Cider Chat

Charles Martell has spent decades preserving some of England's most remarkable cider and perry traditions — often with a healthy dose of luck along the way. In this episode, Charles joins Cider Chat from Gloucestershire to talk about the story behind Stinking Bishop cheese and its Wallace & Gromit fame, rare and disappearing perry pears such as Dymock Red, his historic distillery, Gloucester cattle, and a lifetime rooted in the orchards and traditions of the region. 00:00 Charles Martell on Quality of Life 00:30 Welcome to Cider Chat 02:05 Out and About in Ciderville 02:57 Filming Chronicle at New Salem's Museum Orchard 07:13 Totally Cider Tours and a France Preview 07:54 Arriving at Hunts Court 08:56 How Charles Became a Farmer 10:16 Saving Rare Perry Pears 13:54 Small Farm, Low Volume, High Value 16:22 Books and Lost Fruit Varieties 21:55 The Curious Names of Perry Pears 23:48 Perry Versus Cider 25:37 Saving Rare Gloucester Cattle 30:12 Discovering the Farm's Distilling History 32:23 A Wood-Fired Copper Still 34:52 The Historic Distilling House 35:50 A Look Around the Courtyard 37:36 Tracing the Distilling House's Origins 38:12 Building the German-Made Still 39:38 The Stories Behind the Spirits' Names 40:30 Tasting Poireau 42:17 Pommeau and Barrel Aging 44:45 May Hill and the Surrounding Landscape 46:53 Stinking Bishop and Wallace and Gromit 49:07 Single and Double Gloucester Cheese 50:58 Cheese Pairings, Rinds, and Bacteria 57:20 Hulla Baloo Blue Cheese 58:36 A Turning Point for Perry 59:57 Growing Perry Pear Trees 01:02:59 Where to Buy and How to Visit 01:04:10 Final Reflections and Farewell 🍎 Get the full story, photos, links and more in the Episode 519 show notes at CiderChat.com. Listen & Subscribe 🍎 Apple Podcasts 🎧 Spotify ▶️ YouTube Learn More 🌐 Episode show notes: Charles Martell's Stinking Bishop, Lost Pears and Pure Luck 📰 eCiderNews: https://ciderchat.com/ecidernews/ Support Cider Chat 🍎 Become a Cider Chat Patron: https://www.patreon.com/ciderchat Stay Connected 🌐 https://ciderchat.com 📸 Instagram: @ciderchatciderville 📘 Facebook: Cider Chat

"I've never been on holiday in my life. I work 365 days a year. I enjoy what I do." — Denis Gwatkin A few friends, some old cider-making equipment, and enough cider to share before heading to the pub. That was the plan. Then a stranger stopped at the farm gate, and Denis Gwatkin's homemade perry took an unexpected journey. In Herefordshire's Golden Valley, Cider Chat host Ria Windcaller sits down with Denis at Gwatkin Cider Mill's Red Cow restaurant. What began as making cider for friends has grown into a destination for farmhouse cider, perry, food, camping, and music festivals. Denis shares how it all came together and takes the long view on changing tastes. Strawberry cider helps pay the bills, but what happens to traditional bittersweet orchards when the market wants something different? Through it all runs a deep attachment to the farm and a clear enjoyment of the life he has built. In This Cider Chat The chance encounter with CAMRA's John Hallam that brought Denis's perry to a wider audience. How customer requests helped turn a cider shop into a destination. Changing tastes, fruit cider, and the future of bittersweet apple orchards. Natural fermentation, oak barrels, and stainless steel. How bag-in-box packaging and flash pasteurization changed the business. Selling cider face to face at agricultural shows and food festivals. Lessons from Denis's uncle, Brian Browning, on fruit and perry making. Finding satisfaction in a life where farming, cider, and home are intertwined. Ciders and Perry Discussed Kingston Black, Foxwhelp, Yarlington Mill, Norman, Stoke Red, Silly Ewe, No Bull, and Squeal Pig perry. Denis also discusses strawberry cider and recalls that his early award-winning perry was probably made from Moorcroft pears. Out and About in Ciderville CiderFeast Boston: November 14, 2026, at the South Boston Lithuanian Citizens' Association. Ria will be attending and recording conversations. Going too? Connect on Instagram @ciderchatciderville. Cider gains another competition platform as the Argentina Spirits Awards adds cider alongside mead and kombucha. A preview of the French Blossom Time Totally Cider Tour planned for late April 2027, visiting Paris, Normandy, and Brittany, including a hike at Étretat. A potential UK Totally Cider Tour in August 2027, with dinner at Gwatkin Cider Mill on the itinerary wish list. To join the interest list for either tour, email [email protected]. Contact Info for Gwatkin Cider Website: Gwatkin Cider Restaurant and camping: Gwatkin Red Cow Location: Moorhampton Park Farm, Abbey Dore, Herefordshire, HR2 0AL, England Telephone: +44 (0)1981 551906 Down on the Farm Festival Golden Valley Vintage & Country Fair Time Stamps 00:00 Cider as a Way of Life 00:23 Introducing Denis Gwatkin 01:15 Out and About in Ciderville 03:17 Cider Community and 2027 Tours 06:32 At Gwatkin Cider Mill with Denis 07:45 Farm Roots and Cider History 10:28 An Accidental Start and Award-Winning Perry 16:12 From Cider Shop to Destination 18:07 Festivals, Camping, and Farm Life 21:47 Changing Tastes and Fruit Cider 27:21 What Changing Tastes Mean for Orchards 29:15 Staying True to Traditional Cider 30:23 Natural Fermentation 32:34 Cider-Making Equipment 34:14 The Bag-in-Box Breakthrough 36:38 Selling Cider at Shows 37:55 Lessons from a Life in Cider 41:38 Exploring the Gwatkin Cider Range 42:33 A Passion for Perry 47:04 Orchards and Sourcing Fruit 48:17 Visiting Gwatkin and Final Thoughts 50:16 "Strange Apples" Outro Song Listen & Subscribe 🍎 Apple Podcasts🎧 Spotify▶️ YouTube   Learn More 🌐 Episode show notes: https://ciderchat.com/podcast/518-denis-gwatkin-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. 🍎 Become a Patron or Commercial Partner: https://www.patreon.com/c/ciderchat   Stay Connected 📬 Story tips: [email protected]📱 Instagram: @ciderchatciderville

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 Listen & Subscribe 🍎 Apple Podcasts🎧 Spotify▶️ YouTube Learn More 🌐 Episode show notes: https://ciderchat.com/podcast/517-what-made-ace-cider-brand-worth-40-million/ 📰 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 Stay Connected 📬 Story tips: [email protected]📱 Instagram: @ciderchatciderville

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 Listen & Subscribe 🍎 Apple Podcasts 🎧 Spotify ▶️ YouTube Learn More 🌐 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. 🍎 Become a Patron or Commercial Partner: https://www.patreon.com/c/ciderchat Stay Connected 📬 Story tips: [email protected] 📱 Instagram: @ciderchatciderville

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 Listen & Subscribe 🍎 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cider-chat/id1054230417 🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/25z9PBrbF5ERsv8X0SDWIV ▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CiderChat Learn More Cider Chat: https://ciderchat.com/ eCiderNews: https://ciderchat.com/ecidernews/ Support Cider Chat Support independent cider media and become a CiderGoingUP patron: https://ciderchat.com/cider-going-up/ Stay Connected Cider Chat: https://ciderchat.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ciderchat/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ciderchat Send story tips: [email protected]