WHO WE ARE

Rooted in…

Community & Connection

Community is at the heart of everything we do. We intentionally build meaningful partnerships with local growers, artisans, educators, and 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations. These collaborations allow us to support our local economy and contribute to causes that matter in Kittitas County. Whether through our Rodeo City Community Cider Project, educational programs,  partnerships, or experiences, we strive to create connections that are genuine and long lasting.

Tradition & Innovation

We honor the long-standing traditions of cidermaking while embracing innovation as a driving force. This value is visible in our orchard practices, our small-batch production methods, and our willingness to experiment with new varieties, techniques, and experiences. From preserving heirloom “lost” apples to developing new products like live apple cider vinegar or pomace-based products, we blend respect for heritage with curiosity and forward thinking. This balance shapes how we grow our trees, craft our ciders, and design our ag-tourism programs.

Education & Stewardship

Education is a central part of our purpose. We believe knowledge strengthens communities and deepens appreciation for agriculture. Through Ag Days, exhibits at the Kittitas County Fair, Farm to Stage talks at the Yakima Fair, orchard tours, our Community Pressing Party, and daily conversations in our tasting room, we invite people to learn not just about cider, but about farming, apple history, and the craft behind every bottle. We operate with a whole-orchard mindset, using resources responsibly and exploring innovative uses for by-products. 

Together, these values—community, connection, tradition, innovation, education, and stewardship—guide every aspect of our operations. They shape how we grow, how we collaborate, how we give back, and ultimately, how we contribute to the vitality of Kittitas County.



For Generations,

Our family background, on both sides, has been centered around farming. For the last 20 years, we’ve grown and harvested mostly Timothy & Alfalfa hay, a famous Ellensburg, WA crop, with other rotational crops in the Upper Badger Pocket area. Seven years ago, we set aside 8 acres to plant bittersweet heritage apples, and thus, the inception of Wheel Line Cider! As seasoned travelers, we discovered a wide range of ciders along the way and fell in love with the complex flavors that a fermented apple can possess. Our namesake and inspiration came from the historic part of our agricultural background. Arthur E. Jensen, our beloved father, grandfather, and inventor of the Thunderbird Wheel Line, influenced our name and brand. His drive for creation and problem-solving inspired us to create and refine the best ciders in Kittitas County. We honor his influence and innovation by calling ourselves Wheel Line Cider.

Join our Team

  • Susie Bremer Jensen

    Owner

    Susie's great grandfather was Jacob Schmidt (of Jacob Schmidt Brewing Company), so you might have thought she would get into crafting beer, but she has always enjoyed the crisp and refreshing taste of hard cider. Her main residence which is tucked in at the base of the Cascade mountains, has apple trees on it from years before, when it had been an orchard. As a family they would pick and press the apples every fall and made cider. One thing led to another and next thing she knew, she was planting old varietals of bittersweet apples at their farm in Ellensburg, WA. They now have a thriving orchard and once she retired as an art teacher, her focus shifted to developing her own cidery which was named after the wheel line irrigation system that her father in law developed. The old barn has been converted into the cidery and the barndominium they used to live in, is now our office space.

    Susie loves to garden and entertain. The beauty of Eastern Wa has inspired her to create a space where her three passions can co-exist. She has thoughtfully designed a gathering space where the community can come and experience the slower pace of country life while sipping on a crafted cider.

  • Nate Lambert

    Cider Maker

    The journey to becoming a Cider Maker has been a long and circuitous one for Nate. He graduated with a B.A. degree in Applied Linguistics in 2005. After an internship and teaching a fair amount of English as a Second Language courses during and after college, he was drawn to teaching and received his Master’s in Teaching from Heritage University in 2009. He was able to live and teach in a few villages and towns in the Alaskan Bush and on the Yakama Reservation in Wapato, Washington. After more than a decade of teaching, he was ready for his next adventure. From gardening as a kid, to brewing beer with his dad as a young adult, fermenting homegrown vegetables, and becoming an avid home wine, cider, and mead maker, He became fascinated with the intersection of agriculture and fermentation. Nate graduated with a Winery Technology Degree from Yakima Valley College in the Spring of 2020. He worked as cellar crew, laboratory technician, vineyard technician, and wine tracker at a few wineries located in the Yakima Valley. Being from Central Washington, Nate is very excited to be working with apples and cider at Wheel Line Cider. When not producing delicious fermented beverages, Nate loves to spend time with his son and wonderful wife Maria. You may find him in the garden, out in nature, or simply relaxing with the family at home.

  • Maryanna Bremer

    President

    Maryanna is the daughter of Wheel Line Ciders visionary, Susie! She graduated in 2010 from Fort Lewis College in Durango CO with a BA in Marketing. She has 3 kids and loves the outdoors. Maryanna is our community outreach/event coordinator and loves connecting with people!

  • Ruperto Vicente

    Orchard Manager

Art Jensen Grew Up

As a farm boy in Idaho in the early 1900’s. He had a strong agricultural background, but his future as an inventor was inevitable due to his natural knack for tinkering and problem-solving. Art’s mechanical drive and talent for fixing machines, like clocks and typewriters, led to him pursuing a higher education in engineering and Horology- the science of measuring time and the design and construction of measuring devices. The 1930’s and early 40’s were an exciting time in Art’s life- in short, he was a watch maker for a time, owned his own jewelry store and repair shop in Los Angeles, invented the notoriously known Sunbeam Shavemaster, and contributed his inventive talent to WWII. The war changed things for Arthur Jensen. On a impressionable trip to Germany just after the war ended, Art saw how the devastation affected the countryside and the cities, and how they were recovering differently. Although the farmlands were recovering faster, he noticed that their common irrigation tactics could be improved. This gave him an idea- instead of flooding the soil, water could be sprayed from above. He was inspired to come back to Idaho, buy some land, and dive back into the ag industry. Back on American soil, Art’s tinkering mind got to work on his irrigation idea, and soon created and refined the Thurderbird Wheel Line. Before his invention American farmers would have to physically pick up and move their long sprinklers by hand, at least 60,’ and then reassemble the device every time. Art created and refined the wheel structure and a sub liner that would keep the sprinkler straight, weighted (for spray direction) and more easily mobile. His Thunderbird improvements are still used to this day.

It Runs in the Family

Our family prides itself on its strong historical and familial ties with brewing and alcohol. Our owner, Susie's great grandfather was Jacob Schmidt (of Jacob Schmidt Brewing Company), so you might have thought she would get into crafting beer, but she has always enjoyed the crisp and refreshing taste of hard cider. And even though our immediate family has pursued the fermentation world of Cider, we’re committed to continue to embrace our history and “Grow with the Great (Pacific) Northwest”. Schmidt Brewing Company (1900-1954) will always have a special place in our hearts and act as a model of perseverance, and innovation.

 

“Amazing cider and beautiful atmosphere. Definitely a must to visit!”

— Reesa D.