"In-Cider" Scoop | Q&A with Scott Topel, Wyndridge Cider Co/Winding Path Brewing

Q&A with Scott Topel - Head Cider Maker and Beverage Production and Operations Manager with Wyndridge Cider Co/Winding Path Brewing

BY KATIE MAHONEY VICE PRESIDENT, MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS

Q: Of all the paths you could have taken, what led you to the cider industry?

A: We source all our own ingredients locally unless, ofcourse things like lime juice or mango puree. We use100% Adams County apples only, and have pressed allour own fruit here for the past two years. We’re not huge, we’re still very small-making about 110K gallons a year, but we focus on doing it right and re-investing that money into putting proper fruits in the ground to give a better tasting product year after year. We’re never using concentrates-it’s 100% juice used in the ciders.

Q: Wyndridge launched as a cider manufacturer before expanding. Why cider?

A: There was an over saturation in the craft beer market, and more of a farm-to-table movement across theCountry where people wanted to know how they could source their food and drink locally. There is also a storied history in our Country about cider – it was THE drink of American colonies until it was overshadowed by beer, then killed by prohibition. Pennsylvania is the 4th highest apple producing state in the Country, so this is a value-added opportunity for local farmers, also.

Q: Wyndridge truly lives the meaning of “support local.” Can you tell us about that philosophy?

A: We source all our own ingredients locally unless, of course things like lime juice or mango puree. We use 100% Adams County apples only, and have pressed all our own fruit here for the past two years. We’re not huge, we’re still very small-making about 110K gallons a year, but we focus on doing it right and re-investing that money into putting proper fruits in the ground to give a better tasting product year after year. We’re never using concentrates-it’s 100% juice used in the ciders.

Q: What’s your favorite part of in this industry?

A: Working with the local farms, and the fruit. I’m growing an orchard now on my own property with over 100 trees, and it’s been humbling. Everything wants to eat or infect young apple & pear trees. Especially varieties known for producing great cider. I’m working with what I’m still passionate about, that started with fermenting apples from trees in local hedgerows. There are industry pressures, especially last year when demand for apples domestically hyper-inflated the bushel price, but we are still producing cider with 100% juice, no concentrate. We are committed to working with local farms, and educating the public that these inputs into growing and pressing apples give us a tight margin, but for us it’s worth it, no doubt. It’s expensive to grow on the East Coast, with more pests and disease pressure to control, so I like being part of educating people in what it takes to create cider from the bloom all the way down the line to that can in your hand. We’re continually trying to counter the problem of producing a product that costs as much as wine to produce, but a public that expects to pay beer prices.

Q: What’s on the horizon for you and Wyndridge?

A: Our head brewer, Irena Wise, and I did a Belgian style Graf (blend of beer and cider) with Goldrush and Northern Spy apple juice and it was very well received. We asked ourselves why we didn’t do this sooner, because it was really popular; so more of that since the brewery and cidery work side by side. We also just completed a rebrand with our labels, working with Foxduck in Lancaster. They look fantastic, and we’re working on an exclusive line of ciders now that will have a label design just for that.

885 South Pleasant Ave, Dallastown, PA 17313 | wyndridge.com | 717.244.9900