We Loved the Food at Wicked Weed Brewing in Asheville Just as Much as the Beer

Ah, hot cider. Is there anything more quintessentially ‘fall’ than a cup of it on a chilly night? We remember cider as a fixture at Halloween parties and even getting it by the jug come autumn. Fall in North Carolina is practically synonymous with it. While hot cider is delicious, of course, as humans do, we’ve found ways to turn a fall favorite into a spiked libation, making parties a bit more fun or stories around the campfire a bit more interesting. From small craft cideries to eclectic cider mills, these six amazing cider mills in North Carolina will make your fall complete.

1. Apple Hill Orchard & Cider Mill

Of course, Apple Hill made our list of eight must-visit orchards in North Carolina, and while you might come for the apple picking, stay for the cider. Each week in autumn, typically six-hundred-gallon batches of fresh apples are pressed and turned into sweet cider. The cider is so yummy it even won an award from the North American Farmers Market Association. Their cider comes cold, hot and spiced, or even in slushie form.

2. Noble Cider

It’s entirely possible you might’ve seen Noble Cider at your favorite local bottleshop or bar, but if you find yourself in Asheville you’ll want to visit the airy and modern tap room and even get a behind the scenes peek of how it’s made. As Asheville’s first hard cider company, the apples are pressed fresh and the ciders made with no artificial ingredients or flavors…also, all ciders are gluten free. Noble offers their flagship cider described as ‘clean, crisp, dry,’ a tart cherry cider, a ginger-based cider, and even a cider with chai spices.

3. Old Cider Mill & Applesolutely Gift Shop

This cider mill is indeed VERY hard to miss with an eclectic outside and inside. It’s more than just cider but getting an inside glance into the steeped traditions that go into ‘America’s First Craft Beverage.’ The mill lets you see how the apples are pressed, processed, then bottled. They’ve been pressing cider for over 35 years in the historic 1900s building that also served as Bat Cave’s first post office. After sampling some of the freshest cider made from some of the freshest regional apples; visit the wildly cool gift shop and country store. You will find the Old Cider Mill & Applesolutely Gift Shop open seasonally from August through October.

4. Black Mountain Ciderworks + Meadery

Described as ‘off the beaten path,’ Black Mountain Ciderworks uses only the freshest local apples and honey for cider and mead. They describe it as: “We embrace the terroir of our Southern apples, fermenting cider in small batches blended from heirloom apples throughout the harvest and pressed in house.” If you’re wondering what mead is, it’s an alcoholic beverage made of fermented honey and water, sometimes accompanied by spices, fruits, grains or hops. The owners of Black Mountain came from a home-brewing background with small batch processing first and foremost. They found the taste of commercial ciders too sweet and set out to craft their own while on a trip in England. Today, a great way to take it all in is visiting their taproom offering up to 30 seasonal rotations.

5. Millstone Creek Orchards

You don’t need a 21+ I.D. to visit Millstone Creek Orchards. This family-friendly option offers a variety of freshly picked apples and fresh cider by the half-gallon. While cider might be the main event, save room for their scrumptious apple cider donuts and slushies. ‘AppleFest’ takes place each September weekend and includes cider pressing demos, apple sling shot, apple pie eating contest and hayrides.

6. Flat Rock Ciderworks

Looking for a refreshing adult beverage while exploring downtown Hendersonville? Stop in at Flat Rock Ciderworks. While Hendersonville might indeed be known as ‘apple country’ and also home to nationally distributed and produced Bold Rock Hard Cider, Flat Rock is emerging as a craft cider staple using only local apples and getting inventive with fruit-based blends. From peach, strawberry, blueberry and mango, Flat Rock is known for their fruit-infused ciders that range from tart and crisp to supple and sweet. The cozy cider room is great for grabbing a drink or even getting a flight. Flat Rock is well-known for their Blackberry Gold cider which combines fresh local apples and mountain-grown blackberries. Flat Rock’s commitment to using and staying local is what makes it so special.

Talk about a fun way to enjoy fall! Have you visited any of these cider mills and taprooms before? For more ways to make the most of fall in North Carolina, find a unique place to stay in Asheville. And for even more fall fun, take a look at this stunning footage of fall foliage around the U.S.: