An interview with Jerod Thurber of SteamPunk Cider!
Jerod Thurber on the far left, but cider making is a whole Oakes family affair.
As anyone who loves cider can tell you, cider is truly about the moments. One of my most memorable moments is trying my first craft cider, SteamPunk Cider. In 2014, I had just started drinking ciders, Angry Orchard and Woodchuck were my go to brands, easily accessible and approachable, and sweet. My friend and co-worker, Ingrid, was telling me about a new cider that her boyfriend just received at work that was made here in WNY, SteamPunk cider. She was able to snag me a bottle to try and it was everything the commercial brands I had been drinking weren’t: tart but with a hint of sweetness, lightly tannic, and highly carbonated (it’s called crackling for a reason). I became a huge fan of theirs after that!
Since then, I’ve had plenty of their ciders over the years, and have been lucky enough to work with Jerod on a few projects for my day job, and share SteamPunk across the country!
-Ryan Gravell
Ryan Gravell: Tell us about yourself, both your cider and non-cider life.
Jerod Thurber: Always tough to answer the “tell us about yourself” question!
Cider Life-- I am a fourth generation apple farmer that believes that Family comes first, then farming, then fermenting. Myself, my cousin Jonathan (winemaker/cidermaker), and my uncle planted our first 5 acres of bittersweet and bittersharp apples in 2003. Since then we have added 15 more acres dedicated to more bittersweets, bittersharps, and heirloom varieties. We experimented with many single variety fermentations right off the bat back in 2006 along with a couple blends. We went live with our first cider in 2007 and have been staying true to our core beliefs ever since. I have managed all of the cider production until this year and Jonathan has managed all the fermentations. Now I am taking care of everything after the ciders get to bottle including 3 bars and some online presence.
Non-Cider Life – I had a previous career in EcoTourism and Adventure Travel and that has bled over into my daily life with my wife and kids. We spend a lot of time outdoors and one of the things that I enjoy most is the wonderment that my children have while in nature. As adults, those moments of complete wonderment are fewer and father between and it is my goal to always see that in my children’s eyes. I coach basketball and baseball and play golf with any spare time that I can find. My world really revolves around my wife and kids when I get home each day.
RG: What's our involvement in SteamPunk Cider, and a bit of history on the cidery.
JT: As one of the owners of SteamPunk Cider, I wear many hats on a daily basis. One of the most important things is that all of us have been involved in every facet from growing to pressing to fermenting to selling. That is such an important piece to our business and to our growth. We are able to understand each facet and what it entails and what its needs are.
RG: With current events around the coronavirus, how's are things going at SteamPunk? What is the cidery doing to weather the storm?
JT: With the current state of our country we have had to modify how we approach the retail side of our business. As farmers, we have always relied heavily on having a face to face relationship with all of the folks that purchase our products and now that is not possible. We are leaning in heavily on home deliveries, curbside pick-up, online sales, and cider clubs. We are in the process of building out a new web platform to perform the different facets of those sales arms. As for the growing side of SteamPunk Ciders, mother nature doesn’t stop the growing cycle so we are keeping along with that quite steadily now that spring has begun. Retail and bar operations are shut down but that just gives us a titch more time to enjoy being with the apples on the growing side. We with weather this storm thanks to our loyal customer base and the ever-growing cider scene throughout the US and beyond.
RG: What do you enjoy most about cider and the industry?
JT: I enjoy the camaraderie within the cider industry the most. A large part of this industry still focuses on growing and not just marketing a brand. The industry is still all about the freedom of information and helping each other out in any capacity you are able. I truly enjoy cider drinkers also. They tend to be very open-minded, inquisitive, and always have some of the best questions that challenge me on a daily basis.
RG: Cider has a long history, what was your introduction to it, and what's the first cider that blew you away?
JT: My first introduction to cider was close to when I turned 21…..many years ago! I have always been an adventurous drinker and I sidled up to a bottle of Etienne Dupont Cidre Bouche Brut de Normandie. Ever since that moment I have been drinking my way through ciders from all over the world and haven’t looked back.
RG: Cider is often about experiences and moments. What's your most memorable cider moment?
JT: My most memorable moments with cider are when started fermenting all of our varietals separately. Most ciders are blends and to see each variety all the way through fermentation and what each variety brings to the table is extremely fun and intriguing.
RG: SteamPunk has recently put out a great line of single varietals, what's your favorite apple for cidermaking and why?
JT: Our Single Varietals have been an exciting facet to what we do. I would say that my two favorite single varietals are Chisel Jersey and Brown Snout. Chisel Jersey is the tannin monster and Brown Snout has this big round profile that you cannot help but want to crush! What we are doing this year is to actually take some fresh juice of each variety to blend back to each single variety to add even more excitement and complexity. I’m very excited for this.
RG: Bar Cultivar, the SteamPunk Cider Bar & Bottle shop, always has some great guest cider taps and plenty of other great non-cider drinks. When you're not drinking SteamPunk, what are you generally drinking?
JT: If I am not drinking SteamPunk, I am drinking ciders from around the world, Sticky Trees from Pressure Drop Brewing, a variety of Amaro, and occasionally I will drink water!
RG: Anything else you'd like to add?
JT: One thing that I would like to add is to always dive deep into this world of ciders. Try everything, find the styles you love and then support the cideries that give you an honest approach to their ciders. Always share with friends and cider belongs on the table every night!
SteamPunk Cider / Leonard Oakes Winery
10609 Ridge Rd
Medina, NY 14103