We had the good fortune of connecting with Kari Williams and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kari, what do you attribute your success to?
High quality fruit. We are an estate cider company and the largest long standing apple growers in Colorado. I do not have to use starving foraged apples , buy juice from other locations, or use concentrates to make the products.
My view on cider making comes from a grower’s perspective, Each season  I watch the fruit grow , climate changes, water conditions and other factors are considered  for the yield and differences in the resulting fruit. The cider process for me begins before the fruit is harvested and then again after I juice it. I am in a very fortunate situation for cider making.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work. What are you most proud of?
My family has grown apples in a high elevation, high risk environment for over a century. The quality and commitment to fruit growing is embedded in five generations. In cider , it is somewhat hard to compare apples to apples. I am in a very special environment that most cider makers do not have the opportunity to ever experience. I have taken that experience and work and applied it to the cider my husband and I make. We have one of the highest commercial orchards in the Northern Hemisphere. My curiosity in this special Terroir has led me to explore the resulting flavors from Cider specific apples grown over 6,130′ . The UV exposure at high elevation creates environmental factors that affect a crops phenotype, this also includes growing practices.  I have a true passion to make the finest cider that can be grown and produced sustainably and single sourced in Colorado.

***** WHAT ARE WE PROUD OF

High elevation fruit.
Putting Colorado on the map for high end cider.

sustainably farming for over a century

Highest awarded cider company in Colorado.

The only Colorado cider to win a # 1 best in class 2 years running

We are in the top three highest awarded ciders in the U.S.

Quality fruit , a passion that spans five generations in apple growing and now cider making

I am proud to be among the best cider makers in the United States.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I live in a very rural area of Colorado. So that friend would see the beautiful Grand Mesa ten  minutes above our main orchards in Cedaredge. Over 300 lakes, Hiking, biking, skiing, snowmobiling are available to my guests year round.Of course they would tour our original parcels, And the 100 year old apple  packing shed is still on our property.

Tour the cidery ( this is located in our apple packing facility on ( Fruit growers rd. Austin, Colorado.)
Where we would see the production side of what I do then taste from several barrels and possibly pull a 8 year aged cider .
We would also visit one of our historic orchards on the Gunnison river. Discuss cider apples I grow from France and England

A visit to the Apple Shed in Cedaredge.Our family winery and tasting room reside here , so a wine tasting would be in order, The Building is also an art gallery, a bakery and a flower shop all are within a 112 year old apple packing facility.

We are apple geeks so that is about what it would look like.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Without the efforts of our generational family fruit growing business. I would not have the opportunity to create the high quality products that are winning awards across the nation. My husband and I have worked hard together to add new orchards and many rare cider apples . The continuous dedication and hard work and gained knowledge it takes to survive as commercial fruit growers for over a century at elevations from 6,130 ft – 7,000ft is nothing short of impressive. The unique Terroir and environment pave the path for some of the best ciders made anywhere in the world.

Website: snowcappedcider.com

Instagram: Snow Capped Cider

Twitter: snowcappedcider

Facebook: Snow Capped Cider

Other: TikTock @snowcappedcider

Image Credits
Snow Capped Cider

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