Island Orchard Cider Celebrates Five Years in Ellison Bay

Photo by Katie Sikora.

A warm summer morning greeted the crew of Island Orchard Cider as they installed a new bar in the tasting room of the production facility on Garrett Bay Road in Ellison Bay. “A fine way to celebrate five years in this space,” observed Bob Purman, co-owner along with his wife, Yannique. The tasting room opened in August of 2011 after their orchard on Washington Island began to produce enough fruit for cider making.

“It expands our capacity and brightens the place up so customers can enjoy our free tastings,” commented Yannique. The new bar is constructed of recycled cement slabs with ash accents that tie in nicely with the building’s industrial style. Along with a new expanse of handmade wooden shelving and a recent color change to the exterior of the building, these updates freshen the space as the couple looks to broaden offerings and activities in Ellison Bay. “We have a long-term vision that includes more space and more offerings that can help draw more visitors to Northern Door,” said Bob.

Island Orchard Cider grows fruit on Washington Island then handcrafts hard cider in a micro-production facility in Ellison Bay. The tasting room is open Noon to 6 pm, Sunday through Thursday, and Noon to 9 pm, Friday and Saturday. Watch for updates on Facebook.com.