In this episode meet Eli Shanks, a passionate cider maker sharing his journey from urban Massachusetts to the picturesque landscapes of Chile, where he co-founded Punta de Fierro Cider. Eli developed an early interest in food systems and agriculture with influences from attending The Farm School, working at The Food Project and running an orchard in Concord, Massachusetts.

Chile has a rich tradition in fermenting apples into cider. Historically, cider production was a significant part of the local economy. Families were taxed based on their cider tank space, and cider apples were a staple in many homes. Chilean cider, known as "Chicha", is a farmhouse product with various local recipes, often fermented naturally with residual sugar.

Eli has co-founded the Chilean Cider Collective (COSIGI), which aims to preserve and promote Chile’s unique cider heritage. COSIGI works closely with the Department of Agriculture and other local organizations to support cider makers and enhance cider production quality.

• Punta de Fierro - is both the name of the cidery and the cider itself. This particular cider tasted during the recording was made in 2022. It was bottle #61 out of 771 bottles in total. All the apples came from one single orchard that Eli and his business partner Carlos Flores produce cider on.
• TenCai Sidra - this cidery is owned by Rene Galindo. We tried two ciders during the recording. The first cider called The Truth. This cider was co-fermented with an indigenous berry called Maqui. They are smaller than blueberries and lend a purplish hue to the cider.
• The second cider -called Futura was made by first grinding the apples and allowing them to macerate for approximately 24hours. The apple blend is Reineta and Braeburn.

All the ciders were feremented dry and are delicious!

• Website: https://puntadefierro.com/

• Website: https://tencaisidra.cl/

• Cider Chat info flyer - scroll down this page and download and post flyer! Tag Cider Chat and use hashtag #xpromotecider
• ciderGoingUP Campaign page - find a list of business supporting Cider Chat!

Cider Chat Live brings you a tasting of a celebratory cider from Santa Cruz Cider Company paires with a what is called Basque Cheesecake!

Basque Cheesecake is much less dense than classic New York cheesecake. It is crustless, and has a golden, beautiful caramelized exterior. It also has a much lighter texture and flavor. The cheesecake is baked at a high temperature in order to get that burnt exterior and super creamy interior.

This mini episode came about when Nicole Todd who cofounded Santa Cruz Cider Company in California with her sister Natalie. Nicole was traveling east to Maine with fellow book club members who she has been meeting monthly since covid kicked off in 2020.

They spent the evening with Ria, went for a swim to avoid the heat and drank copious amounts of cider and ended the evening with a special pairing of the 10 year anniversary cider with the Basque Cheesecake.

Hear about this anniversary cider and how it all started with foraged fruit in the Monterey Bay area of California. It is one part picking up fruit that turned into a relationship with an older orchardist in the Watsonville area of California.

• 060: Nicole Todd | Santa Cruz Cider Company, CA
• 280: Why the Cider Maker Wears Fuzzy Slippers – describes the harrowing house fire that Nicole and her husband Felix survived!

• Website: https://santacruzciderco.com/

Clint Cavers and his wife Pamela have been farming for over 30 years at Wooden Gate The Farm and cidery is based in Pilot Mound, Manitoba, Canada which is right over the border of North Dakato.

Clint’s journey from hobby fermenter to full-time cider maker now represents 95% of their farm’s focus. Initially homesteaders, they shifted towards cider making due to a passion for fermentation. Clint began making wine and cider about 25 years ago, initially with fruit wines before discovering the potential of apples.

In 2018, Clint and Pam decided to turn their cider-making hobby into a business. By 2019, Wooden Gate obtained its official license, and in 2020, it became a full-time venture. This shift was motivated by their desire for a less labor-intensive activity and a need for fulfilling work after their children left home.

Wooden Gate’s orchard spans seven acres with about 800 trees, including winter-hardy varieties like

• Goodland
• Norkent
• Norland
• Kerr – which is featured in the Orchard Queen cider that is tasted and discussed in this episode
• and various crab apples such as Rescue and Trail

They have also planted heritage varieties and some English cider apple varieties like Dabinette.

Clint emphasizes slow fermentation at low temperatures, with some fermentations lasting up to six months. Wooden Gate primarily uses cultured yeast, but experiments with wild ferments, particularly in their Orchard Queen cider. They produce about 50 cases of Orchard Queen annually and 300 gallons of other cider varieties.

Wooden Gate hosts various events, including an annual cider release and pop-up pizza and cider nights. Their son-in-law, a chef, handles the cooking, while their daughter plans events. They also groom cross-country ski trails in the winter, turning them into walking trails in the summer.

• 1. Community: Creating a sense of community around their cider and farm.
• 2. Environmental Stewardship: Using organic, permaculture, and holistic management practices.
• 3. Sourcing Locally: Using locally grown fruit and selling locally.
• 4. Quality: Ensuring their cider represents their farm and Manitoba’s unique terroir.
• 5. Authenticity: Highlighting the distinct flavors of their region in their cider.

• Website: https://louisemb.com/m/wooden-gate-cider

• @spacetimemeads
• @woodengatecider
• @cultivarcreativestudio
• Listen to episode 190 Cider Revitalizes a 1750 Colonial Era Orchard | MA
• Stone Cow Brewery, Barre Massachusetts