About Apple Barrel Cider Mill
Apple Barrel Cider Mill is on East Center Street in Ithaca, just off US-127, set back from the road on the south side. Chris and Marla Buerge opened it in 2010. Chris has grown apples since 1997, and the family's Apple Hill Farm on Alger Road supplies about 30 apple strains and varieties for the mill. The rustic shop is built with siding and beams salvaged from eight local barns.
Cider is pressed on site, and big glass windows let you watch it being made. The bakery turns out donuts, pies and fudge from scratch every day. In season you will also find apples, pumpkins, squash and mums, and a gift shop carries local crafts and honey.
Unlike many cider mills, Apple Barrel stays open all year, Monday through Saturday. Fall is the busiest stretch, with longer hours in September and October, and local regulars keep it going through winter.
Sixteen Sprigs Lavender Farm is about 15 minutes away near Alma. In June and July you can pick lavender there, then stop here for cider and a donut on the way back to US-127.
What to do
- Watch cider being pressed through the viewing windows
- Buy donuts, pies and fudge baked from scratch
- Pick up apples grown on the family's farm
- Shop pumpkins, squash and mums in fall
- Browse local crafts and honey in the gift shop
Season, hours and prices
- Season
- Open year-round Monday–Saturday; longer fall hours in September and October
- Hours
- Year-round Mon–Sat 7:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m.; September–October Mon–Thu 7:30 a.m.–6 p.m., Fri–Sat 7:30 a.m.–6:30 p.m. (2025 season, reported by the Detroit Free Press)
Tips for your visit
- The mill is set back from East Center Street on the south side, so watch for it as you leave US-127
- It is closed on Sundays
- Fall is the busiest season, with longer hours in September and October
Pair it with a lavender farm
Sixteen Sprigs Lavender Farm · about 15 minutes away
Sixteen Sprigs Lavender Farm near Alma is about 15 minutes away, an easy summer pairing with a cider and donut stop.
Getting there
Questions
Is Apple Barrel open year-round?
Yes, Monday through Saturday, with longer hours in September and October.
Where do the apples come from?
From the owners' Apple Hill Farm in Ithaca, which grows about 30 strains and varieties.
Is it open on Sundays?
No published Sunday hours; it is open Monday through Saturday.
🗺️ Part of the guide Things to Do Near the Lavender Farm of Gratiot County & Mt. Pleasant, Michigan
Checked in October 2026 against local tourism and news pages. Hours and seasons change, so check with them before you go. How we check listings · Is this your business? Claim it free
