Our Ciders

The intention at Tandem Ciders is to produce ciders that reflect the beauty of the apple. The apple, with its godly omens and its air of fecundity, is considered the most mysterious of all fruits. Ancient lore tells of quests for Paradise, a divine location that houses a sacred tree; many texts believe this tree to be an apple. Aryan, Germanic, and Celtic cultures consider the apple to be the universal fruit, and across the world, the apple is a symbol of fertility and eternal life.

As apples come in all different shapes, size, and flavors, Tandem Ciders hopes to capture and bottle all the mystery, splendor, and diversity of the apple in our ciders. Our ciders will also reflect character of the land where the apples are grown. Native Americans aptly named Leelanau Peninsula, which is translated as “Land of Delight.”

This region is steeped in agricultural tradition as fruit trees have been grown in the country for over 100 years. The scenic beauty and rural character make Leelanau County a desirable place to live and visit. We hope to build on Leelanau’s offerings as we will ferment, blend, and bottle all our ciders at our farm within the County.

As with any craftsman, the ability to transform raw materials into a composition requires patience, passion, and a little elbow grease. With these ideals in mind, Tandem Ciders strives for culinary artistry in its ciders. Our products will begin with superior apples that will echo farmers’ time and hard work. Each small batch of fruit will be turned into juice with a traditional rack and cloth press. The juice will then be fermented using standard styles, and the resulting cider will be bottled ‘straight’ or blended with a little Leelanau County imagination. As we keep on fermenting, we hope to keep on improving with each passing season.

Ciders in a Can: Simple and Without Pretense