Wisconsin's First Cider Bar Opens in Walker's Point

Walker's Point is now home to "Lost Valley Cider Company." The bar features more than 20 ciders on tap and 120 varieties in bottles and cans from around the country and world. 

Father and daughter- Stuart and Chandra Rudolph- paired up to open the cider bar. Both have a passion for travel and the sweet drink, so they brought the two together to create "Lost Valley." The name pays homage to a family property out east. As kids, Stuart and his siblings would camp out on what they called the "Lost Valley." Since then, he's traveled around the country. 

"Our whole mission is sharing the exploration of the ciders of the world as an adventure with our customers," said Stuart.  
"We feel ciders are worth exploring. That's kind of our theme," said Chandra.  

Originally, the pair wanted to open a cidery to craft their own cocktails. Instead, they decided to showcase the many options that already exist, many of which weren’t available in Wisconsin. Now, they hope to not only offer the drink but also educate customers about its rich history.

“Cider is an old beverage that came over with the Founding Fathers and was actually part of the westward expansion of homesteads,” said Stuart. “It’s on a huge comeback because of the great variety, the flavor.”

Both Stuart and Chandra describe cider as sophisticated, yet approachable.

“I like the variety that cider offers. I also like how refreshing it is,” said Chandra. “You can have more than one.”

As for location, the pair says they like that Walker's Point was drawing in new people and businesses, yet maintaining Milwaukee's history. 

"This used to be an old candy factory. We salvaged the fire door that you see when you first walk in. There are window panes that are on the front of the bar that were actually salvaged from the building. We put a little cream city brick in there," said Chandra. 

While cider is the focus, the bar does have beer, wine and liquor available. They also serve popcorn and cheese plates.

Lost Valley is open Wednesday through Sunday. It’s located at 408 W. Florida Street in Milwaukee. For more information, click here.

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