Elizabeth Philbrick co-owns EsoTerra Cider with her husband Jared Scott in Dolores, Colorado, population 825.

The business crafts hard cider using apples from historic local orchards. Just two years old, the company is finding a foothold reviving what they say was once rural America’s drink of choice. Like with many small businesses, the pandemic created difficult headwinds, but EsoTerra Cider is persevering. A tasting room, shop and food menu have created a southwest-style cider experience for locals and visitors alike.

<figure class="aligncenter size-full"><figcaption>Courtesy Photo – Jared Scott and Elizabeth Philbrick in the EsoTerra Cider tasting room.</figcaption></figure>

Elizabeth joins this episode of the Rural Business Show and shares why she and Jared decided to become rural business owners and why a hard cider business operating from a rural location was a good idea. She talks about their biggest challenge so far and how they overcame it. We discuss working hand-in-hand with community members when starting a rural business, and Elizabeth gives her advice to those looking to start a business in a rural community.

The post Episode 40: Building a Cider Business in Rural Colorado appeared first on Rural Business.