Cider Voice

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 @rossciderAdam cons (not in that way) @Cider_Review and @adamhwellsJustin is still on a bus home from Cirencester @justinwells1346

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
Contribute to Our Pomona

With Albert back in the fold and Justin finally having picked his ciders up from his friend's house we journey back in time into cider's murky past via a fantastic conversation with Elizabeth Pimblett of the Cider Museum – no, Museum of Cider!
We learn about cider in the Civil War, Bulmers Pomagne, the hidden history of women in cider, riots and crystal glassware, and along the way dig into archery on football pitches, apples named after people and why Albert thinks the old Pomonas are useless.
Contribute to Our Pomona
Albert makes cider @rossciderAdam writes about it mostly @cider_reviewJustin leaves it at other peoples' hosues @justinwellsjustin

What are the ciders that have shaped the way you look at the drink, and possibly changed your life?
In this episode, Albert hands the pod keys to Justin and Adam, who sit down to answer this very question.
In the process they discuss their seminal ciders and perries, with only a moderate number of seismic conversational segues to discuss mid-20th century Japanese cinema, what you’d top up a Raison d’Être bottle with and how a paucity of sand is actually dooming us all.
Get in touch on Twitter, Instagram or email us at albert@cidervoice.com
Albert is king of the sandcastle @rossciderAdam plays in the @cider_review sandpitJustin has his head in the sand @justinwellsjustin
Ciders today by:Killahora OrchardsButford OrganicsChalkdownLittle PomonaEve’sDownsideHalfpenny GreenEdenRoss-on-Wye
and… erm… Waterford Whisky

Today we take another massive step on our ‘cider with food’ adventure as we jet off (not literally, guttingly) to the Basque Country for a chat with Haritz Rodriguez, the cider artist best known as @Ciderzale.
With a mere several segues for conversations about scurvy, neolithic wheat harvesting and the proper looms for making 16th century sails, we learn about one of the world’s greatest cider cultures as well as the legendary ‘txotx’ celebration that runs from January to April in the Basque Country and where food and cider pairing scales its Olympus.
Basically, if you’re hungry, don’t listen.
Albert captains the ship @rosscider
Adam charts a course @cider_review
Justin’s timbers shiver @justinwellsjustin
Ciders to day served by @smithhayneorchards @thecatintheglass @musker.eus #Leduc-Piedimonte
 

In our mini episode for this week, Justin gets back at Adam for being muscled out of the last episode, to sit down with Albert as they two talk about group cider tastings. Justin has been planning a tasting to host with his friends, and we talk about why that's a good idea and how you think about formatting your tasting! Find out Albert's one simple trick to always have an amazing time in a cider tasting.
Albert makes cider @RossCider
Adam writes cider @Cider_Review
Justin is gonna get his mates into cider @JustinWells1346
Get in touch via Twitter or instagram
Or email us - albert@cidervoice.com
 

*Albert won’t be talking about bittersweets*
In this new episode you get a break from food content, because the UK’s number one aspirational cider convention – Craftcon – is steaming towards us on April 5th and 6th and Albert and Adam can’t wait.
To tell you all about this brilliant event and why you should buy a ticket whether maker, advocate, seller or drinker, we sit down digitally with Lydia and Tom of Artistraw – two of Herefordshire’s most exciting cidermakers and long term stalwarts of Craftcon.
We talk about the upcoming convention, including nonexistent seminars from Albert, Adam’s non-nonexistent keynote speech on perry and the host of cider and perry talks and tastings on offer. And we get into Tom and Lydia’s journey as aspirational cidermakers themselves.
Albert crafts at @rossciderAdam tries not to con at @cider_reviewJustin was busy @justinwells1346Tom and Lydia make @artistrawcider
Get your tickets for Craftcon right here this instant: https://craftcon.co.uk

For your slice of pod today we continue our season’s cider and food theme. This time we’ve got baking in our sights as we sit down with an old friend of Adam’s, who just happens to own and run one of the most wonderful bakeries in London – Laura Almond of Beaten By a Whisker
We talk about how BBAW went from a roadside honesty box to its beautiful new home in Walthamstow, chatting plant-based-baking, interior design and whether sourdough is actually wild fermented cider along the way.
Then it’s challenge time as Laura comes up with two sensational bakes featuring perry from Artistraw and Ice Cider from Burrow Hill, before Albert and Justin present their own showstoppers. Will Brown Snout Pancake Squolch be enough to topple Laura? Only one way to find out.
Albert kneads the dough @rossciderAdam pipes words onto @cider_reviewJustin has been left to cool @JustinWells1346

Albert and Adam, ably assisted by stand-in producer Norman, catch up about their recent trip to Portland, Oregon, to fulfil a long-held dream of attending CiderCon and speaking on a panel. What did they learn, what did they taste, what were their highlights and can Norman resist thrashing the tug of war toy about for 15 minutes? Only one way to find out.
Albert makes cider @RossCider
Adam writes about it mainly @Cider_Review
Get in touch via Twitter or instagram
Or email us - albert@cidervoice.com