301: "Quality of Life" at the Water Wheel Cider Mill
Cider Chat5 Jan 2022

301: "Quality of Life" at the Water Wheel Cider Mill

Building a Water Wheel to Power a Cider Mill

Phil Watson grew up on an old farm with an old cider press that powered a water wheel. When a water wheel turns it produces a lot of force, so his mom back then had the old wheel taken down. That water wheel made a big impression on Phil so years later he built his own water wheel powered cider press on his 200 acre lot where he mills up lumber.

In this episode hear the full backstory of building the water wheel with one oak tree. The 3 story cider house is set up with the top floor designed to receive the apples and the old leaf mulcher now used to grind up the apples.

The second floor is where the press is set up and there is even a bike on that floor that can be used to also power the press.

The bottom floor is where the juice is received in an old milk tank.

Making Cider with the Water Wheel Powered Cider Mill

Water Wheel - 14 diameter

When the wheel is turning:

20 gallons pre pressing on a rack and cloth press that Phil also built. They can do 4-5 pressings an hour.

Phil's label for his bottles says Snake Cider Company with the logo, "Don't Eat the Apple. Drink the Snake"

Follow Cider Chat Sponsors!
  • CiderCon2021 February 1-4, 2022 - A virtual trade conference for the cider industry hosted by the American Cider Association. Register today!
  • New York International Cider Competition - February 21, 2022 4rd Annual New York International Cider Competition for commercial makers. Judges are real buyers making this competition stand apart from all others in cider. Send in your ciders now.

Commercial Makers - Enter the New York International Cider Competition

Help Support Cider Chat Please donate today. Help keep the chat thriving!

Find this episode and all episodes at the page for Cider Chat's podcasts.

Episoder(499)

496: Liberty Ciderworks | Spokane, WA

496: Liberty Ciderworks | Spokane, WA

Liberty Ciderworks in Spokane, Washington is an urban cidery focused on traditional methods. While located in the city, their cider reflects deep agricultural roots. Cider maker and founder Rick Hast...

25 Mar 56min

495: Cider Barrels Speak | Bâtonnage & Barrel Aging

495: Cider Barrels Speak | Bâtonnage & Barrel Aging

In this archive episode of Cider Chat, we go in a barrel cellar in Prince Edward County, Ontario, with Ryan Monkman of FieldBird Cider and Lee Baker of Keint-He Winery. Listening to Fermentation What ...

18 Mar 58min

494: Humboldt Cider and the Historic Orchard of Albert Etter

494: Humboldt Cider and the Historic Orchard of Albert Etter

In this episode of Cider Chat, we hear from Tom Hart of Humboldt Cider Company, located in Eureka, California along the rugged Pacific coastline behind what locals call the Redwood Curtain. We also di...

11 Mar 1h

493: Cider as a Sport | Sidra in Asturias (Archive Edition)

493: Cider as a Sport | Sidra in Asturias (Archive Edition)

What is Asturian cider? Asturian cider (sidra natural) is a traditionally fermented apple cider from Asturias, Spain, served through a high pour (escanciado) and shared socially in small servings c...

4 Mar 55min

492: Absolem Cider Company | Maine Cider Energy

492: Absolem Cider Company | Maine Cider Energy

This episode of Cider Chat explores the growing Maine cider scene through Absolem Cider Company in Winthrop, a farm-based cidery helping shape New England's evolving cider identity. Located on a 60-a...

25 Feb 52min

491: Revisiting Randall Grahm | Cider Exploration Without Hesitation

491: Revisiting Randall Grahm | Cider Exploration Without Hesitation

An early conversation that explored possibilities cider was only beginning to consider. As Cider Chat moves toward its 500th episode, we revisit conversations from the earliest seasons, taking a long ...

18 Feb 53min

490: Let Cider Lead

490: Let Cider Lead

An editorial on leadership, scarcity, and why cider no longer needs to borrow authority from beer or wine. In Let Cider Lead, host Ria Windcaller steps back from interviews to offer a clear-eyed refl...

11 Feb 22min

489: Natural Cider Production Seminar | CiderCon 2025

489: Natural Cider Production Seminar | CiderCon 2025

Natural cider is often misunderstood as funky, volatile, or flawed. Recorded live at CiderCon 2025, this seminar reframes natural cider as a philosophy of low intervention, balance, and intentional ca...

4 Feb 1h 10min

Populært innen Samfunn

rss-spartsklubben
giver-og-gjengen-vg
aftenpodden
konspirasjonspodden
lydartikler-fra-aftenposten
aftenpodden-usa
popradet
rss-nesten-hele-uka-med-lepperod
rss-henlagt-andy-larsgaard
wolfgang-wee-uncut
grenselos
min-barneoppdragelse
rss-dette-ma-aldri-skje-igjen
synnve-og-vanessa
rss-dannet-uten-piano
alt-fortalt
frokostshowet-pa-p5
fladseth
relasjonspodden-med-dora-thorhallsdottir-kjersti-idem
opptur-med-annette-og-ingeborg