Madison HammondThe Detroit News
As the summer nears a close, cider mills around Michigan are gearing up for their prime season. This year, pay attention to where the classic fall drink takes on a new life in its alcoholic version: hard cider.
The fermented alcoholic drink is made from apple juice — and Michigan has plenty of apples. It is the second largest apple producing state as of 2023, according to the USDA, with an estimated 32 million bushels each season. According to a 2020 report from the Michigan Craft Beverage Council, the Michigan hard cider industry uses some of those apples to create an estimated $35.1 million in gross state product.
Much of this production comes from local brands. Spicer Orchards in Fenton has been making the hard ciders they serve in Spicer’s Winery since 2008. Today, the team makes 250 to 300 barrels of hard cider a year — all by hand and in-house.
William Cartwright, beverage production supervisor at Spicer Orchards, was a home brewer for about 20 years before he started playing around with hard ciders. After making a few at home, he talked to the owners of the orchard about collaborating to develop hard ciders. While things initially didn’t work out, a few years later Spicer Orchards approached Cartwright.
“We just started," he said. "I was making hard ciders, having them try it, and they thought it was something that worked really well with the farm and everything we do.”
The start of the process for making hard cider looks the same as making regular cider. But the cider intended to be fermented tastes a bit different and is typically made with special apple blends.
“We use a lot of Northern Spies, Cortlands, Roxbury Russets and Goldens,” he said.
The apples used to make Spicer’s hard ciders all come from the Spicer Orchard. But why these types of apples? “It’s the complexity of the apple, it balances out really nice in a hard cider,” Cartwright said.
“You have to think of it a lot different than sweet cider. Sweet cider, you always want to have a sweeter tasting cider," he said. "Raw hard cider, before it’s fermented, might not appeal to you like a sweet cider, but then the complexity of the apples really shows up after it’s fermented.”
Once the fresh cider is made, it goes into fermenting tanks. Once it is fermented, it is clarified, and any larger solids are removed. Then, the mixture is put into a brite tank for carbonation. The whole process, not counting the time to make the fresh cider, takes six to seven weeks.
Spicer’s Hard Ciders are served at Spicer’s Winery, open 11 a.m.-7 p.m. daily. They offer more than just the original hard cider with different flavors added after the fermentation process. The lineup changes with the seasons; some seasonal flavors are Cranberry, Blueberry Lavender and Pina Colada.
“It’s kind of trial and error, what tastes good for us, and then we offer it to people. If they like it, we continue to make it,” Cartwright said. “We try to stick to the fruit based mostly, because we are a fruit farm, so we try to use what we can here.”
According to Cartwright, whose favorite Spicer’s Hard Cider is the Original, one of the most popular flavors is Sweet Williams. The cider is named after Cartwright himself, who first made the semi-sweet hard drink. A 16-ounce glass of hard cider at the winery costs $7 plus tax. A 16-ounce bottle to go, or prowler, costs $7 for a new one and $6 for a refill. A half-gallon growler will set you back $16.49 for a new one and $13.49 for a refill. Prices may vary for one-off and seasonal flavors.
Spicer Orchards (10411 Clyde Road, Fenton) is open year-round.
While not every cider mill will get you tipsy, here’s a list of others in Metro Detroit to visit this fall.
Wiard’s Cider Mill and Apple Orchard
5565 Merritt Road, Ypsilanti
Country Store open Tuesday-Sunday from 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. starting in September
The oldest continually owned family business in Michigan since it opened in 1837, this cider mill also has U-pick apples and pumpkins. During September and October, Wiard’s has a Country Fair open Wednesday through Sunday with a corn maze, petting farm, wagon rides and more. The Country Store and Farm Bakery offers baked goods like doughnuts and sweets like caramel apples, jams and jellies.
Country Fair Tickets: $18 for weekdays, $26.50 for weekends
Visit wiards.com
Goodison Cider Mill
4295 Orion Road, Rochester
9 a.m. – 6 p.m. starting Labor Day
Along with the other classic cider mill treats like donuts, Goodison Cider Mill also sells their Pistachio Nut Bread and handmade caramel. Stop by on Sundays in September and October for activities like a balloon artist, pony rides and acoustic music.
Visit goodisoncidermill.com
Yates Cider Mill
1950 E. Avalon Road, Rochester Hills
11 a.m. – 9 p.m.
In the summer, they serve ice cream; in the fall, Yates Cider Mill serves apple fritters – but only on Fridays. The oldest cider mill in Michigan (since 1863), Yates uses a traditional water-powered press to make the cider. Stop by this fall to shop for apples, apparel, cider and doughnuts, or walk along the trails and sit at the picnic areas.
Visit yatescidermill.com
Franklin Cider Mill
7450 Frankin Road, Bloomfield Hills
8 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. starting Aug. 31
The Franklin Cider Mill presses its own cider, which visitors can watch on-site in the main visitor area. They also make fresh doughnuts each day from the same German recipe as they have in the past 80 years. If you have dietary restrictions, don’t fret: the mill also offers gluten-free doughnuts and vegan scones.
Visit franklincidermill.com
Blake’s Orchard & Cider Mill
17985 Armada Center Road, Armada
8 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Blake’s Armada location doesn’t just have U-pick seasonal fruit and vegetables, Blake’sFunlandoffers more than 25 activities geared toward children and families and a Farm Store and Bakery. It also has Blake’s Tasting Room and Restaurant, where guests can eat while sipping on one of Blake’s own hard ciders.
Visit blakefarms.com
Three Cedars Farm
7897 Six Mile, Northville
10 a.m. – 8 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, 10 a.m. – 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday starting Aug. 30
Three Cedars Farm has a Cider & Donut Hut with a wide range of cider snacks: caramel apples, cider slushes, doughnuts and both hot and pasteurized cider. Visitors can also pick pumpkins at the U-pick patch, attempt the corn maze ($5/person), take a hayride ($5/person) or train ride ($4/person) and play in the barn yard playland.
Visit threecedarsfarm.org
