Roland Poirier
Roland is an orchardist, home cidermaker, and cider enthusiast living in the Capital District of New York. He is in the process of planting a ten acre holding of European and heirloom bittersweet/bittersharp apples as an effort to preserve and propagate good cider fruit in his region. A consultant for government healthcare programs during the week, Roland spends his weekends combing the local area for good craft cider producers and supporting them however he can once he discovers them. Roland makes cider by sourcing both cultivated and wild apples from friends/family as well as state and town parks.
Roland took the Certified Pommelier™ exam because he feels there are a lot of phenomenal small producers of sophisticated and sustainably produced ciders out there that do not get the attention that they deserve. He took this certification so that he could support and promote those cideries and cidermakers in his local area while speaking a common language as other consumers, producers, and enthusiasts across the country. Roland finds everything about cider fascinating from the history, to apple cultivation methods, to the fermentation and blending of varieties. Obviously, consuming it is the best part if he had to pick one.