Meet Keane and Kelley Dufresne

Today we’d like to introduce you to Keane and Kelley Dufresne.

Hi Keane and Kelley, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Our involvement in not only the cider industry but the craft beverage industry as a whole, goes all the way back to WWII Switzerland! Part-owner Ruth’s father, George, helped start the original Waldschenke cidery in Romanshorn, Switzerland at the young age of sixteen. “Waldschanke” roughly translates to ‘forest tavern’ which suits the original as it was built on a forest preserve! It is still operational today and you can only hike bike or horseback ride to it- no cars allowed! The Swiss Waldschanke became a place where the entire village would come to relax, drink traditional unfiltered cider, and enjoy each other’s company, and that is exactly our goal with our Denver interpretation.

When George- now a spry 99 years old- had to retire and leave his legacy behind, we decided to carry it on here in the U.S., taking inspiration from his original unfiltered recipes while adding a modern Colorado twist. Our goal in opening our cidery in Denver is to create that same welcoming atmosphere, where people from all walks of life can come together, connect, and enjoy a pint or two worry-free.

In addition to our cider, we have implemented a small coffeehaus, for which we have partnered with a small up-and-coming roastery- Mad Loon Coffee Roasters based out of Morrison, CO. Zach Green, the owner and roaster, roasts only one pound at a time, which yields some of the most flavorful coffee in town. We also have opened our very own European/Swiss-inspired food truck, to give our customers a fully immersive (and delicious!) experience. We source all of our ingredients locally, from vendors in and around our neighborhood, as well!

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road for any small business this past year and a half, that’s for sure! When we opened up shop in October of 2019, we had high hopes for the coming Spring/Summer and we were gaining quite a bit of traction when the first shutdown due to COVID-19 hit in March. Since then, we have been working tirelessly to maintain a safe, comfortable, and enjoyable space for our neighborhood, along with creating some of the most diverse and delicious ciders in the city- from delightful classics to dry-hopped to barrel-aged! Now that it’s summer and many restrictions have been lifted, we’re truly excited to see what it is we can really do!

While COVID definitely presented it’s challenges, it also provided opportunity. We were able to dedicate so much time to each patron that came by and that really helped us build a truly amazing community. While the original Waldschanke in Switzerland was founded in the midst of the turmoil and chaos that was WWII and provided a safe haven to escape to for a little while, we too have been able to offer the same during the peak of the pandemic.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
We have the perfect storm of a team! John is an entrepreneur at heart so he knows the business end like the back of his hand; Ruth takes care of our books and has been dubbed the resident Dog Mama- giving ice water and biscuits to all of the dogs- plus she is part of the original Swiss inspiration.

Keane has been in the craft industry for over eight years and has immense knowledge of day-to-day operations of a brewery and how to create the perfect atmosphere; and Kelley has been in marketing and web design for six years- we really lucked out!

We are so proud of our family for coming together and creating something so special and that we get to share it with one of the best cities- Denver!

The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
Connectedness is key. During the peak of the pandemic, everyone seemed to be seeking some kind of connection with others outside of their own households. Many people discovered us simply because their radius of neighborhood walks expanded during the pandemic; if there’s a silver lining anywhere in here, it’s that COVID forced people to explore their own neighborhoods more, discovering local “hidden gems” like ourselves. Once more and more of our community discovered us we realized that most people just wanted to feel close and connected to something, so we started to provide the very best, most thoughtful service we could. That meant to keep our garage door open with a table in it when outdoor seating was the only option so people felt like they could still “order at the bar” and have bartenders.

The only unfortunate part was that it was the middle of a Colorado winter and with the door open, we couldn’t turn on the heat inside so we were bundled up in our ski gear, just like everyone else on our patio. It definitely created a comradery within all of us and people seemed to really like our mentality of “if you’re going to come out and support us in the cold- we’ll be right there with you”! COVID has also taught us so much about how to adapt to people’s wants and needs. We were lucky enough to get tower heaters and firepits for our patio to keep people warm, plus we also had the benefit of having cider, which meant we could heat it up and turn it into boozy warm mulled cider. It also didn’t hurt that we had just launched out coffee component, so people could warm up with a cup of coffee or hot chocolate.

Pricing:

• Pint – $8
• 1/2 Pour – $6
• Taster – $3
• Splash – FREE (limit 3 per person)
• Flights – $12

Contact Info:

• Email: info@waldschankeciders.com
• Website: waldschankeciders.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/waldschankedenver/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/waldschankedenver
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/waldsch%C3%A4nke-ciders-coffee-denver