Pomona Cider Company Showcases Small

by Sheila Julson

Jun. 02, 2023

9:17 a.m.

Pomona Cider Company, a hard cider taproom and eatery featuring small-batch, drier Normandy-style ciders, opened in April at 2163 N. Farwell Ave. Pomona (named after the Roman goddess of fruit trees) strives to offer an elevated experience with ciders crafted by Island Orchard Cider, in Door County. They’ve also got two fermentation tanks on site to make experimental cider.

The twelve ciders on tap are available by the glass, pitcher or flight to enjoy at the taproom. Guests can also choose from aperitifs, cider cocktails, beer, hard seltzer, wine and non-alcoholic options. Bottled cider and growlers are available for those that want to take their cider home. A food menu features large sharable plates, charcuterie, snacks and galette (tart).

Pomona Cider Company co-owner Tom Gabert had first tried Island Orchard Cider when his wife brought a couple of bottles home from a bachelorette party. Before that, he associated cider with the sweet, commercially produced ciders. "When I was introduced to more of a drier, Normandy French-style cider, I did start gravitating toward drinking cider more often," he says.

Photo: Pomona Cider Company - pomonaciderco.com

Gabert eventually met Island Orchard Cider owners Bob and Yannique Purman through his other business, Pour, an event beverage service. Gabert and the Purmans, who have their own apple orchard on Washington Island, all shared a passion for the agricultural side of beverage production.

"I was impressed by their knowledge of the fermentation process of cider, and their vision and way of developing flavors, such as a lavender cider made with lavender from Fragrant Isle lavender farm on Washington Island," Gabert says.

Gabert developed a friendship with the Purmans. In 2016, they launched a plan to develop a Milwaukee location for the tasting room. They found that Wisconsin regulations prohibited a cidery, which operates under the same guidelines as a winery, from having two retail licenses.

After consulting with their lawyers and talking to city and state officials, Gabert partnered with Matt "Sawyer" Purman, Bob and Yannique's son, to open Pomona Cider Company as a separate entity. Pomona carries Island Orchard Cider's products. They use juice from their orchard for their own experimental, small-batch ciders.

The Purmans started planting dwarf apple trees, all cider-making cultivars, in 2005. The climate and soil on Washington Island produce fruit similar to the French region of Normandy. They started making cider in 2011. Gabert says most of the Island Orchard Cider varieties they carry are blends made from different apple varieties. Ingredients such as the cherries, lavender and hops are all sourced from Wisconsin. Most of their ciders are dry; the sweetest one on the menu is a pear cider.

The first on-site cider crafted by Milwaukee cider maker Shawn O’Halloran is the single-source True North cider. "It's like biting into a honey crisp apple, even though it's a Northern Spy apple," Gabert says. One of the few sweeter ciders on the menu, it's sourced only from the Northern Spy and sweetened with its own juice through a unique process used by Pomona.

Gabert says they’ve impressed people who aren't cider drinkers but were curious to experience a new business. "They were surprised by how ciders could taste. We never want to hide our apples with sweeteners or artificial flavors. With the lavender, cherry or ginger, you’ll get those notes, but the apple will always come through."

Gabert partnered with chefs Sam Sandrin and Katie Gabert (his sister), of Strega pasta, to create a food menu that incorporates ciders into the cooking process. They strive for zero-waste by using scraps into other dishes. They also have a line of vinegars.

Their Sunday brunch, served from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. features cocktails made from cider (but sans hard liquor, as they’re not licensed to serve booze), and Bloody Marys made with saké. Brunch options include gluten-free and vegan choices. Look for strawberry macha yogurt, mushroom strata, seven-layer salad, cider doughnuts, chicken and waffles or cosmic brownies made with a hop cider caramel filling. Gabert promises that cider floats, made from their own custard, are coming soon.

For more information, visit pomonaciderco.com.

Sheila Julson is a freelance writer who enjoys capturing the stories behind Milwaukee's happening food, beverage and urban farming scenes. She also pens articles about holistic health, green living, sustainability and human-interest features.

Jun. 02, 2023

9:17 a.m.