Date/Time
Date(s) - 04/30/2016
1:00 pm
Location
Sigal Museum
Category(ies)
Brewing and distilling news floods the airwaves as readers and aficionados learn daily about sources for craft beers and wines, newly found recipes for that old-time, long-time favorite hard cider.
Partners in brewing Damian Siekonic and Mark Turdo will share their research on early American cider production and consumption. The two enthusiasts have been brewing at Blackledge Winery, 2822 Stonesthrow Rd. in Center Valley, trying out recipes from Colonial times and using locally grown 18th c. heirloom apple varieties.
At their licensed, privately funded research winery, located in a 17th c. farmhouse, they strive to produce small batch, hand-crafted wines, ciders, and meads using only the finest local ingredients. Audience members of legal age at the program may have a wee taste of Eliza’s 28 Cider. It is based on a recipe from Eliza Smith’s 1728 The Compleat Housewife and fermented using fresh cider from four varieties of local Pennsylvania heirloom apples, raisins, sugar and natural yeast. It produces a smooth, crisp traditional cider.
When not making wine for Blackledge, Siekonic is managing producer of Privateer Media, LLC, a historical production and resource company. He has worked in the commercial wine industry and has over twenty years of winemaking experience. He has a journalism degree from Boston University and is a published author on subjects of early American history.
Mark A. Turdo is the guest cidermaker at Blackledge Winery. The rest of the time he is a museum curator with over thirty years of museum experience (professional and otherwise) with a lifelong interest in studying and recreating various aspects of early American history. He experiments with historic cider recipes at home, researches the history of cider in America, and writes about both on his blog, “Pommel Cyder.”
The program is free with regular museum admission or $5 donation for talk only. Reservations recommended – call (610) 253-1222.