The Ciderologist: Apple Cider Expert #1 (Gabe Cook)

Gabe Cook (c) Bill Bradshaw Photography – Credit: Bill Bradshaw Photography

Perhaps not everyone knows that there is a new term, born in English but also translated into Italian, indicating the figure of the apple cider expert. In English, it’s “The Ciderologist,” in Italian “sidrologo,” two neologisms created by the world’s leading apple cider expert in the Anglo-Saxon world, Gabe Cook, author of the book considered today the Bible of Cider: “The World of Cider: Knowing, Choosing, and Learning to Taste It.”

The term “sidrologo” may not yet be in common use in Italy, but we do not rule out that in a few years it will become more widely used, perhaps becoming as common as the more prestigious term “oenologist.”

Training in Apple Cider

In terms of cider production, there are no official paths or standardized protocols like those in the wine world. Even in terms of education, there is no specific course or path to follow. Despite apple cider being an increasingly widespread and appreciated beverage outside its traditional production areas (think of Australia, New Zealand, and the USA), the best advice for those who want to produce apple cider or even just gain knowledge about it is to go to typical production countries and learn methods and secrets from those who have been producing cider for millennia. Of course, combining practical knowledge with a good theoretical base, by reading the most important books on apple cider, such as:

– **The 1664 treatise “Pomona” by John Evelyn**

– **”Early days of cider making” (1937) by Fred Bulmer**

– **”The World of Cider” (2018) by Gabe Cook**

Gabe Cook is the No.1 Apple Cider Expert (The Ciderologist)

When talking about apple cider experts, it is impossible not to mention Gabe Cook, today the leading authority on this beverage in the Anglo-Saxon world. Gabe was born in the cider paradise, Gloucestershire county, where he grew up surrounded by apple orchards. Specifically, he grew up in the village of Dymock, where the tradition of cider and perry production is very ancient. Gabe literally grew up in cider paradise but decided to leave his homeland to earn a degree in geography from the University of Leeds. Upon returning to the county during a cool summer, he decided to visit a cider factory, and since then, this beverage has been at the center of his life. At the Ross on Wye Cider & Perry premises, he met the famous cider maker Mike Johnson, who sparked his passion.

After earning his geography degree, Gabe decided to return home and started working alongside Mike Johnson in cider production. This unique and formative experience opened the doors to his passion and career. Gabe learned the tricks of the trade from one of the best cider makers in the world. Following this, his career literally took off, becoming Assistant Cider Maker for Westons Cider and Communications Manager for the historic H.P. Bulmer Ltd (the world’s largest cider producer).

After three years at Bulmer, which included meeting Queen Elizabeth, his career took him to New Zealand, where he spent several years making cider and wine. But the call of home and the county was too strong, so Gabe decided to return and accept an extraordinary job offer: to speak about cider for the most authoritative voice in the field, the National Association of Cider Makers.

A life dedicated to apple cider led him to start his own business and create “The Ciderologist” ([https://www.theciderologist.com/](https://www.theciderologist.com/)), his blog about the world of cider. Here’s where to find Gabe Cook’s book in Italian on Amazon.