Andy Crown Brennan is the first international influencer to achieve 'The Triple Crown' ranking. His meandering tale of attaining this lofty status within the cider-making industry is interesting in itself. It is a story of flexibility, resolve to follow a healthful path, and gaining the knowledge through both education and hands-on work.

Come to the Rowley Center for Science and Engineering (RCSE), Gerry Forum 010 at 7pm on April 7 for an in-person lecture by this highly respected cidermaker/wild apple advocate whose products are widely sought by the highest ranking restaurants. Falling Apples/ the Fall of Man: How Modern America is Tied to Orchard History and Cider will open your mind and thoughts and whet your appetites.

During the talk, Brennan will describe agricultural expectations in contrast to true food quality, modern consumer intentions, and the importance of cider to the homestead economy. He will also discuss Nature vs Nurture as it relates to farming all the while telling the history of apples in America. He’ll also be glad to answer questions. Zoom access link is https://sunyorange.zoom.us/j/97988512630

Born in Silver Springs, Maryland, to a 20^th C American family, Brennan is now a hard-working farmer/cidermaker, lecturer, author. His paternal great-grandparents were both Irish immigrants who settled in New Jersey. His grandfather attended top colleges, Wharton School of Penn and Harvard Law and attained the rank of colonel in the US Army during World War II. While moving up in the legal ranks he eventually became an associate justice on the US Supreme Court. Consequently, Andy Brennan grew up near the nation’s capital in Potomac, MD.

Andy Brennan decided on an art career and received a BFA from St. Mary’s College. Then, he moved to NYC to study painting at the New York Studio School and later attended the School of Visual Arts to study interior design. He settled into Brooklyn living with his wife Polly Giragosian and worked as a free-lance painter and photographer until accepting full-time work in the fields of Architecture and Interior Design, and then moved back to working free-lance. Then, having had enough of big citylife, they bought and moved to an old homestead farm, where he took up learning in earnest about cider-making. By reclaiming pasture and planting cider-apple trees they expected to grow their own trees. He studied pomology, via the research and programs offered by Cornell University. When their trees failed they decided to try out using the natural apples that they stumbled over while hiking the surrounding area. He learned about the nutritional value of uncultivated apples and soil health, and explored micro-climate and soil variations and their effects on cider production, still following his health-oriented values.

He went through the licensing process and started producing cider, the historical traditional way and in so doing became the first commercial cidery since Prohibition to utilize wild apples in overall production. His is truly an American cider, made from indigenous, local cider apples. His company Aaron Burr Cidery is so named because Burr did, in fact make cider. Cider was the beverage of the new Republic and through Lincoln’s time as well.

Brennan’s hard work and connections in NYC have paid off as he and his cider have been honored with numerous awards. His journey from Washington to Wurtsboro is educational in its own right demonstrating the value of education, the importance of high standards and goals, and perseverance.

For more information, check the website at www.sunyorange.edu/culturalaffairs or email cultural@sunyorange.edu