020: Curtis Sherrer | Millstone Cellars, Maryland

Cider Chat

Curtis Sherrer is barreling aging single variety apples at Millstone Cellars. An old grist mill dating back to the 1850s houses the Tasting Room."If you are looking to save money, all you need is a barrel. You don't need chillers."Instead of pressing multiple apples and creating the sweet cider that will then be fermenting - Curt keeps apple varieties separate until he finds the perfect balanceAt the "Old Grist Mill" they use a cloth press on site that dates back to 1850s.Says Curt, "Let's take apple juice and see how close we can get to making a chardonnay" of their goal in choosing to become a cidermaker.Curt recommends looking at bending much like ones does with spices and ingredients: See what will make the most savory cider.The learnings garnered from making cider from single variety apples, until the final blend are abundant. You will learn about:- How maturity ( of the apple and cider) matters- How does maceration change it? Maceration is what happens when you wait to press the pomace (crushed apples), letting the pomace sit for a bit, like 24 hours to 2 days or even longer.- Learn the taste differences between free run apple juice where the pomace is barely pressed versus crushing and pressing immediately.Find the full show notes and links to this episode at cider chat.comFollow this podcast via Twitter @ciderchat