12/28/2015 - Cocktails to Bring in the New Year and an Exciting New Designer Cider, Appleman

Slow Living Radio welcomes Megan Broberg, creator of Appleman Cider and Paul Martin of Napa Valley Distillery to bring in the New Year and say farewell to 2015.  We hear of Megan's inspirational path from advertising to winemaker to creator of the fabulous designer line of Ciders.  Paul Martin brings his mixology prowess to the show with new ideas, trends, tipples for parties and more adventures.  Sit back, pour yourself your favorite beverage and enjoy!

Megan Broberg

Appleman Cider

Megan Broberg started her career in the advertising industry, spending over 15 years working for some of the biggest agencies in the world. Then, through a chance temp job at Domaine Chandon in the Yarra Valley, she began the transition to winemaker.

 

Thanks to the wonderfully symbiotic relationship between advertising and alcohol the transition was a relatively easy one. Trading high heels and city glamour for work boots and a ute, Megan enrolled in Wine Science at Charles Sturt, and continued to expand her winemaking knowledge with vintage roles at Rosemount Estate, Domaine Chandon, then working as a production winemaker in the Southern Highlands in NSW.

In 2013, seeing the explosion of popularity of cider, and not finding any cider that she liked, Megan launched Appleman with at desire to bring the sensibility of winemaking to cider production. But also, to have the experimental freedom in flavor development that traditional winemaking does not allow.

The first cider, Primo, launched in January 2013 was an apple cider with a touch of fresh pear. This was followed in August, by the launch of Apple with Green Tea, and Apple with Rosewater. All the ciders are made with 100% fresh fruit (not concentrate) from the Snowy Mountains of NSW, and are flavoured with the purest natural ingredients; using the finest hand milled Matcha green tea from Japan, and organic distilled Roses.

 

The ciders are sold in Australia, Hong Kong and Singapore, and all going to plan she will be expanding into the US by summer 2016.

 

Paul Martin

Tasting Room Manager/Brand Ambassador
Napa Valley Distillery

Tonight, Paul brings us ideas for celebration, trends and tipples for the new year, and some great recipes.

Paul had been enjoying “mixed” beverages since 2001, but it wasn’t until 2008 that he learned the difference between good and bad “booze” and became “intoxicated” with the industry.  Working his way through all aspects, from tour guide, to production, bottling, tasting room management, and of course, mixing, Paul has an acute sense of  the defining levels of many spirits including vodka, gin, brandy, tequila, rum, whiskey, absinthe, liquor, and the accompanying world of bitters.

Leading the tasting room of Napa Valley Distillery, Paul is often seen guiding large groups through a more extensive selection of beverages than one would ever see in a wine tasting room.  One could wonder whether his goal was to educate or inebriate?

Family owned and operated by Arthur and Lusine Hartunian, Napa Valley Distillery was founded on one basic principal - Make it different!