
Brendan and Carly Coyle’s journey is defined by curiosity, hard work and leaps of faith. The owners of Dendric Estates, the 20-acre cidery in Kamas, met in 2009 when “Brendan interrupted my job interview at High West Distillery,” Carly remembers. Brendan was already a seasoned pro, having earned a master’s in brewing and distilling science in Scotland and helping High West emerge as a national whiskey brand. Collaborating well at the fast-paced distillery, “it felt natural for us to team up for a new chapter,” Carly recalls.
And new adventures. After years of experimentation, the pair will launch Dendric Estate’s inaugural cider - called ‘Dry Cut’ - in July.
“We lived abroad where fine cider is treated like wine,” Brendan remembers. “We thought, ‘Why not make the cider we want to drink?’” Sounds simple, but “farming at 6,440 feet is hard,” he says of their sustainability commitment, requiring long hours of intense physical work in all weather. “We learned to be patient. It can take a year to know if a decision helped or hurt.”
“So some evenings, we jump in the van, drive into the Uintas, and wake up to a quiet sunrise before getting back to work,” Carly adds. “It’s a reset button we never take for granted.”
“Our cider is not what people think, so education is a big task,” Brendan reflects. ‘Dry Cut’ features natural carbonation – no forced bubbles – with a “bright acidity, tropical notes and a crisp minerality.” You will find it next month at the on-site Dendric Estates packaging agency and at PC and Valley restaurants, but “it will be a few months before we are in the liquor stores,” he says.
With their hard-won sustainable techniques and new take on an old-fashioned favorite, the Coyles are ready for their much-anticipated debut – and couldn’t be more grateful. “Everyone we’ve worked with has been so generous,” Carly says, “It’s been a community effort in the best way.”