Presque Isle Farm Cider opens taproom in downtown Alpena

What’s happening: When Dion and Molly Stepanski opened their tap room in downtown Alpena this past October, Molly says that their Irish and Scottish friends and neighbors could hardly contain their excitement. That’s because the Stepanskis’ brand of hard cider, Presque Isle Farm Cider, is something more akin to what’s enjoyed in the British Isles, a dry cider that’s not as sweet as what’s typically served in the United States. It all comes down to the manufacturing process though, as Presque Isle Farm proudly utilizes apples from Northern Michigan growers, offering a new twist on locally-sourced ingredients.

The Presque Isle Farm Cider tap room is located at 205 W. Chisholm St. in downtown Alpena.What it is: The Presque Isle Farm Cider tap room features eight rotating taps and various bottles of hard cider, as well as charcuterie boards, their homegrown certified organic greens and produce, and desserts. With plans to stay open year round, the PIF Cider tap room will host art exhibits, sip-and-paint events, open mic nights, concerts, and more.

Who they are: Presque Isle Farm was founded by Dion and Molly Stepanski on Dion’s family farm, a 40-acre centennial farm in Posen that has primarily served as a hobby and homesteading farm. The Stepanskis started growing various greens and produce before trying their hand at hard cider, perfecting the process over the years since moving to the area from New Orleans in 2014. They’re currently growing their own orchard, though it has yet to mature and Presque Isle Farm currently sources their apples from local growers.

Why downtown: “We definitely talked about creating a cidery where our farm is, but we were concerned that it wouldn't draw enough traffic. We're like three miles off the main road, and putting in parking and building everything and having all these people at our home — we started thinking that if we're going to do something like this, we're gonna have to go all in and open downtown,” Molly says. “We really wanted to be downtown so we can take full advantage of tourist season. And then when downtown Alpena became a social district, it was obvious that we were going downtown.”

The Presque Isle Farm Cider tap room is located at 205 W. Chisholm St. in downtown Alpena.

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