Sick of Beer? These Hard Cideries Are a Short Trip from Kalamazoo

Southwest Michigan has an abundance of locally brewed beer from places like Bell's Brewery, One-Well Brewing, Wax Wings Brewing, and so on. It's a very long list.

But, what about those that don't enjoy beer and would rather have something like a hard cider? Sure, most of these local breweries may offer one or two cider options, but for those who want to dine/drink at the place where the cider is actually made, where can they go?

Thankfully, there are at least 6 hard cideries that are a short distance from Kalamazoo:

1. Virtue Cider 

Virtue Cider, in Fennville, was founded in 2011. According to their website, they,

use local heirloom fruit, never add any sugar and craft our cider like wine on a sustainable solar powered farm.

Impressive! You can see a list of all of their offered ciders, read their full story, and even learn about the animals kept on the farm (that you can visit with) here.

2. Peat's Cider Social

Peat's Cider Social is uniquely set in a retro bowling alley in Stevensville. They've worked to restore decorative aspects of the bar to keep that 60's feel. However, Peat's Cider Social is open to all including children who would probably love the retro arcade room. See their hours, ciders offered, and more on their website.

3. Soil Friends Hard Cider Co. 

Soil Friends Hard Cider Co. is a first-generation pumpkin farm in Galesburg. They offer donuts, hard cider (obviously), and even goat feeding. Their website, which you can see here, doesn't give much clarity on the products offered. However, you can browse and shop for their hard ciders on their Facebook page.

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4. Farmhaus Cider Co. 

Farmhaus Cider Co. sits in what was once an abandoned barn in the middle of the woods in Hudsonville. It was owned by the founder's grandparents who came to the States from Germany. The barn was restored by those who went on to open Farmhaus Cider Co. Their full story is pretty interesting. You can see it plus all of their offered ciders on their website.

5. The Peoples Cider Co.

Located in Grand Rapids, this cidery got its start in the early 2000s when the owner, Jason, began fermenting apples in a fifty-gallon fermenter in a one-bedroom apartment he shared with his wife. With every batch, his success grew until he opened The Peoples Cider in 2011. You can read the full story, see their hours, and browse their selection of ciders on their website or Facebook page.

6. Painted Turtle Hard Cider 

The apples used for the Painted Turtle's cider are grown on a farm that has been in the family for five generations. Located in Lowell, their ciders are also hand-crafted in small batches with very select ingredients. They also just opened a taproom in the Red Barn Market in Lowell. Stay up to date on ciders offered by following them on Facebook.

There you have it, plenty of choices for the next time you're craving something other than beer. And with the cooler temperatures and changing leaves, a crisp hard cider sounds like a perfect pairing.