Northern Natural Cider Flight
Bottoms Up
Those of us who frequently, and oh so sadly, have to eschew hard cider for fear of the headaches their hidden sulfites will bring to our bean, fall is not lost: the Mackey family — owners of the award-winning Northern Natural Cider House & Winery in Kaleva — have developed a process that naturally removes the sulfites from every single one of their ciders, all of which are made from premium ingredients and USDA-certified organic fruit; never fruit concentrates.
We suggest you start, as we did, with the Northern Star Hard Cider and Lavender Apple Hard Cider — both gold award-winning medalists at the World Cider Championships and so fresh and fragrant they taste as though they’ve just been plucked from the orchard and pressed into your glass.
But if you’re not driving, we highly recommend trying a sampler flight of as many of their innovative apple-and matings as your head can handle: Blueberry Apple, Elderberry Apple, Chocolate Cherry, Cherry Ginger, Blueberry Waffle, Season’s End, Hibiscus Rose, and Sweet Orange Blossom — to name just a few. Some you can find in 12-ounce bottles at a growing number of retailers Up North, but if you want your tastebuds to truly lift off, a mixed flight on-site is the way to go.
Find the Northern Natural’s tasting room (pet-friendly and with frequent live music, fantastic food trucks, and only outdoor seating) at 7220 Chief Rd., just east of US-131, between Manistee and Bear Lake. (231) 889-0064, www.northernnaturalwinery.com