Millstream Brewery to expand hard cider production

AMANA — Millstream Brewery, located in the heart of Amana, has been awarded a $25,000 Choose Iowa Value-Added Grant to support the expansion of its hard apple cider production.

The funding, announced earlier this week, comes as a result of a collaborative effort initiated by Iowa County Community Development.

The grant is part of the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship’s Choose Iowa Value-Added program, which supports local businesses in adding value to Iowa-grown agricultural products. Millstream Brewery, Iowa’s oldest operational brewery, plans to use the funding to improve the efficiency and scale of its cider production, incorporating more locally sourced apples into the process, according to a press release from ICCD.

The opportunity was first identified by Laura Sauser, executive director of Iowa County Community Development. Recognizing Millstream’s potential for agricultural expansion, Sauser reached out to the brewery’s owners to see if they had any projects in the works that would qualify for the grant.

“When I saw the announcement for the Choose Iowa Value-Added Grant, I looked through previously awarded projects and thought of Millstream,” said Sauser. "I contacted them to see if they were considering expansion, and when they said yes, we got to work.”

With the brewery’s interest confirmed, Sauser took the lead in writing the grant proposal. The project focused on enhancing Millstream’s ability to source, process and distribute hard apple cider made from Iowa-grown apples, aligning perfectly with the goals of the Choose Iowa program, says the press release.

Production enhancements are expected to begin later this year, with expanded offerings of hard apple cider anticipated in time for the fall season.