Erin James joins me this week to discuss her new book “Tasting Cider”, the recent surge in craft cider making, styles of cider as well as cider cocktails and food pairings.
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[audio:http://traffic.libsyn.com/beersmith/BSHB-154-Cider.mp3]Topics in This Week’s Episode (39:31)
- Today my guest is Erin James, author of the new book Tasting Cider (Amazon affiliate link). Erin is also an editor at CiderCraft Magazine and Sip Northwest Magazine.
- We start with a short overview of Erin’s new book called “Tasting Cider”
- She gives her perspective on the explosion in craft cider making that has happened over the past few years.
- We discuss a bit about the history of cider, including the fact that apples are not native to America (except crab-apples) and discuss how apples were brought over on the Mayflower by the Pilgrims.
- Erin tells us a bit about how prohibition and also the expanding availability of lagers almost made commercial ciders extinct for some 80-90 years.
- We talk about basic definitions for ciders including dry to sweet ciders.
- Erin shares a bit about the cider making process.
- We discuss how the apples themselves drive the flavor of the finished cider including the use of fairly rare “cider apple” varieties that are high in tannins and acidity.
- Erin talks about various cider styles including hopped, spiced, single variety, and barrel aged ciders.
- We briefly discuss Perry which is an alcoholic beverage made from pears.
- She describes the section in her book on cider cocktails, how cider goes very well with whisky and provides some examples.
- We discuss food pairing and which food flavors go best with cider.
- Erin shares her thoughts on what an average beer brewer can learn from sampling or making cider.
- We discuss where the cider industry is headed as well as briefly talk about the Cider Craft magazine which she is an editor for.
Sponsors
- Thank you to our sponsor Craft Beer and Brewing Magazine for sponsoring this episode. I encourage you to subscribe to their great magazine!
- And also Anvil Brewing Equipment. Anvil is a new line of kettles, burners and accessories from John Blichmann at Blichmann Engineering. They make top quality brewing equipment built to last a lifetime.
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Thanks to Erin James for appearing on the show and also to you for listening!
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