Mountain West Hard Cider Interview
Utah’s Only Dry Hard Distillery
mountainwestcider.com
IG: @mountainwestcider
Utah is lucky to have so many breweries and distilleries to choose from and some may not know that we also have a Dry Cidery in town. Mountain West Hard Cider is located just outside the heart of downtown Salt Lake. It has a tasting room, bar, and retail shop where you can sample a product, order a tasty drink, or take some swag and cider to-go.
Mountain West is owned by husband-and-wife Jeff Carleton and Jennifer Hamilton along with cider-maker Joel Goodwillie. The cidery was established in 2014 and is the first of its kind in Utah which, given our state’s liquor laws, is kind of a big deal. We recently had the opportunity to chat with Jennifer and learn more about Mountain West Hard Cider’s history and what makes this cidery so special.
Becca: What’s your origin story of Mountain West Hard Cider?
Jen: Jeff and I were traveling in Ireland and discovered Dry Cider for the first time. I loved it! It was a nice alternative to beer. After our trip, I tried to find something local and there was barely anything outside a couple of big box brands. I thought, I like cider, why isn’t this a thing in Utah? Jeff and I saw this as an opportunity and became the only hard cidery in Utah dedicated to good Dry Hard cider.
Becca: What is the hardest part of doing business in Utah?
Jen: The rules and regulations in this industry are difficult. Like many others, we have challenges on what laws pass and how it could impact our business. For example, hard cider may be similar to beer based on alcohol and price, but it can’t be sold in grocery stores because of how it is made. Also, the State considers us closer to wine so our product is served in 5 oz pours. The DABC is supportive and helpful. They are just trying to follow the rules that other people put in place. It’s not easy.
Becca: What is your favorite Mountain West Hard Cider?
Jen: Ruby! Ruby Hard Cider is my favorite. After Ireland, we met Joel and we started developing recipes with him. He asked me, “Describe to me what would be your perfect cider?” I described it as, “Dry, not too much apple, it tastes a bit like champagne, lower in alcohol, and easy drinking.” A few weeks later, the samples arrived and it was a hit! It was exactly what I described and had a nice honey-comb finish. It’s my favorite.
Becca: What makes you or your process special?
Jen: Joel Goodwillie, our cidermaker. He has over 20 years of experience; he has worked for large producers including owning a wine vineyard. Also, we source all of our apples from the Mountain West region, Utah, Colorado, and Washington. All our ciders are dry - English style but we are also dabbling into some sweeter mid-dry ciders as well.
Becca: What is your favorite outdoor activity in Utah?
Jen: Paddleboarding. Every Sunday I make my way to a lake. I’ve been to East Canyon, Jordanelle, Rockport, and heading to Echo next. I love being out in the water and soaking up the rays of sunshine. Rockport is my favorite.
Becca: Are you originally from Utah?
Jen: No, I was born & raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. I moved out to Utah with Jeff in 2010.
Becca: What is your go-to “self-reward” drink after a big project or intense workout?
Jen: I’m a Vodka Soda person. Whether it be Sugarhouse Vodka, Five Wives. A little Vodka, soda, and lime.
Becca: What is next for Mountain West Hard Cider?
Jen: Small batch ciders and being creative with the ingredients. Our small batch series is a limited edition of 118-gallon batches and now available in the retail area of our location. We are very excited about Joel being creative with these new products. Also, we want to continue to focus on distribution outside of Utah. We have partnered with Bevv.com and are shipping directly to consumers (out of state) through this platform.
Lastly, getting through 2020!
Becca: What is a fun fact that the general public doesn’t know about Mountain West Hard Cider?
Jen: Every one of our batches is different. It is a blend of apples at the time of ripeness. Each apple is crushed and processed into a 275-gallon batch. It is truly artisan and unique.
Mountain West Hard Cider is tasty and something to consider as an alternative to beer and wine. The owners, Jeff, Jennifer, and Joel support many local businesses from the apples used in their ciders, to products served at their onsite bar and The Garten, and their involvement with many local festivals. They truly want to bring the community together from farmers, breweries, distillers, food trucks, music, artists, and more. Salt Lake is lucky to have this cidery so close to its heart. We hope we’ve piqued your interest to follow them on social media or go pick up some of their tasty ciders located at 425 N. 400 W, SLC — also available at State Liquor Stores near you.
To learn more, check out our post featuring The Garten @ Mountain West Hard Cider.
