An interview with Michelle Pagano from Descendant Cider Co!
To celebrate Women's History Month in March and highlight members of the group who work within the cider industry, we interviewed leading women making waves as makers in the cider industry. We hope you enjoy our feature and get to know more about the Women in Cider who are being highlighted.
Q: Tell us about yourself and your role in cider
MP: I'm currently the Assistant Cider Maker at Descendant Cider Co. in New York City. I am also a gluten-free homebrewer, blogger for TheOutcask.com and a Social Media Influencer @TheBrewBabe — a page dedicated to sharing my educational experiences, cider & beer reviews, and information on living gluten-free with my followers.
Q: What do you enjoy most about cider and/or the cider industry?
MP: I love that sense of community in this industry. I've worked in the beer industry before working in cider, and the cider world is far more inclusive than anything I've experienced. I hope we continue to unite everyone and inspire other industry to do the same.
Q: Do you have a favorite moment in your cider adventures?
MP: I have a ton of cider adventures involving GLINTCAP, CiderCon, and being starstuck finally meeting some of my idols in this industry. However, the one adventure that stands out in my mind was when I attended Cornell AgriTech's CINA Program (cider & perry production). I decided to put my career in beer on hold to pursue cider production. In Geneva, I networked with so many awesome folks, learned more about commercial cider production, and felt that I was finally following my dreams.
Q: What was the first cider that really knocked your socks off?
MP: When I first found out about my gluten-allergy, I was devastated thinking I could never drink beer again. I quickly moved into sampling new ciders, and to my surprise there were many out there that pleased my palate. The list of ciders that continue to blow me away are never-ending, but you can see some of my favorites on my page!
Q: What is your current favorite apple for cidermaking and why do you love it?
MP: I am grateful for living in New York, where juice can be found easily! I do enjoy Newtown Pippin and Kingston Black. Perhaps one day I'll have a small section in my backyard where I can grow these two!
Q: What so you do when you’re not making great ciders?
MP: I have a background in beer, so I enjoy searching for new gluten-free beers. I also love the outdoors: hiking, fishing, skiing... I'm there!
Q: When you’re not drinking your ciders, whose are you drinking?
MP: My drink of choice is anything gin! I love those botanicals.
Descendant Cider Co
52-05 Flushing Ave Suite 209
Queens, NY 11378