Brothers Caleb and CJ Confer started experimenting with fermentation in 2011. Both having interests in culinary arts and history they started with meads and fruit wines.
In 2014 Corey and Wesli Confer were in the process of relocating to NY. While viewing a farmhouse in New Berlin they noticed a handful of apple trees bearing fruit. This was the deciding factor that sold them on the house and the foundation of what would eventually become Uncommon Kin Cidery.
Our Story
In 2018 Caleb Confer was living in Seattle Washington and working as a gardener. After pruning fruit trees for several different clients Caleb started considering cultivating the wild apple trees on his parents property.
When Caleb’s long time friend Nathan Carson came for a visit, they got into a discussion about small businesses and how satisfying it would be to work for oneself. This fortuitous conversation led to the idea of an employee owned cidery where everyone owned the business, gave creative input, and got the chance to work for themselves.
Shortly after Caleb decided to call his dad Corey and ask permission to lease the land and use the apples to start making hard cider. Corey was excited about the idea but refused to lease the land. Instead asking if he could be an employee owner of the business.
The first pruning session in the summer of 2018 was a daunting task. The trees were old and no one was sure if they had ever been properly taken care of. The “handful” of apple trees that were originally spotted turned out to be over 200 trees on the entire property. But we had lots of friends who were interested in the idea of an employee owned business, so there were many hands to help with the work.
The first harvest season was very special, we finally got to see the outcome of all the hard work we put in during the summer. Fall of 2018 we pressed a mere 45 gallons, but we learned a lot about making cider. More importantly we saw the value of working with your friends towards a common goal.
In the spring of 2019 we expanded the orchard by planting new trees. Spring planting has become a yearly ritual as we prepare for the future.
Between 2019 and 2021 we continued to refine our process with new techniques and new equipment. We began reaching out to the community for opportunities to forage local wild apples. We also made new friendships with the individuals who decided to join us on this journey.
In the late winter of 2022 we completed our state and federal licensing and were ready to take the next step as a business.
Spring 2022 we put up our sign and opened our location to tastings. Uncommon Kin’s cider and culture will continue to grow and mature as each of its individual members continue to put in their unique perspectives, passions and personalities.
