A trip to grab doughnuts and cider is a classic rite of autumn in Michigan, and you may even get to enjoy fall colors on the way.
From metro Detroit to Kalamazoo, the Flint area and beyond, there are dozens of local cider mills to patronize this season. Many offer family-friendly activities and a chance to pick your own pumpkins or seasonal produce.
Some Michigan cider mills are already harvesting apples and making the refreshing drink, while also selling a variety of sweet baked goods. Other businesses are just days away from launching their fall seasons.
In Traverse City, the Up North Cider Fest is coming up Sunday, Sept. 14, offering a lineup of more than 60 ciders from 14 Michigan cideries, live music and local food, organizers said in a news release. The Michigan Cider Association will host the event from 2-6:30 p.m. at Village Pavilion & Piazza at Grand Traverse Commons.
“Michigan is the Great Cider State, and we’re thrilled to bring so many incredible makers together in one place,” Michigan Cider Association Executive Director Paula Englin said in the release. “Up North Cider Fest is about more than just cider — it’s about celebrating Michigan ‘s rich agriculture, warm community, and the unbeatable flavors of fall.”
The seasonal tradition dates back centuries and represents a cornerstone of local agriculture, with Michigan business owners carrying on family legacies of 19th century mills, serving up sweet treats for communities across the state.
Michigan harvested an estimated 30.5 million bushels of apples in 2024, the Michigan Apple Committee said. There are more than 17.6 million apple trees in commercial production, covering 38,000 acres on 850 family-run farms in Michigan.
Michigan’s official apple crop estimate of 30 million bushels (1.26 billion pounds) was announced Aug. 15 as part of the USApple Outlook meeting in Chicago.
Here’s what to know about cider mills in Michigan.
When do Michigan’s cider mills reopen for fall 2025?
There are many cider mills across Michigan. Here are opening dates and schedules for some mills across the state:
How can I find other apple orchards in Michigan?
The Michigan Apple Committee provides an interactive map on its website highlighting Michigan orchards. The map shows both farm markets and cider mills.
What is a cider?
When people say “apple cider,” they usually talk about a non-alcoholic beverage in the United States and Canada. The drink is made by pressing apples to extract the fresh juice left unfiltered, Vermont’s Champlain Orchards said. The result is a tangy, refreshing drink that can be served hot or cold, perfect for cozy fall evenings or chilled summer afternoons.
The non-alcoholic cider is often enjoyed immediately or shortly after production, preserving its fresh apple taste. Since it hasn’t been fermented, there’s no alcohol involved. However, if left unpasteurized and unrefrigerated for an extended period, the natural sugars in the juice can start to ferment, leading to alcohol formation.
If there’s alcohol involved, the drink is specifically labeled as “hard cider.”
A cider mill is a mill where apples are crushed with the juice turned into cider, a popular fall beverage served hot or cold. In Michigan, many apple orchards operate cider mills to produce the beverage from the varieties of fresh apples grown on their property.
How did cider mills get started?
Cider traces its roots to Europe, where it is typically fermented and served as an alcoholic beverage, per and Manoff Market Gardens and Falstaff, a European dining magazine.
European settlers planted apple trees in colonial North America in the 17th century, bringing over the custom of turning their apples into cider as a popular beverage, Manoff Market Gardens and Happy Valley Ranch Cider Press say.
Cider mills across the U.S. now offer cider as a fall staple, a non-alcoholic beverage, though the alcoholic version, known as hard cider, is also available at cideries nationwide, including in Michigan.
In Michigan, many cider mills are family-owned dating back several generations to the 19th century.
Contact Jenna Prestininzi: jprestininzi@freepress.com.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Apples are starting to fall from trees. When, where to visit for cider, sweet treats
Reporting by Jenna Prestininzi, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
