ÆppelTreow Winery & Distillery

A brief overview of the distillery

ÆppelTreow is a family-owned cidery and distillery in southeastern Wisconsin, where apples and pears form the backbone of production. The operation produces both sparkling cider made in the champagne method, traditional perries, dessert and fortified wines, and hand-crafted spirits such as sorghum whiskey, pear brandy, and apple brandy. Local fruit, heritage cultivars, and a minimalist approach shape the styles of the products.

History

The history of ÆppelTreow is bound together by fruit, craft, and family tradition. Already in the early 2000s, sparkling cider was part of the repertoire; Appely Brut was first produced in 2001 and marks an early commitment to the champagne method for cider. During the 2010s, the farm expanded its portfolio to also include distilled spirits. Brown Dog Sorghum Whiskey and other spirits appear in publications in 2013, while brandy- and fortified-products such as Pommeaux and Poirissimo have been recurring parts of the tasting room lineup. Over the years, ÆppelTreow has maintained a local, family-oriented profile, used heritage varieties, and experimented with both traditional and unconventional ingredients.

Ingredients and production

ÆppelTreow works primarily with local fruits and selected crops such as sweet sorghum for their whiskey. Apples and pears are central ingredients for cider, perry, wine, and brandy. Sorghum is chosen because it can be processed into syrup and allows a gluten-free production environment on a site that is primarily a cidery. The fermentation process for sorghum-based mashes is described as slow and gradual, often 10–14 days. Distillation takes place in small batches, with distillers cutting heart cuts by taste, and some white spirits are bottled almost directly from the still without barrel aging. The staff are named in the text as Yeast Herder Charles and Distillatrix Milissa, underscoring the artisanal and local team.

Aging and barrel types

Barrel aging varies by product; some spirits spend only a short time in barrels, while Brown Dog Whiskey gets a minimum of a couple of weeks in Wisconsin white oak, often lightly charred. Reuse of barrels or previous aging stock is also employed for apple brandy, and experiments with finishing by steeping with wood chips and planks of cherry, chestnut, apple, and American white oak.

Whiskeys

The range covers sparkling, draft and still cider, as well as perry, dessert/fortified wines, and a smaller selection of distilled spirits. In the tasting room you’ll find signature products such as Appely Brut, Orchard Oriole Perry, Kinglet, Blackbird, and Sparrow Spiced on the cider side, while the spirits lineup includes Brown Dog Sorghum Whiskey, Wisconsin Apple Brandy, Honesty Pear Brandy, grape brandy, and a kettle gin. Many releases are produced in small batches, and some bottlings are tasting room-exclusive.

Whisky	Type / Series	Alcohol	Age	Barrel and Style	Flavor Profile	Status
Brown Dog Sorghum Whiskey (375 mL)	Sorghum Whiskey	40 %		Wisconsin White Oak barrel	Unique whiskey distilled from sweet sorghum grown in Elkhart Lake, WI. Short aging in Wisconsin white oak and finishing with local wood varieties. Bottle size 375 mL at 80 proof.	Core range
Brown Dog Sorghum Whiskey – Cask Strength (750 mL)	Sorghum Whiskey (Cask Strength)	52 %		Wisconsin White Oak barrel; finish: Cask strength release	Cask strength version of Brown Dog, sold in 750 mL containers; product description typically indicates around 104 proof for this variant.	Core range
Honesty Pear Brandy	Poire / Pear Brandy (white spirit)	47.5 %			White pear brandy (eau de vie) bottled at 95 proof in 375 mL. Distilled from sediment and residues during transfer in perry and pear wine tanks to capture pear extract; Nose: light pear aroma; Finish: warmth and a lingering spicy note are mentioned	Core range
Wisconsin Apple Brandy (Cask Strength)	Apple Brandy / Cider Brandy	59 %		Oak barrel; finish: Cask strength bottling documented	Wisconsin Apple Brandy is noted back on the shelf with a limited number of cask-strength releases; a specific cask-strength example is 750 mL at 118 proof.	Core range
VS Brightognac Three Year Old Estate Grape Brandy	Grape Brandy (3 Year Old)		3 years		Three-year house-made grape brandy made from estate grapes, highlighted as 'VS Brightognac Three Year Old'.; Nose: Intense aromatic	Core range
Kettle Geneva Gin	Gin				Kettle Geneva Gin is noted as part of the spirits lineup with no further technical details.	Core range
Pommeaux	Fortified apple aperitif / dessert wine				An apple aperitif/fortified wine made with reserve sweet cider and own cider brandy as fortifier; presented as an 'ultimate apple beverage'.; Nose: Strong bouquet, cognac-like notes (described)	Core range
Poirissimo! (Pear Dessert Wine)	Fortified pear dessert wine	17 %			Poirissimo! is described as a powerful pear dessert wine inspired by French traditions, bottled in 375 mL 'flint icewine' bottles.; Nose: Strong pear bouquet and intense "more than fresh" pear flavor; Finish: Long finish, delicate and fresh at the end	Core range
Appely Brut	Sparkling cider (Champagne method); Sparkling				The original sparkling cider made using the champagne method and part of the distillery's early range.	Core range
Orchard Oriole Perry	Perry (pear)				Traditional perry based on English perry varieties, often released as draft/tasting room exclusives.; Taste: Tends toward dry, tannin-rich style in the English-inspired perry releases	Core range
Kinglet Bitter (Kinglet Cider)	Draft cider (bitter English-ish); Draft				Draft cider in English style, often produced in small batches and sold in the tasting room.; Taste: Tends toward a dry and bitter style	Core range
Blackbird Cider	Draft cider; Draft				One of the popular draft styles, noted as a best-seller in the tasting room.	Core range
Scarlett Rosey Cider	Cider; Draft / Seasonal				Seasonal product noted as temporarily out of stock in earlier updates; made from red-fleshed apples.
Sparrow Spiced Cider	Spiced cider; Draft				Spiced cider in the tasting room lineup.; Flavor: Spiced profile (spiced)	Core range
Siskin Scrumpy	Scrumpy / farmhouse cider; Draft / Scrumpy				Rustic scrumpy-style cider listed in the product list.
Barn Swallow Cider	Cider; Draft				Name in the tasting room selection, listed among core products on the product page.	Core range

The style and flavor profile of the whiskies

Overall, the style tends toward pure fruit-forward notes: pear is prevalent in perry and pear brandy with an intense pear bouquet, sparkling and champagne-method cider is noted with green fruit notes and floral elements, and the fortified brandies are aromatic with cognac-like notes. Brown Dog is described as leaning somewhat toward a Scottish-inspired style without smoke, and the pear brandy is described as both bright and spicy in the finish. These directions recur across several product descriptions.

Visit the distillery

ÆppelTreow operates a tasting room and regularly opens to the public, especially on weekends. Previously communicated hours have included weekend hours around 11:00–16:00, closing at 16:00; season and weather affect the calendar, and periods with openings by appointment are mentioned. On-site tastings are offered and current bottles are for sale, and there is an online 'Current Selections' page showing which products are on the shelf.

The stated opening hours are typically weekend-only; previously communicated weekend hours have been around 11:00–16:00 with a 16:00 closing (seasonally variable).

Philosophy and Craft

ÆppelTreow's declared values emphasize a strong local and fruit focus: apples and pears are at the core, heritage varieties are used, production is family-oriented and minimalist, and the goal is to let the fruit's honest flavors come forward through a lighter style. History and tradition are mentioned as inspiration, while experimenting with local ingredients and craft methods.