Wheel Line Cider

Susie Jensen and Chris Sherry

In the 1960s, Susie Jensen’s father-in-law developed the motorizing mechanism for irrigation wheels that still line many hay fields in central Washington’s Kittitas Valley.  When Susie was deciding on a name for her new cidery in the far southeast corner of the valley, Wheel Line seemed to capture perfectly the familial, rural nature of the business.  Wheel Line Cider had its grand opening in June 2019 and offers 4 different hard ciders from taps installed in a beautifully renovated 1970 Airstreamer that will one day be a travelling cidery.  The Airstreamer sits on 300 acres in an idyllic rural setting where visitors can sip cider while relaxing on apple bin furniture and enjoying the beautiful mountain views.  Most of the farm is planted to Timothy Hay, but 8 acres are home to roughly 750 heirloom apple and pear trees from England and France.  The trees will soon be mature enough to provide all the fruit for Wheel Line Cider.

Wheel Line Cider is made in a spacious “barndominium” by Chris Sherry, originally from the United Kingdom where he studied cider and winemaking.  His ciders are all carbonated and fermented dry, and most are barrel aged.  I tasted two new ciders from the barrel, one nicely spiced with holiday sipping in mind.  There are many events held at the cidery, including a course on cider making that includes instruction in the art of sabrage dating from Napoleonic times.  Kids will love the mud days, and visitors of all ages can enjoy the beautiful bocce ball court.  Hard cider is the fastest growing segment of the alcohol industry, and has a long history in the US and elsewhere.   Listen to the interview to learn about cider history, the cider making process, the fruits appropriate for hard cider, and much more.    

Listen to the Interview: