As beer breweries proliferate, some brewers are switching to a new handmade beverage concoction â hard cider. Kevin Williams got a taste of beverage crafting on a large scale while working for The Walter Brewing Company in Pueblo. When he decided to strike out on his own, he returned to his native Penrose and opened Apple Valley Cider Co. Andy Brown, who worked for 15 years at several large Colorado breweries, decided he wanted a new challenge and started C Squared Ciders in Denver. When he faced a large rent increase, he bought a former apple orchard in Penrose and moved C Squared Ciders into an old apple and cherry packing barn on the property.