Etta Place Cider: Southern Utah’s Ciderbison Cidermakers
See the full article by Olivia Greene published by Slug Mag here.
“Ann Torrence and Robert Marc didn’t intend to start their own cider business when they planted apple trees at their home in Torrey, Utah. Being close to an elevation of 7,000 feet, there weren’t many resources that detail which cider varieties do best in their climate, let alone which trees produce the best apples for cidering. Now, the couple and business partners have over 500 trees split among two orchards, with 90 varieties of cultivar apples used in their outlaw-inspired business,Etta Place Cider. The first and only of its kind in Torrey, the business draws in locals but also those passing through on their way to Capitol Reef and other national parks in the Southern Utah basin. “Torrey isn’t a straight shot from anywhere, but when you find it, we hope you can visit and savor life for a bit where the arrow has hit its mark on our hearts,” says Torrence.”
“The business’s approach to befriending neighboring farms and Torrey residents also extends to the land itself. The organic, regenerative and agricultural-based model makes the cider that much more valuable to businesses that are looking to provide top-tier cider to their patrons. Etta Place currently offers ciders, “… none of which are particularly sweet. Two of them, in fact, have zero residual sugar,” Torrence says. Each variety of fruit is cider-specific and will result in a cider that will be either dry, semi-dry, semi-sweet or sweet. The Newtown Pippin variety is akin to a Granny Smith but amplified in the way it comes out “dry and tart like a pinot grigio,” Torrence says. The heritage fruit is made into semi-dry ciders that come out semi-sweet but still not too sweet.”