Bryan Ulbrich
Bryan Ulbrich started making grape and apple wine in 1993. In 2008, the illustrious Mike Beck gave him a keg of cider to sell in the winery tasting room, ”just to see how it goes.” The first one is free, right? That 5 gallon corny keg has turned into a 15,000 gallon habit annually. In 2016 he started fermenting locally grown bittersharps and bittersweets as single varietals and blends in an effort to learn which apples would thrive in Northern Michigan’s cider scene. In 2024, Caravin Wine Works opened as a custom wine and cider making space to create a dedicated space for custom cider production and growth of the Left Foot Charley brand. Left Foot Charley has distribution in Illinois and Michigan.