Michigan Apple Cider Reviews (2010)

As the leaves begin to turn, thoughts turn to apple cider. There are countless orchards and cider mills throughout Michigan. Each one that produces cider, makes a slightly different cider. Cider can easily vary based on what type of apples you use and what proportions are those apples in. Some ciders are more tart, some more sweet, some are pasteurized, some are not. Just as some people like to go on wine tasting tours, I like going on my own apple cider tasting tours each fall.

On this page you will find a list of all the apple cider that I have tried this year. Hopefully this list will help direct you to some of the best cider available in Michigan. My rating system is 1 to 5 apples, with 1 being it was so bad I had to dump the stuff down the drain to 5 being I can't believe I drank the whole thing!

Middleton Farms Cider Mill (46462 Dequindre Road in Shelby Twp, MI)

This cider is more sweet than tart. It tastes good, however I felt the viscosity was closer to apple juice than apple cider.

Hy's Cider Mill (6350 37 Mile Road, Romeo, MI)

This is a sweet, mild-tasting cider. It's one of the most common ciders to find on Michigan grocery store shelves. Since it's sold in stores it comes pasteurized.

Kapnick Orchards (4245 Rogers Hwy Britton, MI 49229)

This is a sweet cider with a bit of tartness to it. It is definitely not too watered down. I do wish the apple flavor was a bit stronger.

Nemeth Orchards (available at the Ann Arbor Farmer's Market)

Wow! This is what I call apple cider! It has a wonderful apple flavor. It's like jamming a straw into an apple and drinking the contents. It id more sweet than tart, but there is enough acidity there so that the sweetness isn't overpowering. This cider comes unpasteurized.

Wasem's Fruit Farm (6580 Judd Rd Milan, MI 48160-9734)

This is a very good cider, with a nice sweet/tart balance and a good amount of apple flavor. It is among my favorites that I get every year.

Wolfe Orchards (available at the Ann Arbor Farmer's Market)

I was disappointed in this cider. It was too tart for me. It needs a much better balance of sweet and tart apples. The apple flavor was average.

Jenny's Farm Stand (8366 Island Lake Rd Dexter, MI)

This is tasty, sweet cider. Not too sweet to bother me. It doesn't have much tartness to it. It had the pure apple taste I am looking for in a cider.

Aseltines (From Comstock Park, found in various grocery stores throughout Michigan)

I mentioned Hy's cider was a common one found in Michigan grocery stores. If it's not Hy's in the store, chances are it's Aseltines. Their cider is pretty similar to Hy's. It's sweet with a mild flavor. A good cider, but not as good as some of my local farms have produced.

Karpo Farms (4771 Wyman Road, Tipton, MI)

Another nice sweet tasting cider with a great apple flavor. This cider I got at the Saline Farmer's Market. It is not pasteurized. I purchased a lot of peaches and apples this year from this farm. They grow some good stuff.