Virtue Cider founder Gregory Hall, a pioneer in the farmhouse cider industry and a major player in Southwest Michigan’s craft beverage landscape, has repurchased the proper farmhouse cider brand from beer titan Anheuser-Busch. Nestled in the distinctive fruit-growing terroir of coastal Southwest Michigan, which Greg deems the “Napa Valley of cider making,”
Virtue Cider is taking its sustainable old-world production methods back to its independent roots, bringing the brand’s deep commitment to clean, high-quality ciders to new heights with a series of announcements for the new era. These include a full distribution overhaul, a farmhouse tasting room renovation coupled with a new menu direction, guest chef dinners, local artist collaborations and a reinvigorated direct-to-drinker subscription service delivering sustainable sips nationwide.
“My heart and soul have always been devoted to crafting independent beverages that connect with our local community,” says Hall. “I’ve poured myself into building both Goose Island and Virtue Cider on this foundation, guided by a passion for creativity and collaboration. As Virtue Cider enters this new chapter, I’m excited to return to our roots, refine our winemaker’s approach to craft cider, and rediscover the sense of independence that inspires us and helps us grow.”
Following his 20-year tenure at Goose Island Beer Company, founded by his father John Hall, Greg immersed himself in European cider culture, soaking up time-honored techniques from some of England and France’s top cider craftsmen. He brought that same spirit home to the United States, purchasing the brand’sFennville, Michigan farm in 2011 and building a haven for craft cider production anchored in two ingredients: apples and time.
Hall sold a 51% stake in Virtue Cider to Anheuser-Busch in 2015 and reacquired the brand in late summer 2024. A constant throughout Virtue Cider’s history, the brand will continue to use only local heirloom fruit with absolutely no added sugar, uplifting the apple farmers of the Midwest’s “Cider Coast” and raising a glass to sustainable Michigan-made sips.
WHAT TO EXPECT IN VIRTUE CIDER’S NEW CHAPTER:
Once again embracing its spirit of independence, Virtue Cider is leaving big beer-backed cans on grocery store shelves behind and committing to 750 ML bottles, only available at Virtue Farm or through the brand’s robust direct-to-drinker shipping program.
In tandem, Hall will stay true to his love of grassroots relationship development in the chef community, pouring new seasonal releases and beloved bottle varieties at intimate gatherings inside some of the Midwest’s best chef-driven restaurants.
Hall will also welcome some of the nation’s most prominent culinary talents to Fennville for guest chef dinners with fine cider pairings, embracing the local bounty of the micro-region.
On the 48-acre Virtue Farm, the tasting room will undergo extensive renovations and welcome a vibrant new food program, with a menu refresh to align with the brand’s wine-making approach to cider. Menu details are forthcoming but will focus on seasonal, homestyle comforts made with regionally sourced ingredients.
Hall and his team are also excited to continue nurturing their direct-to-drinker and Cider Society subscription box programs, delivering proper farmhouse cider from the fermentation tank to the front porch. Cider enthusiasts in 43 states across the country can give the gift of Michigan cider to themselves and their loved ones with access to holiday boxes and exclusive seasonal releases.
Virtue Cider has also forged new partnerships with local musicians and makers through amped-up live music programming at Virtue Farm and merchandise and cider label partnerships with acclaimed regional artists. Tony Fitzpatrick, whose work has been showcased at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, is the first of many Midwest artists to join the list of collaborators.
More details on Virtue Cider’s upcoming craft cider releases, renovations, events, and more to be released in 2025. For more information, follow Virtue Cider on Instagram or visit the website at www.virtuecider.com.
ABOUT VIRTUE CIDER: Located on a 48-acre farm in Fennville, Michigan, Virtue Cider is a craft cider company committed to creating exceptional farmhouse ciders that blend old-world traditions with modern cider fermentation and aging techniques. Embracing a deep-rooted respect for sustainable practices and local partnerships, Virtue was founded in 2011 by Gregory Hall, who brought two decades of innovation and an impressive collection of 14 consecutive Great American Beer Festival medals from his tenure as head brewmaster at Goose Island Beer Company.
After his time at Goose Island, Hall set out on a pilgrimage to the cider capitals of England and France to study time-honored European cider-making traditions, and Virtue was born. Virtue Farm, Virtue Cider’s headquarters, is specifically located in the heart of one of the country’s premier apple-growing regions, known as the Midwest’s “Cider Coast.” Hall has cultivated a deep bench of local farming partners, using the bounty of the highest quality Midwestern heirloom apples to craft a collection of crisp, complex, award-winning ciders, which never contain added sugar.
Apples are pressed on-site and fermented in tanks below ground to maintain a steady temperature, housed within three cider houses with architecture that emulates the Norman French style and a strong environmental focus. Virtue Cider’s farm is open year-round and is a vibrant destination for visitors, offering scenic trails, a tasting room featuring a seasonal menu and samples of a variety of ciders, cider flights, and more from their extensive portfolio. For more information on Virtue Cider, please visit www.virtuecider.com.
ABOUT VIRTUE FARM: Virtue Farm, located in Fennville, Michigan, is a 48-acre farm and the destination headquarters of Virtue Cider. Three Norman French-style cider houses, built with Michigan White Pine, hold Virtue’s below-ground fermentation tanks, which use only locally sourced apples and are naturally cooled and heated by the region’s climate.
Most of the farm’s electricity is sourced from 200 solar panels, just one piece of the farm’s vast commitment to sustainability and nourishing its community. Over 20 acres of the farm are grasslands, creating a monarch waystation for Michigan pollinators, and the farm is home to several Gloucestershire Old Spot pigs, harking back to old orchard folklore, as well as a variety of chickens. Virtue Farm also features a full tasting room with cider flights, handhelds, and charcuterie selections, offers guided tastings and tours for visitors, hosts live music, and supplies seasonal bottle selections for Virtue Cider’s national Cider Society subscription service.
On Saturday, November 23rd, from 6-9 pm, join Virtue founder Greg Hall for an evening of feasting, proper farmhouse cider tastings, and live music. Hosted in the cider tasting room at the beautiful 48-acre Virtue Farm in Fennville, guests can dig into roasted turkey and seasonal sides all paired with curated cider selections — a perfect way to celebrate Thanksgiving with your closest friends before heading home for the holiday.
Plus, those still searching for a Thanksgiving Day housewarming gift can pick up one of Virtue’s Thanksgiving Cider Boxes, which contain four 750 ml bottles of old-world, autumnal craft ciders. Each box is $125 and will be available for purchase at the event. Tickets for the evening are $100 and can be found on Tock. Must be 21+ to attend.
Cincoro Tequila, an award-winning portfolio of tequilas, celebrated its five-year anniversary with its five legendary founders and Team Cincoro co-owners last night in New York at Spring Studios. The intimate evening took a look back at the past five years of success and the exciting future for the brand, including an unveiling of its limited-edition Añejo Cristalino.
“Five years ago, we set out to create an exceptional brand and achieve the gold standard in tequila,” said Cincoro Tequila Co-Founder Michael Jordan. “What started as a passion project has grown into something truly special with some of my closest friends joining the business and enjoying Cincoro together, whether it’s stateside or around the world.”
The star-studded evening included VIPs Michael Jordan, Derek Jeter, Eric Church, Michael Strahan, and more. Guests were greeted upon arrival with specialty cocktails such as an Espresso Martini and Cristalino Margarita, passed hors-d’oeuvres, and an opportunity to taste Cincoro’s core five expressions.
Then attendees were invited to witness the unveiling of Cincoro’s limited-edition Añejo Cristalino with an infinity room experience complete with a mirrored bar and photo moment. In this space, guests were able to enjoy a pairing of the Cristalino served neat alongside Petrossian Caviar. As the evening progressed, attendees mixed and mingled in the lounge area of the venue while indulging in bottle service with the limited-edition Cristalino.
“Being a part of this journey has been incredibly rewarding. I’m passionate about quality and excellence in everything I do, and that’s exactly what we strive for with Cincoro,” said Cincoro Tequila Co-Owner and 23-time Grand Slam Champion, Serena Williams.
Cincoro Tequila also unveiled their new limited-edition Añejo Cristalino 750mL in an elegant platinum chrome-finished bottle at the anniversary celebration. The Cristalino liquid begins with the meticulous hand-selection of fully matured 100% Blue Weber Agave, sourced from both the Highlands and Lowlands of Jalisco, Mexico.
The expertly distilled liquid is then aged for over 20 months in Tennessee Whiskey barrels, developing the rich character and complexity that defines Cincoro’s Añejo expression. Then the liquid is filtered to remove the color, while accentuating the vibrant notes of citrus, agave, and fruit, resulting in a sublimely smooth spirit with a rounded mouthfeel and lasting impression. The limited-edition Cristalino bottles will be available for purchase online at Cincoro.com and in retail stores in mid-September.
Cincoro Tequila was launched in 2019 by five NBA legends: Jeanie Buss of the Los Angeles Lakers, Wes Edens of the Milwaukee Bucks, Emilia Fazzalari and Wyc Grousbeck of the Boston Celtics, and Michael Jordan. In five years, Cincoro has won over 29 awards in accredited spirits competitions and is continuing to create the gold standard for greatness in tequila.
Fabolous, Michael Jordan
For more information on Cincoro’s five-year anniversary or to purchase a bottle of the limited-edition Añejo Cristalino, please visit www.cincoro.com/expression/anejo-cristalino/.
About Cincoro Tequila
In July 2016, five friendly competitors met for dinner and bonded over their shared passion for tequila. After many more adventures together, this group of five founding partners set out with one mission: to create the finest tequila anyone has ever tasted. Cincoro Tequila is uniquely made with 100% Blue Weber agave from private farms in both the highland and lowland regions of Jalisco, Mexico.
The agave is hand-selected and slow-cooked in a small batch process to create the Cincoro signature taste profile. This is the heart of Cincoro: a rich and delicious family of tequilas that are smooth on the palate with a complex, long finish. Cincoro Tequila is a taste experience unlike any other, created to be sipped neat, but also to elevate cocktails. For more information about Cincoro, please visit www.Cincoro.com and @Cincoro.
Cristal Basil Paloma
2 oz. Cincoro Añejo Cristalino
1 oz. Aperol
2 oz. Fresh Grapefruit Juice
5 Fresh Basil Leaves
2 oz. Soda Water
Glass and Garnish: Grapefruit Ribbon or Rose
Muddle the 5 fresh basil leaves in a shaker, combine all ingredients except the soda water, shake and strain over a highball glass with ice. Top with soda water.
Spicy Margarita
1.5 oz. Cincoro Blanco
.75 oz. Fresh lime juice
.5 oz. Agave nectar
¼ Muddled Jalapeno
Glass & Garnish: Lime (wheel) /black lava salt
Tajin (chili lime spice)
Method: Muddle Jalapeno in shaker, combine ingredients, shake well with ice and pour in a rocks glass with a Tajin rim.
