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What is a cider mill?

A cider mill is a place where apples are ground and pressed into fresh apple cider. In the US the term usually means a farm business that presses and sells sweet, non-alcoholic cider, often in autumn, and some also make hard cider. The word can also mean the grinding machine itself, which turns apples into pulp before pressing.

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Key facts

  • What happens there. Apples are washed, ground into pulp and pressed; a Tennessee extension guide describes grinding apples and pressing the pulp to make cider at home. [1] The machinery is explained in how a cider press works.
  • Safety rules. Michigan's agriculture department has Good Manufacturing Practices for apple cider makers, and "Michigan law also requires every Michigan cider mill to have a certified food safety specialist as an active staff member." [2] [3]
  • Warning labels. In the US, packaged juice and cider that has not been treated to kill harmful bacteria must carry a warning label, but FDA "does not require warning labels for juice or cider that is sold by the glass", for example at apple orchards and roadside stands. [4] Pasteurization rules are covered in where to buy apple cider.

What can you buy at a cider mill?

  • Fresh apple cider. Unfiltered, non-alcoholic pressed juice; see what sweet cider is.
  • Hard cider. Some mills also ferment and sell alcoholic cider under a winery or cider licence.
  • Apples and farm produce. Many are part of an orchard or farm shop.

Because "cider" means fresh juice in much of the US, ask or read the label if you want the alcoholic kind; the glossary entry for hard cider explains the term.

Where are cider mills most common?

Cider mills are most common in apple-growing states, and Michigan is the classic example. It produced 1,064 million pounds of commercial apples in 2025, third after Washington and New York, from 37,000 bearing acres. [5] Michigan's agriculture department publishes Good Manufacturing Practices for "both fresh and treated apple cider", written for its cider mills. [2] Cider Radar lists 73 cider makers in Michigan (as of 2026-10-02). For other apple states, see where cider is made in the US.

Where can I find a cider mill near me?

Many mills open only in the pressing season, so search for makers near you on a map and check each mill's website for opening times. For fresh cider elsewhere, see where to buy apple cider.

Related answers: how a cider press works · where to buy apple cider

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Cider, perry, calvados and pommeau are alcoholic drinks. Enjoy responsibly and follow the legal drinking age where you live.

Questions

Is a cider mill the same as a cidery?

Not quite. A cider mill mainly presses fresh, non-alcoholic apple cider, while a cidery ferments hard cider. Many businesses do both.

Is cider from a cider mill pasteurized?

It depends on the mill. In the US, untreated juice and cider sold at farms or stands may be unpasteurized and must then carry a warning label, unless sold by the glass. [4]

When are cider mills open?

Mostly in autumn, during the apple harvest and pressing season, when they sell fresh cider; some stay open all year with a farm shop or hard cider. Opening days vary, so check each mill's website before you go.

Sources

  1. Home Apple Cider Production (SP307-O) — University of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service
  2. Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) and Food Safety Certification for Michigan Apple Cider Producers — Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD)
  3. Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) for Michigan Apple Cider — Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD)
  4. What You Need to Know About Juice Safety — FDA
  5. Noncitrus Fruits and Nuts 2025 Summary (May 2026) — USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS)

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