 Flagship Ciders to Try
27:18 Sidra Style Foeder Program
28:40 Taproom Vibe and Winter Maine
29:21 Year Round Tasting Room
29:31 Local Bar Vibe
30:41 Lake Town Tourism
31:41 Cider As Experience
32:22 Ice Cider And Mistelle
32:47 Brandy Barrel Aging
34:36 Lodging And Visits
35:14 Signature Events Calendar
35:30 Bembel Fest Details
37:57 Anniversary And Collabs
39:30 Pressing And Production
41:36 Heating And Expansion
42:58 Five Year Vision
44:30 New England Cider Association
50:12 Wrap Up And Links
Find the full show notes for this episode at CiderChat.com
Episode 492: https://ciderchat.com/podcast/492-absolem-cider-company/
Listen to Episode 492 of Cider Chat® 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.
💛 If you love what you're hearing, please consider supporting Cider Chat.
Your support helps keep the podcast on the air and makes it possible to share more conversations like this one.