Cider Chat

Richard Yi of Brooklyn Cider House isn't interested in making cider that appeals to everyone. He's interested in making cider with personality and if you've ever enjoyed hearing a cider maker tell the story behind the glass, you're going to enjoy this conversation.
In this epiosde, you'll hear how a young man who once imagined a future in engineering found his way into the family cider business. Richard shares the influence of his father, Peter Yi, the evolution of Brooklyn Cider House, and why embracing the unpredictability of fermentation has become central to his philosophy.
Along the way, we discuss:
• Growing into a family cider legacy
• The transition from engineering to fermentation
• Why cider doesn't need to taste the same every year
• Orchard expression and vintage variation
• The role of trust in fermentation
• Brooklyn Cider House's approach to craft and authenticity
• Building a cider culture that values difference over uniformity
Whether you're a cider maker, orchardist, or simply someone who enjoys discovering what makes a cider unique, Richard offers thoughtful insights into the balance between tradition, experimentation, and family.
TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Cider With Personality: Richard Yi's Approach to Craft Cider
01:34 Ciderville Standards Update
03:19 French Cider Tour 2026 Preview
04:50 Meet Richard Yi of Brooklyn Cider House
05:44 Family Roots, Wine, and the Path to Cider
07:23 Richard's Food Pairing Philosophy
09:31 Working Inside Brooklyn Cider House
10:43 Succession Planning and Learning the Craft
14:23 Building the New Paltz Farm and Orchard
17:28 Creating a Destination Tasting Room
18:27 Pizza, Barbecue, and Growing Crowds
21:10 Events and Community Building
23:15 Celebrating Korean Culture Through Cider
25:21 Craft Cider Versus Commodity Production
26:05 Native Yeast Fermentation and Cider Making
30:03 Wild Fermentation Versus Cultured Yeast
30:44 Small-Batch Ciders and Limited Releases
31:25 The Story Behind Nomad Cider
33:19 Nomad Cider Tasting Notes
35:24 Apples, Oak, and Barrel Aging
37:37 Sherry Cask-Aged Cider Explained
39:28 Lopez de Heredia and Winemaking Influence
42:15 Dance: A Basque-Inspired Fruit Co-Ferment
43:58 Dance Cider Tasting Notes and Technique
48:31 Innovation, Growth, and Consumer Trends
49:56 The Legacy of Peter Yi
51:17 Tandem Ciders Joins the CiderGoingUP Campaign
53:21 Cider Chat Summer Schedule and What's Next
Mentions in this Cider Chat
Tandem Cider in Michigan joing the #ciderGoingUp campaign
2026 French Cider Tour
Ganzenhof Cider – Belgium
eCiderNews
Find the full show notes for Episode 506 at CiderChat.com
Direct Link at: https://ciderchat.com/podcast/506-richard-yi/
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.
#cidergoingup

There is a question that keeps coming up in cider, small business, and independent media:
Is this sustainable?
In this episode, Ria sits down with Adrian Luna, known as the Hard Cider Guy, for a conversation that goes well beyond cider. What starts as a discussion about content creation quickly turns into something deeper. Two practitioners, each with their own discipline, circling around the same hard truth: if you do not value your work, no one else will.
This is not about rejecting collaboration or generosity. It is about understanding the long-term cost of working for free, and what it takes to build something that lasts.
From orchard life to media strategy, from martial arts philosophy to the realities of burnout, this episode asks what it really means to take your role seriously, whether you are making cider or telling its story.
Timestamps
00:00 Is Cider Work Sustainable
01:28 Episode Theme and What's at Stake
02:12 Orchard Life and Spring Work
03:47 Planting, Grafting, and Growing Trees
07:02 French Cider Tour and Limited Spots
10:22 Meet Adrian Luna The Hard Cider Guy
11:20 The Cider Sensei Mindset
13:42 Finding Cider and Career Shift
15:51 Building the Hard Cider Guy Brand
17:21 From Scholarship to Cider Career
19:13 Too Many Hats Small Business Reality
20:53 Burnout in Cider and Media
24:20 Mission Statement Versus Making Money
26:03 Does Cider Need Independent Media
27:54 Should Creators Be Paid
29:32 Why You Should Not Work for Free
29:59 Martial Arts Discipline and Cider Ethics
30:50 Why Cider Media Needs Support
32:24 Finding Your Lane in Cider
33:16 Education and Audience Building
35:29 Hooks Versus Authentic Content
37:19 Discipline Through Adversity
42:33 Community Responsibility in Cider
48:15 Key Takeaways from the Conversation
49:12 Support Cider Chat and Keep It Going
50:12 Strange Apples Outro
Find the full show notes for Episode 505 at CiderChat.com Direct Link at: https://ciderchat.com/podcast/505-cider-senseis-media-value/
Listen wherever you get your podcasts and do not forget to subscribe so you never miss what is 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.

What happens when breweries start making cider… not because they have to, but because they want to keep drinking beer?
That question kicks off episode 504 featuring Dan Kramer and Ben Anhalt of Element Brewing Company.
"Most breweries probably see cider as a way to let them continue making beer."
That line says a lot. And it opens the door to a bigger conversation.
Breweries adding cider isn't just about diversification.
It's not just about gluten-free taps.
And it's definitely not just about adding another SKU.
Something is shifting.
In this episode, we dig into:
• Why breweries are turning to cider right now
• What changing consumer habits have to do with it
• How cider fits into a beer-first business model
• What this trend means for independent cider makers
At Element, cider isn't an afterthought. It's part of a strategy to stay relevant in a changing market and a window into where craft beverages may be heading next.
Time Stamps
00:00 Why Breweries Are Making Cider 02:01 Season Travels Recap and Road Notes 04:44 Tours, Travel Updates, and France Signup 06:44 Meet Element Brewing Company 07:07 From Brewing to Distilling: The Origin Story 10:43 Barrels, Aging, and Apple Brandy 15:37 Sourcing Cider and Apples for Production 19:23 Why Breweries Are Adding Cider Now 23:53 Branding and the Element Two Concept 25:44 South Deerfield Expansion Plans 29:13 Cider Making Mindset 29:40 Tasting a Dry Botanical Cider 30:36 Yeast Choices and Sweetness Strategy 32:15 Balance First: Building Flavor 33:38 ABV, Structure, and Serving Glassware 34:59 Learning Curve and Cider Books 35:50 Apple Varieties, Terroir, and Flavor 38:33 Experimentation and Small Batch Cider 41:12 Personal Palates and Fridge Favorites 42:40 The Bigger Shift: Breweries Moving to Cider 46:00 Advice: Make Your Cider Stand Out 48:53 Apple Brandy Toast 49:40 Why Independent Cider Media Matters 51:54 Tom Oliver and 500 Episodes 53:00 #CiderGoingUp Campaign 53:45 Final Sign-Off
Find the full show notes for Episode 504 at CiderChat.com
Direct link: https://ciderchat.com/podcast/504-breweries-making-cider-element/
Mentions in this episode: Totally Cider Tour to France
Listen wherever you get your podcasts
Prefer to watch? Find Cider Chat on YouTube
💛 Enjoy cider? Help keep #ciderGoingUP

Episode 503 takes you through England and Wales with audio snapshots from the UK Blossom Time Totally Cider Tour while exploring one big question: What is a proper cider?
Travel orchard roads through Somerset, Herefordshire, Gloucestershire, and Wales as tour guests share reflections on traditional cider, perry pears, wild fermentations, farmhouse hospitality, blossom-covered orchards, and the people keeping cider culture alive. From Ross on Wye and Oliver's Cider and Perry to Gwatkin Cider Mill and beyond, this episode captures the feeling of living inside cider country for a little while.
Time Stamps
00:00 Proper Cider Defined
01:42 Tour Craft and Group Flow
04:07 Season Updates and UK Teasers
07:22 Pouring Quince and Rolling Clips
08:50 Trevor's Tour Takeaways
13:25 George and Marla's Cidery Story
20:18 France vs UK Cider Culture
24:35 Tom's Cider Journey via Spirits
32:28 Richard and Elizabeth's Mountain Cidery
39:36 Tour Gratitude Recap
40:52 UK Apple Diversity Takeaway
41:39 Cider Kindergartner Graduates
44:19 Cheese Box and Stinking Bishop
45:55 Perry Pear Center Passion
46:43 Usk Castle Cider Picnic
47:27 Blossom Tour with Syracuse Duo
49:11 Far Orchard Mystique and Bees
50:22 Cask Cider Hospitality
53:03 Gwatkins Bag in Box Secrets
55:21 Why Guided Tours Work
59:16 Last Minute Traveler Gene
01:01:08 Farmhouse Cider and Beer Overlap
01:06:33 Proper Cider at Wilkins
01:10:24 Signing Off and Theme Song
Find the full show notes for Episode 503 at CiderChat.com
Direct Link: https://ciderchat.com/podcast/503-uk-blossom-time-proper-cider/
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 by supporting Cider Chat.
Your support helps keep the podcast on the air and makes it possible to share more conversations like this one.

Travel with Cider Chat to Hungary for audio snapshots from the country's first Cider Salon, featuring makers from across Central and Eastern Europe, orchard visits, and a look at why Hungarian cider is a region to watch.
00:00 Budapest Travel Update
02:24 Cider Salon Plans
04:13 Litke Champagne Caves
06:34 Hungary Surprises and Lessons
09:44 Meet Andrew at St Matthias
11:35 Election Energy at Castle
16:13 Turul Bird and Innovation
18:53 Hungarian Cider Roots
22:23 Salon Maker Zuhatag
26:57 Asturian Sidra Reunion
30:06 Cidery Near Ukraine
31:27 Tom Oliver in Pécs
31:44 Why Hungary Matters
34:15 Cider Salon Worldwide
35:20 Natural Wines at Balaton
36:02 First Palinka Tasting
37:19 Teachers Cider Table
38:13 Czech Cidérka Spotlight
40:24 Dark Cider Origins
43:24 Bosnia Bohorina Ciders
45:43 Serbian Cider Shop
47:52 Cider Has No Borders
48:51 Orchard Visit and Paprika
50:36 Quince and Wild Ferments
52:47 Next Hungary Salon and UK Tour
54:12 Strange Apples Outro Song
Find the full show notes for Episode 502 at CiderChat.com Direct Link: https://ciderchat.com/podcast/502-hungary-uncorked/
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 by supporting Cider Chat. Your support helps keep the podcast on the air and makes it possible to share more conversations like this one.