Monique Tribble’s earliest connection with cider roots itself in the quaint orchard of her great-grandparents on the Oregon coast. An annual familial affair of pressing apples was a childhood ritual that, unknowingly, laid the foundation for her future career.
“My great-grandparents had a small ranch with an orchard and for many years my family would press apples on this adorable tiny little press and we would fill our freezers with jugs of apple juice,” Tribble recalls. “My mom and aunts still whip out that press every once in a while. Never in a million years did I think I would have a career where I did that on a large scale.”
Tribble’s trajectory into the beverage realm was anything but conventional. Once a collegiate basketball player at Corban University in Salem, Oregon, her pivot toward the world of cider began during her tenure at a Willamette Valley winery. “I transitioned from a sales associate to the cellar, learning the intricacies of winemaking,” she recalls. “It was during this time that a couple of experienced winemakers took me under their wings, teaching me the craft. After that, an opportunity in cider presented itself, and I learned that the transition from wine to cider was fairly straightforward. I just fell in love with it.”
Her initiation into the cider industry found its roots at Wandering Aengus, where Tribble, almost by default, assumed the mantle of head cidermaker at the Salem, Oregon, cidery. Then came a turning point. “I met my now wife and moved my life to Seattle where I started working for Seattle Cider, and helped the Republic of Cider get started in the evenings,” she says. “I began working at Yonder in October 2020, not long after they started as a company.”
From Childhood Orchards to Cider Innovator: Monique Tribble’s Journey
Monique witnessed Yonder’s ascent from its embryonic stages. Her role quickly metamorphosed into head cidermaker, mirroring the company’s remarkable growth. “I was brought in as a cidermaker specifically for product development which turned into a role where I happily wore many hats,” she says. “I’ve never worked for a company experiencing such rapid growth — it’s been truly incredible to be a part of it.”
At the core of Yonder’s distinctiveness lies its adeptness at bridging the realms of cider, beer and cocktails. “Our foundation rests upon the fruits we infuse into our products. We press cider fruit in the fall and culinary apples year-round,” she says. “We ferment a lot of cider-specific apples and our process is often similar to blending wine. This is my first job in the cider industry where we are taking 20-plus different single varietals and blending those into products to hit key flavor notes. Most of our ciders are conceived with specific cocktails in mind.”
Crafting Unique Flavors
A recent addition to the portfolio, Yonder’s spring seasonal called Mazama, stands out for its daring flavor experimentation. “It might just be the craziest cider I’ve ever made,” she says. Mazama incorporates unique flavors, such as orange peel, lemon verbena leaf, pear juice for sweetness and, most notably, fennel. “To me and the team, it pulls one of two ways: sausage or absinthe,” she says. “It was challenging to get these four flavors to work together but once we hit it, we hit it. This one was inspired by a gorgeous vermouth out of California.”
Tribble imparts a crucial lesson she’s imbibed along the way – the significance of embracing diverse stylistic approaches. “Years ago, I might have tasted something unconventional and dismissed it,” she says. “Today, I find myself savoring beverages and contemplating the intricate journey each bottle or can has undertaken, appreciating it for its uniqueness.”
As a member of the BIPOC community in an industry gradually awakening to the need for diversity, Tribble remains hopeful about her role in providing representation. This Black History Month, she reflects on the changes that the decades have brought.
“Growing up in a town with very few other members of the BIPOC community, I recall the profound impact of seeing someone who ‘looked like me,’ ” Tribble recalls. “Being part of an industry that is just beginning to embrace real diversity, I aspire to offer a version of that feeling to other producers aspiring to enter this realm.”
Her message to fellow BIPOC cider and winemakers resounds with positivity. “Be a positive representation of what diversity in this industry can mean – beyond race. It means diversity of flavors, of processes and thought,” Tribble says.
