Uncle John’s Cider Mill

Our founders John and Carolyn Beck purchased the “family farm” from John’s parents in the early 1970s. Originally run as a wholesale fruit and vegetable farm, the young Becks had to find an innovative way to keep the farm in operation.  Then it came to them. They needed to make apple cider and donuts. John’s parents were skeptical of the new business plan. Understanding the elder Beck’s concerns, the young entrepreneurs pressed on with the decision to convert the barn into a cider mill. Through hard work and faith in their efforts, the business began to take off, allowing them to grow. Cider and donuts were followed by pies, breads, preserves, and syrups, and barns were transformed into a Cider Mill, Bakery, Gift Shop, and Taproom.

In the early 2000s, in keeping with the spirit of entrepreneurship, their son Mike began to see the potential for making hard ciders with their fresh-pressed apple juice. With the help of a federal value-added agricultural grant, he was able to move forward with this dream. Today, Uncle John’s Hard Cider can be found in retail stores, bars, and restaurants around the Midwest.