347: High Desert Apples | Calico Cidery, CA

Everything is Right Side Up at Calico

The logo of Calico Cidery might be an upside down apple drawn to look like an apple tree, but the setting, the people, orchard and the cider is all right side up and slamming it! Located in the high desert region of San Diego to the east of the county is a lone road that brings you up to Julian California which is a bustling apple town.

Calico sits at 38oo feet while Julian is up at 4200 feet, making it a high desert region where apples and the people are living the good life in what feels like a bit of an oasis after driving through the rough scrabble land of the desert below.

Mural by the road out front of Calico Cidery

 

In this Chat

Ian Wright is the head cidermaker and brings us through a compliment of ciders while we chat about the history of the orchard.

• Planted in 1920 - the orchard is long stem trees
• At one time it was mainly a U-Pick orchard
• Now owned by a family who is also making cider in Paso Robles California
• What is dry farming apples

Ian Wright

Ciders tasted in during this Chat

• Field Blend

  • Jona Gold & Winesap  (9.0%)

• Devil's Punch Bowl (8.0%)
  • a blend of apples, pears, persimmon and guavas
• Wild ferments with no sulfites added
• Always 4 Calico Ciders on tap
• Everything made is sold on tap
• Destination cidery and region
• Single Varietals made at Calico
  • Winesap
  • Northern Spy
  • Jona Gold
  • Ida Red

Hanging with the after hours Cider and Calvados Crew at Calico

When visiting Calico and Julian

• Take a cider and walk about the orchard at Calico
• Make sure to have enough time to also hang at the bar and take in the slow life.
• Say hi to Eric the bartender
• Stay at the Julian Hotel
• Grab a soup and half sandwich for lunch at Soups and Such Cafe
• Nead a hefty dinner? Try Romano's Restaurant
• Bring pie to the family or friends back home from the many apple pie bakeries in town
• Visit the other local cideries
  • Storum Ranch Cider and Wine
  • Julian Hard Cider

Contact info for Calico Cidery

• Website: http://www.calicocidery.com/

Mentions in this Chat

• CiderCon 2023 - February 1-3, 2023
  • sign up now for the January 30th Chicago Cider Tours
• New York International Cider Competition February 19, 2023- use promo code: Chat23 for $10 off your entry submission.
• Episodes

  • 340: Eric Bordelet on Pairing Cider with Food 

    • Episode 340 was the early morning recording after a wonderful visit the night before
• Subscribe to eCiderNews

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