Apples & Cider at The Apple Barrel

Apple Barrel Cider Mill is known for its premium apple cider. During the fall, we have numerous varieties of Michigan-grown apples that are blended to produce delicious, 100% natural apple cider. We take pride in selecting the best quality and balance of apples to give you the greatest tasting apple cider you can find.

Our Apple Varieties

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First week of August – our earliest apple.

Tart & soft, a favorite sauce apple.

Paula Red

Early August.

Tart & soft – an old favorite for pies & sauce.

Zestar

Third week of August.

Sweet-tart & crunchy – an excellent eating apple.

Ginger Gold

1st week of September.

This sweet-spicy apple has a succulent texture and rich taste.

Honeycrisp

Early September to Mid-October

Explosively juicy and crisp, Honeycrisp apples have quickly become the most sought-after apple on the farm! Stores very well.

Blondee

Early September

Very crisp, Gala-type apple, sweet and a bit tart, with more flavor than Gala. Stores very well.

Macintosh

Early-to-mid-September

Ultra-juicy white flesh, lightly tart flavor and excellent fresh apple aroma. Excellent in sauce, salads, cider & pies.

Golden Supreme

Mid-September

Early Golden Delicious-type apple, with smoother skin and higher flavor than its parent.

Empire

Late September

Empire is a firm apple that is hard to bruise, sweet and very crisp. Stores extremely well and makes a fine apple pie.

Sweet Sixteen

Early October

Rosy red, crisp, juicy & sweet. Perfect fresh or baked into pies, crisps, & cobblers. Apples are medium/large & store well.

Fuji

Early October

Fantastic sweet and tart flavor, with a low acid content. An incredibly good keeper, Fuji stays crisp for weeks!

Northern Spy

Mid-October

This apple is a professional baker’s dream! Popular because of its tart, acidic properties that make it cook up well. This is our favorite pie apple.

Red Delicious

Early October

Firm, crunchy apple with a mild sweet flavor. Best for fresh eating.

Jonagold

Early-to-Mid-October

Superbly crisp and juicy with shades of tart and sweet in each apple. Usually large and aromatic. A very popular apple.

Ida Red

Early October

The taste is both tangy and tart, flesh is white, crisp, and juicy. Favored for sauces, pies, and desserts. Texture holds up well when baked.

Golden Delicious

Late September

A sweet, all-purpose apple. Yellow with an occasional pink blush.

Gala

Early September
Sub-acid, crisp, snappy bite over a mellow sweetness. Michigan’s 3rd most popular apple. Stores well.
We also have a later variety picked in mid-October.

Pink Lady

Early-to-mid-October

Named for its bright pink skin, this versatile apple is great for eating out of hand as well as in salads, pies, sauces, baking, and freezing. Stores very well.

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Apple Cider, Hot Cider & Cider Slushies

Fresh Apple Cider

We select Michigan-grown apples, blend them for the best flavors & press the cider right here! Watch our cider press in action in the fall, during Apple Harvest.

Cider Slushies & Floats

Frozen, refreshing apple cider!
We also make Cider Slushie Floats – our traditional Cider Slushie topped with Vanilla Ice Cream.
Available May – December.