It’s time for school — Cider School, that is! This week, we’re back with what’s bound to be a super-fun session all about pét-nat cider, led by Lyndon Smith, the founder and COO of Botanist and Barrel Cidery & Winery in Cedar Grove, North Carolina.
Lyndon Smith
Farming and winemaking run in Lyndon’s blood. He grew up foraging for family meals and drinks at his grandparents’ farm, and it quickly evolved into a lifelong love of agriculture and fermentation. He founded a natural wine distribution company, Sour Grapes, in 2009, but left the wine business to start a small apple orchard and blueberry farm in Leicester, NC. He then joined his family running Cedar Grove Blueberry Farm in central North Carolina, where Botanist and Barrel Cidery & Winery was launched in 2017. Lyndon continues to learn about creative ways to use forgotten, foraged and ugly fruits to make beautiful adult beverages. In 2019, Lyndon launched NC’s first festival dedicated to wild and spontaneous food and beverages, called “Funk Down on the Farm.” He is the President of the North Carolina Cider Association and is a Certified Cider Professional through the American Cider Association. Lyndon loves supporting local farms, using native fruits, and pushing boundaries with wild and spontaneous yeasts.
In addition to making cider, Lyndon is also the winemaker at DeFi Wines along with his wife, Amie Fields. Through Botanist and Barrel and his winemaking ventures, Lyndon and Amie have been using the Méthode Ancestral (the method that results in pét-nat ciders and wines), since day one. Lyndon will walk us through the terminology, a bit of science, and other 101-level facts you should know about this delightful and natural way of creating sparkling fermented beverages. Pop in for a fun exploration of pét-nat ciders!
Cider School #7: Pét-Nat Cider 101 with Lyndon Smith of Botanist and Barrel
Zoom Meeting URL: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86064659965?pwd=U3RrSXd3NHVBNG5UUEd3MlplR1E0Zz09
Meeting ID: 860 6465 9965
Password: 720647
See you there!
- Feature photo: Botanist and Barrel