Virtue Cider

Goose Island’s Greg Hall Reclaims Virtue Cider From Anheuser Busch-InBev | Eater Chicago

"Founded in 2011 and sited on a rustic 48-acre farm in Fennville, Michigan (about 140 miles from Chicago), this cidery was sold to Anheuser‑Busch InBev in 2015 and bought back by founder Greg Hall in 2023, with the deal closing over the summer. Hall — who jokes that two sales to the multinational earned him unparalleled hatemail and is now a birder with strong opinions on Michigan’s state bird — says the decision to sell was a “no brainer,” and that “They made a lot of promises,” adding, “I’m like — we’ll see what they keep. They kept all of it, you know.” Part of the rationale for the original sale was difficulty competing with the surge in demand for 12‑ounce cans and mass‑market ciders found at music venues and stadiums; Hall resisted the perception shaped by first‑to‑market brands like Angry Orchard, Vander Mill, and Woodchuck and fought the idea that cider should be a juice‑box product. “I think there’s, there’s really no reason why cider can’t be bigger in the States,” Hall says, and he frames cider as a beverage with a food‑friendly acidity: “Cider’s got more acid than anything.” Now independent again, he’s reinstating 760 ml bottles and reviving the members‑only Cider Society, which will offer seasonal varieties such as Roxbury Russet, a cider aged in French oak barrels and described as reminiscent of pinot grigio. The business strategy shifts toward direct‑to‑consumer sales and more selective retail partnerships — Hall doesn’t want to “share shelf space with glorified juice boxes” — and a renewed focus on the farm: renovations planned for 2025 include a new kitchen with a rotisserie (Hall’s top wish is poulet roti) so patrons can order picnic baskets with chicken and bottles of cider, outdoor communal tables will remain, and live music has returned after disappearing during COVID. The tasting room will be reworked to treat cider with the seriousness often reserved for wine, occasional pop‑ups with big‑name chefs will create cider‑pairing dinners for travelers, and on the site you’re more likely to find a crepe stand and curated cheese pairings than cider doughnuts. Hall contrasts his farm‑focused approach with the prior owner’s emphasis on big‑box distribution: “They were less concerned with what we’re doing in Fennville than what we were doing with Jewel and — you know — Kroger, and Meijer,” he says. Renovations could be finished by summer, but will force a two‑week closure in January." - Ashok Selvam