PHOTO COURTESY OF VOYAGER CIDER

A remote Alaskan village accessible only by boat or plane was the launchpad for Pittsburgh’s Voyager Cider.

After spending six years as a public school teacher in The Last Frontier, Pennsylvania native and avid homebrewer Derek Luke decided to make the 6,000-mile journey back to the Keystone State.

He “adopted” a 1977 Volkswagen Bus named Sebastian and hit the open road. (The previous owners left 250,000 miles on the odometer, a Grateful Dead sticker on the back and a diary of their travels in the glove compartment.)

Thirsty for a new adventure upon his return, Luke teamed up with James Bucki, a fellow vagabond, teacher and brewer, and started making hard cider in 2021. Unlike beer, it’s a beverage both of their wives enjoy.

Inspired by wanderlust and Van Life vibes, they named the business Voyager Cider.

PHOTO COURTESY OF VOYAGER CIDER

Inside a fully licensed commercial facility on Luke’s Rosslyn Farms property, the pair makes small-batch, fermented cider using apples from Soergel Orchards and other local farms. Each week, they fill Sebastian with bottles and kegs and pop up at spots around town. You can follow their Steel City exploits via Instagram. You also can find their products on tap at area bars and eateries, including Iron Born Pizza in the Strip District and Shadyside’s Lilith, one of Pittsburgh Magazine’s Best New Restaurants.

Every Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., you’ll find them at Carnegie Coffee Co. at 132 E. Main St., where they sell cider by the bottle and glass. Last Friday, during the first Carnegie Crawl of the season, they debuted an outdoor seating area. Guests kicked a keg of the new blueberry-tinged Boat Day Rosé in about 90 minutes. The guys plan to stock up on the popular liquid before the next borough-wide bash on June 7.

Voyager ciders range from tart, dry, champagne-like beverages made from a singular apple variety to sweeter blends. This summer, keep an eye out for a pineapple cider with hints of ginger.

No matter what Voyager you drink, it’s sure to be out of this world.

Bucki, who hails from Buffalo, enjoys the challenge of creating complex ciders that, unlike a lot of mass produced brands, don’t rely on high sugar content to please palates.

“I love the science of it,” he says. “Our first recipe was too sickly sweet, so we did a lot of research and got in touch with veteran cider makers. It’s all about learning from people who came before you and figuring out how to make things on your own.”

As a beer drinker, I like the subtle floral notes of Northern Spy, which is made from apples of the same name. The ABV hovers around 7 to 8%, so you can enjoy a glass or two without worrying about having a hangover the next day.

You can even sip while you play a round of putt-putt! Voyager Cider, along with Back Alley Brewing, pops up at Carnegie’s Forsythe Miniature Golf & Snacks on Thursdays from 6 to 9 p.m.

Luke and Bucki hope Voyager Cider takes off so they can open their own storefront soon. But, for now, they’re just enjoying the ride.