481: Totally Cider Tour: A Merry Visit to Tom Oliver's

Tom Oliver is delightfully talented, mischievously witty, and not only a renowned cider maker but also a top-notch perry maker. He may say, "If you're going to make perry and work with pears, you've already identified yourself as being criminally insane," but what we found was simply a bold maker willing to go the extra mile for every bottle.

Enjoy this audio snap shot at Oliver's Cider and Perry Herefordshire, recorded on the 2025 Totally Cider Tour_UK Edition. Hear him share the story behind transforming his family's old hop barns into the heart of his cider and perry production, offering listeners a rare look into his traditional farmhouse methods. He discusses the challenges and joys of working with tannic cider apples and perry pears, spontaneous fermentation, barrel aging, and the evolving climate's impact on cider making.

Tom has been featured in many Cider Chat® episodes and will be one of the select scheduled stops on the 2026 UK Blossom Time Totally Cider Tour.

00:00 Introduction to Perry and Cider Making

00:17 Meet the Host and Guest

00:57 Totally Cider Tour Experience

03:28 Challenges of Perry Making

04:11 Foraging and Traditional Perry Making

05:09 The Importance of Known Varieties

06:28 Cider Preferences and Quality

07:43 Totally Cider Tours - UK

10:18 Tom Oliver's Cidery Tour

11:47 Barrel Room Insights

13:08 Perry and Cider Fermentation

14:35 Pressing and Storing Fruit

15:51 Unique Perry Varieties

21:48 Barrel Aging and Tasting

25:03 Introduction to Fermentation

25:49 Wild Fermentation Process

27:11 Saccharomyces Yeast Role

28:34 Fermentation Containers and Aging

29:26 Bottling and Release Plans

29:44 Fermentation Under Pressure

32:28 Temperature and Duration of Fermentation

33:43 Challenges with Temperature Control

36:31 Barrel Cleaning and Maintenance

38:27 Regulations and Environmental Concerns

40:54 Conclusion and Future Plans

Topics Covered

• The transformation of Oliver's hop barns into barrel rooms
• The shift from hops (Fuggles, Northdown, Target) to cider and perry fruit
• Why perry making is "a walk through madness" compared to cider
• The discipline of pressing and storing tannic pears at their peak
• Wild fermentation: apiculate vs. Saccharomyces yeast and how they shape flavor
• Barrel aging as both art and alchemy
• The sensory nuance of minerality and mouthfeel
• Keeping barrels "organically clean" for wild ferments
• Rising temperatures and the modern challenges of traditional cider making

Perry Pear Varieties Mentioned

• Butt – dense and slow to soften; can store for weeks
• Thorn – softens quickly, needs immediate pressing
• Judge Amphlett – early ripening, fast fermenting
• Winnall's Longdon – honeyed, complex, but fragile and quick to spoil
• Yellow Huffcap – rich tannins, aromatic, often over-ripens on the tree

Ciders & Perrys Tasted

• Eskimo Eyes Perry – 6% ABV, aged six months in rum and white wine barrels. A still perry that balances delicate fruit, subtle oak, and lingering depth.
• Barrel-Aged Still Cider – 9.2% ABV, matured 18+ months in Irish whiskey and Scotch barrels, bringing notes of minerality, oak, and sherry-like warmth.

Call to Action

If you've ever wondered whether you're bold enough to make perry, this episode will either inspire — or warn — you.
Join Tom Oliver and other makers on the upcoming 2026 Blossom Time Totally Cider Tour, and hear more stories from the barrel rooms of cider's most daring artists at CiderChat.com. Send an email today to mailto:info@ciderchat.com

Contact info for Oliver's Cider & Perry (Tom Oliver)

• Website: https://oliversciderandperry.co.uk/

Mentions in this Cider Chat

• Blossom Time Totally Cider Tour 2026 – get on the wait list today! send an email to info@ciderchat.com and let us know how many slots you would like to have us keep open for you!