St. Joseph Cidery Named Best in Nation by USA Today’s 10Best

(KNSI) – A Stearns County cidery has earned the title of 2021’s Best Cidery by USA Today’s 10Best.

A panel of cider experts picked out some of the best cidermakers in the U.S., and then a public vote determined that Milk & Honey Ciders near St. Joseph earned the top spot on the list.

Peter Gillitzer, Milk & Honey co-owner and cidermaker, says he and his coworkers were pleasantly surprised when they found out they had earned the Best Cidery title.

“It’s kind of a testament to our community and our guests and our fellow cider drinkers,” he said. “We’ve been working hard at this for 10 years this fall, and it felt good just for our team.”

When the voting period was open, Gillitzer said he heard from customers that they were voting for Milk & Honey. After Milk & Honey Ciders was named the best in the country, he said they got lots of emails, texts and calls about it, and the news brought regulars and new customers into the cidery’s sampling room.

“It was just fun to see that interaction,” Gillitzer said. “There’s some local pride there, for sure — a little Minnesota, backwoods cidery taking that award.”

Though Milk & Honey ciders can be purchased in multiple states, Gillitzer says the business’ focus is on Central Minnesota. That shows up in its structure.

“We’re a vertically integrated cider company,” Gillitzer said. “We have everything from the orchards up through the pressing and processing facilities. We have a large cellar on-site, and then we do our own distribution. … We also have, as many people know, a sampling room just outside of St. Joseph, and that’s available for people to come out and walk around the orchard and have a glass of cider and maybe get a tour and just enjoy rural Stearns County.”

The cidery also focuses on using specific apple varieties that are grown and bred to be good for fermenting.

The top 10 cideries in the U.S. are spread around the country, from #4 One Tree Hard Cider in Washington State to #7 North Country Hard Cider in Hew Hampshire.

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