Cider has been in the Beck family for generations. Whether its production was legal or not is another story, but the current generation, with Mike Beck at the helm, is playing by all the rules and bringing Michigan cider to the forefront of the industry. The original 1918 packing house was converted into a cider mill in the 1970s by Beck’s parents, and when the time came to pass the fifth-generation, 240-acre farm down, Beck decided to turn those apples into Uncle John’s Hard Cider.
More than 20 varieties of apples (plus peaches, cherries, strawberries, raspberries and even asparagus) flourish on the farm, and Beck makes the most of it, bottling single-varietal heirloom apples alongside fruit-infused four-pack cans and draft selections. In a project with Michigan State University (Beck’s alma mater), the cidery took the state’s two hottest commodities and blended them together: apples and cherries. Today, the Apple Cherry is a regular on Uncle John’s menu and gives it to you straight. Juicy apple and tart cherry marry to embody orchard freshness, finding cherry blossom notes and gentle acid in the semi-sweet finish. An easy match for sharp cheeses like Manchego or grilled pork with a fruit compote.
