Tandem Ciders

Super cute place with sweet staff! I came here with a group and we did the cider flight tastings — they all rocked — and I got a pint of The Green Man. We sat outside by their apple trees in a garden and had a blast. It’s so quaint and adorable — a Norther Michigan must see-​for sure!

Into beer? Into wine? Are you the kind of person that prides yourself on being into good beer and wine? Then why haven’t you been to this place? Everyone was awesome. Cider is such an amazingly diverse and unique thing — there’s legitimately a cider for everyone. The people and the cider make this place. It’s far enough off M-​22 that you can seriously relax and enjoy what’s going on, but not so far that it’s out of the way. Pear cider. Cherry cider. Apple cider. Cider blends. Some dry. Some sweet. It’s an essential stop if you’re on M-​22. Or if you just like awesome stuff. It’s extremely reasonably priced for a tasting.

Tandem Ciders is a quaint little farm house with delicious ciders and excellent service. Employees are very knowledgeable. The tasting was very affordable. Great variety of local Michigan hard cider! Definitely worth the trip.

Tandem Ciders makes the best cider I have ever had. That’s really all there is to say, really, that it’s amazing.
I mean, the location is absolutely gorgeous. They had too many types of ciders to try all of them and be able to drive home (although maybe that’s just me being a lightweight). They make a number of delightfully dry ciders that are completely, refreshingly different from most. And hey, their sweeter ones hit the spot too. Did I mention the location is beautiful and I could spend all day there sipping cider and taking in the scenery? I told you that right?
I bought 4 bottles of cider to take home to Ohio with me, I only wish I could have afforded more. Go to Tandem Ciders. Sample to your heart’s content. Go home with cider. Be really, really happy. That’s all.

This place is AMAZING! It was a little tight at the bar with only one person working and a lot of people standing around and looking to try different ciders. However, once I settled on the Smackintosh and made my way outside, I knew I loved this place. Be careful, the cider is so drinkable you could throw a couple back without even realizing it!
My buddy and I grabbed some horseshoes while my other friend grabbed a seat at the nearby picnic table overlooking a beautiful field. Did I mention the Smackintosh was delicious? YES — you need to go here.

Best cider we have ever had! Every time we come to traverse city we make it a point to come here

We went to Tandem Ciders while traveling in North Michigan to see several wineries. We tried several in house and bought several bottles for home. The Macintosh (Smackintosh) was absolutely awesome. Its a fun place to go to also — as they have open areas to sit outside and enjoy a picnic or a pint.
Some of the best ciders I have ever had.

Love this place! The environment is cozy and great for small groups, even better if you can get in a game of darts, or cribbage. All their ciders are amazing and they are constantly trying new styles.
For our wedding, instead of getting champagne we got a keg of the Pretty Penny for our toast!
Everytime we go to Suttons Bay we stop there for a tasting and stock up for enough until we can make it back.
Be sure to get a pickled egg, too!

Make it a serious point to stop here if you are in Traverse City. It’s a welcomed change from all the wineries and breweries (don’t get me wrong, I love those too!).
We had the lucky opportunity to go on a day when it wasn’t too busy (the week between Christmas and New Years) which meant talking to Dan (I believe he’s the owner) a little bit and picking his brain. Really nice guy to chat with!
I would recommend trying all of the ciders. All so different, all so good. You can get some mixed together. You can get growlers. You can get howlers.
Biggest regret? Not buying a growler of the ginger ale! I still dream about it.

I went here on the most fridgidly-​freezing-​blizzardy-​iciest day in February and the bar was still somehow full!
Firstly — props on being open, as we saw several other area wineries had closed up shop for the day. It is a little off the beaten path, but with the power of the internet– who cares! Everyone gets complimentary tastings of their 4 ciders on tap, and all others are a buck a pour — not bad. Loved the vibe inside, I cannot wait to come back when the temperature is above zero.
We left with a howler of the plum cider — this was so different from any cider I have had before, super tart and full of plum flavor, am think about making a reduction out of it to serve over scallops…

I’m typically not a cider drinker but I thoroughly enjoyed this place. They offered free tastings of the four ciders they had on tap and let us mix and match to create unique ciders as well. They offered a wide variety of bottled cider and soda as well which you could pay a dollar to taste. This place is pretty small but really cozy. They had darts and it seemed like everyone coming in and out was a regular which made for a pretty cool vibe. We asked if they had a chess set and they delivered! Nothin better than sitting down with a game of chess and a craft cider. We ended up each taking a howler home which ran at $ 12 each– not bad. The Smackintosh was exceptional– it lacked the dryness that most ciders have which was a refreshing change of pace! Recommend. It’s a good way to change up the winery hop on the peninsula.

I loved this place, but I especially like cider. You get 4 free samples and they’re good and not overly sweet. The Tasting room is a barn with a bike attached to the side. It’s so cute! We got a bottle of their most popular cider, Smackintosh. There is also a nice seating area outside. The place was busy but we were able to get up to the bar and start tasting right away. The staff is attentive, and keeps the samples coming.

Great craft cider!
I am not a big cider drinker. I rarely buy it from the store and i never order it when i’m out. Much more into beers… especially of the craft variety.
However… there is something so fun about visiting a craft cider house. Especially Tandem. They’re tucked away in some orchards, and when the weather is nice, the outdoor seating is fantastic.
They have a perfect spectrum of flavors ranging from dry to sweet, so you’re guaranteed to find one you’ll enjoy sipping on. They also do some sodas which i’ve heard great things about.
If you make it in, ask your server for a tasting. they’ll be happy to help you find something you like.

We were driving around looking for this place and as we passed by I commented, «Aw that barn is so cute with the bicycle built for two on the front!» which was met by a sarcastic, «Hmm…I wonder if that could be Tandem Ciders…» haha. It didn’t necessarily look like a cidery it just looked like a really cute barn so be careful as you’re looking for it.
It’s pretty small and doesn’t fit a ton of people, so if they’re busy you have to wait. They give out free samples of the four ciders that they have on draft, and then if you want to try more you have to pay a buck. They’ve also got fancy sodas too.

They have a ton of hard ciders to try. They are very good ciders. Not quite great but worth a stop. Nice atmosphere but the employees are a little slow.

I knew right away that I was going to like it here when we pulled up! There were picnic tables full of folks and people playing horseshoes and unlike some of the other wineries, a lot of people just hanging out! Then they let us bring our dog in with us to try some ciders, which was great. I can’t say I love ciders or know a ton about them, but I surprised how tasty some of these were and really refreshing, just a clean simple apple taste, but so many different varieties. We went home with a bunch of bottles of cider. Something totally different to break up a day of wineries next time I am driving around Leelanau.

A state that grows apples should have a place with great ciders, and Tandem delivers. Set on a sweet country road, this place never dissapoints. It can get crowded in summer, and then it’s hard to get served, but that’s the price to pay for a great local cider. They sell growlers, too, if you feel inspired.
Do the flight/​tasting to find your groove.

MMMmmmm… I love me some cider. Good local cider. This place is a gem. It’s on the side of the road next to orchards. It’s a nice break from the typical wineries that are everywhere in the area (which is fine, but something fresh is great)
I am not used to being in this area so I remember the beautiful drive up here on a slightly rainy Sunday and passing orchard after orchard. When we arrived, I was excited to try some ciders! I was definitely impressed with the selection. Each cider had a distinct flavor and were delicious. I chose to purchase a bottle to take home to share with those back in Indiana.
My only complaint, which I understand, are the fruit flies. They do everything on site so they are pressing cider behind the bar pretty much. Therefore, there are a lot of fruit flies. It was unexpected but hey, it happens. I get it. It’s just kinda obnoxious. Also the bar is small so there isn’t a lot of room if you brought a group of people…

Straight up, this is a cool little joint. If I lived up here, I would easily find myself here all the time. It’s super tiny inside, room for a bar, a few tables, and a dart board.
What caught my eye, along with all the hard cider, was the Picked Eggs. I’ve seen the jars before in many places but never the guts to try them. Now is my chance. I anticipated a pretty strong vinegar flavor, one to make my eyes water. It was furthest from the truth. To my surprise, it had only a mild vinegar flavor and the hot sauce gives it a nice balance between bitter and hot. The bartender mentioned that they make them every several days because they go through them so quickly.
Since I was so impressed with the experience, I’m looking forward to trying it at more places.

If you’re up on the Leelanau side of things, you HAVE to swing by here if hard ciders are your thing. This little place serves up some great tasting ciders that really leave a lasting impression on you… or maybe its how much you drink of them. *shrug*
Smackintosh… Prince Harry… and then even their apple brandy. Holy wowza. Its a very impressive place to go, small, so if you’re going on a busy weekend, you can almost guarentee you’re going to be waiting for a tasting. But trust me, its every bit worth the wait!