A Year-Round Guide to Franklin and Nantahala

Find antiques in your region. Western      Central      Eastern   Western   Asheville — Noble Cider (hard) Asheville’s first hard cider company, Noble Cider, prides itself on using

Rosemary and Goat Cheese Strata

Find antiques in your region. Western      Central      Eastern   Western   Asheville — Noble Cider (hard) Asheville’s first hard cider company, Noble Cider, prides itself on using

18 Spots Across North Carolina to Find Your Favorite Cider

Find antiques in your region.

Western      Central      Eastern


 

Western

 

Asheville — Noble Cider (hard)

Asheville’s first hard cider company, Noble Cider, prides itself on using real fruit and authentic ingredients. They’re working with Lewis Creek Farms in Henderson County to graft and grow apple cider varieties, ensuring their product continues to reflect North Carolina — one of the top 10 states for apple production in the country. Try out their flagship ciders in flavors like tart cherry, ginger, chai, and dry, or branch out and try their seasonal cranberry-orange cider for fall.

The Cidery
356 New Leicester Highway
Asheville, NC 28806
(828) 575-9622

Noble Downtown
49 Rankin Avenue
Asheville, NC 28801
(828) 412-5064
noblecider.com


Asheville & Mills River — Bold Rock Hard Cider (hard)

All of the apples used in Bold Rock’s ciders are sourced within 35 miles of their cideries. Enjoy a “core” ciders or seasonal ciders — like white cranberry — from one of Bold Rock’s North Carolina taprooms or pick some up from stores across the state.

39 North Lexington Avenue
Asheville, NC 28801
(828) 552-3720

72 School House Road
Mills River, NC 28759
(828) 595-9940
boldrock.com


Asheville — Urban Orchard Cider Company (hard)

Urban Orchard Cider Company knows that good things come to those that wait. Well, good cider at least. All their ciders mature for at least four months and can be matured for more than a year to allow the flavors to meld. They offer a rotating selection of ciders at their two locations that include dry, sweet, spicy, fruity, and hoppy flavors.

Downtown
24 Buxton Avenue
Asheville, NC 28801
(828) 505-7243

West Asheville
210 Haywood Road
Asheville, NC 28806
(828) 774-5151
urbanorchardcider.com


Bat Cave — The Old Cider Mill (nonalcoholic)

Visitors to this cider mill and Applesolutely Gift Shop can enjoy views of the Rocky Broad River, watch a weekly cider-pressing demonstration, and purchase homemade treats like pies, breads, jams, and jellies.

33 Gerton Highway
Bat Cave, NC 28710
(863) 709-2008
facebook.com/oldcidermillbatcavenc


Black Mountain — Black Mountain Ciderworks + Meadery (hard)

Since 2012, this cidery and taproom has used local honey and heirloom apples to create small-batch ciders and mead in fun, modern flavors using traditional methods. This fall, their taproom is serving up ciders using ingredients like roasted pumpkins, maple syrup, and seasonal spices.

104 Eastside Drive
Unit 307
Black Mountain, NC 28711
(828) 419-0089
blackmountainciderworks.com


Dana — Flat Rock Cider Company (hard)

This cider company uses Henderson County apples — the largest apple-producing county in our state — to make their Semi-Dry Apple, Semi-Tart Blackberry, and Tropical Pineapple flagship ciders. All cider is bottled, canned, and kegged by hand in Dana and sold at many locations throughout western and central North Carolina.

flatrockcidercompany.com


Hendersonville — Appalachian Ridge Artisan Hard Cider (hard)

This Appalachian Ridge taproom is inside a 1940s European-style barn located on 100 acres of owner Alan Ward’s centuries-old family land. Here, visitors can taste cider that’s made like fine wine. The cidery uses French and other European apple varieties to create Normandy-style ciders like Bearwallow.

749 Chestnut Gap Road
Hendersonville, NC 28792
(828) 699-7507
saintpaulfarms.com/appalachian-ridge-hard-cider


Hendersonville — Mountain Fresh Orchards (nonalcoholic)

This family-owned apple farm has a roadside farm market and bakery that offers tons of tasty fall treats, including apple cider. Visitors can purchase the farm’s fresh apple cider, an apple cider slushie, mulled cider, and — if you’re looking for a sweeter way to get your apple cider fix — apple cider doughnuts.

2887 Chimney Rock Road
Hendersonville, NC 28792
(828) 685-7606
mtnfreshorchards.com


Lansing — Molley Chomper Hard Cider (hard)

In a remodeled schoolhouse in Lansing (a town with less than 200 people), Kate and Tim Arscott make delicious, semi-dry ciders using heirloom apples grown in North Carolina and Virginia. Taproom visitors can enjoy a glass around a firepit or — if you want to enjoy a glass at home — find Molley Chomper’s ciders at bottle shops across the state.

165 Piney Creek Road
Lansing, NC 28643
(404) 769-1439
molleychomper.com


Morganton — Apple Hill Orchard and Cider Mill (nonalcoholic)

The Prewitt family has grown and sold apples since the early 1800s, and Justin Prewitt, the fifth generation of Prewitt apple growers, carries on that tradition today. Each week during the fall, Apple Hill presses at least 600 gallons of apple cider, which can be purchased at the orchard’s farm market by the gallon, half-gallon, or cup, and in slushy form.

2075 Pleasant Hill Avenue
Morganton, NC 28655
(828) 419-7955
applehillorchard.com


Thurmond — McRitchie Winery & Ciderworks (hard)

The owners of this winery and cider company approach both of their fermented beverages with great care. The apples used in McRitchie’s French-style ciders are mostly grown in the Bushy Mountain region of the state. Give their flagship dry hard cider and seasonal cherry and apple-cranberry blends a try.

315 Thurmond Post Office Road
Thurmond, NC 28683
(336) 874-3003
mcritchiewine.com

 

Central

 

Cameron — James Creek Cider House (hard)

This Moore County farm is the first in our state to make hard cider using estate-grown apples. In addition to apples, the farm grows peaches, blueberries, and muscadines, which are used in seasonal, small-batch hard ciders. You can enjoy the farm’s cider in their tasting room and at the Carrboro Farmers Market.

172 U.S. Highway 1
Cameron, NC 28326
(910) 245-9901
jamescreekciderhouse.com


Durham, Greensboro, Lexington — Bull City Ciderworks (hard)

Using apples grown at Perry Lowe Orchards in Wilkes County, this cidery produces staple ciders like Off Main, a semi-sweet cider, and Sweet Carolina, a cider infused with honey. They also offer seasonal cider blends, like Jack & Oak — a barrel-aged, pumpkin-flavored blend.

305 South Roxboro Street
Durham, NC 27701
(919) 237-2357

504 State Street
Greensboro, NC 27405
(336) 808-5153

599 South Railroad Street
Lexington, NC 27292
(336) 240-9497
bullcityciderworks.com


Cedar Grove — Botanist & Barrell Cidery + Winery (hard)

Botanist & Barrel uses European methods that have stood the test of time to make ciders and dry fruit wines with apples, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, and peaches from local farmers and their own estate-grown produce. Visitors can enjoy a glass of cider surrounded by the taproom’s farm-like setting

105 Persimmon Hill Lane
Cedar Grove, NC 27231
(919) 644-7777
botanistandbarrel.com


Charlotte — Red Clay Ciderworks (hard)

Red Clay Ciderworks co-founder Jay Bradish was inspired to make fermented beverages after spending time making wine in Sicily with families while he was serving in the Navy. Today, Charlotte’s first cidery offers core and seasonal ciders, including a fall favorite, Chai Jacked, which is made with chai spice, brown sugar, and pumpkin.

245 Clanton Road
Charlotte, NC 28217
(980) 498-0676
redclayciderworks.com


Pittsboro — Chatham Cider Works (hard)

This family-owned cidery makes and sells small-batch hard cider using North Carolina-grown apples. Visitors can taste Chatham’s ciders in a flight, on tap, or take home a bottle at Fair Game Beverage Company, located in the Chatham Beverage District.

192 Lorax Lane
Pittsboro, NC 27312
(919) 933-9858
chathamciderworks.com


Ramseur — Millstone Creek Orchards (nonalcoholic)

Each jug of apple cider this orchard produces is made with at least three different varieties of apples, is cold-pressed, and is unpasteurized. Millstone Creek visitors can enjoy the cider the orchard has to offer in many forms: a jug to take home, an apple cider slushie, and apple cider doughnuts that are served with a homemade cider dipping sauce.

506 Parks Crossroads Church Road
Ramseur, NC 27316
(336) 824-5263
millstonecreekorchards.com

 

Eastern

 

Williamston — Blackwater Cider (hard)

At this tasting room located within Hook Hand Brewery’s taproom, cozy up to a glass of sage-and-black-pepper cider made with sage grown in Bertie County. Blackwater also offers a variety of dry and sweet ciders made with apples that are mostly grown in our state.

106 Railroad Street
Williamston, NC 27892
blackwater-cider-llc.business.site


Do you know of a cidery — especially out east — that we missed? We’ve love to hear about it! Email editorial@ourstate.com

This story was published on Oct 13, 2021

Chloe Klingstedt

Chloe Klingstedt is an assistant editor at Our State magazine, a Texan by birth, and a North Carolinian at heart.