By Dathan Kazsuk
North Carolina is one of the top apple-producing states in the country, and that agricultural backbone has helped fuel a growing hard cider industry. What was once viewed as a seasonal drink is now a year-round craft beverage, with cideries across the state earning national recognition. One of the pioneers of that movement is James Creek Cider House in Moore County.
“Cider is so versatile and so diverse,” says Ann Marie Thornton, co-owner of James Creek Cider House, located in Cameron. “People still think of it as sweet or seasonal, but it can be bone-dry, complex, and very food-friendly.”
That idea—cider as an expression of place—has guided James Creek since the beginning. Thornton and her husband, Dave, moved to North Carolina more than 20 years ago and settled on a farm in Moore County. At first, they considered growing grapes, but vinifera struggled in their climate. Everything changed when they discovered Old Southern Apples by historian Lee Calhoun.
“We realized you could grow these old apples that people used to plant on family farms,” Thornton says. “Dave was reading about the apples, and I loved cider. He said, ‘That’s it—everybody loves apples, and you love cider.’”
They planted their first orchard in 2008 using heirloom apple varieties sourced from Century Farm Orchards in Reidsville. Today, James Creek operates two orchards—one at their home farm and another near their tasting room in Cameron—making them one of the few estate-grown cideries in North Carolina.
“There aren’t many places where every apple in the bottle comes from their own orchards,” Thornton says. “We wanted to ask, what would a true Southern cider taste like?”
James Creek’s cider begins with heirloom apple varieties most people never see in stores: Roxbury Russet, Grimes Golden, Winesap, Magnum Bonum, and Buckingham. These apples were widely grown across the South before World War II and are valued for their structure, not sweetness.
“They have thick skins, and that’s where the tannins are,” Thornton says. “A russeted apple is mustard-colored and rough—people think it’s a pear, or even a potato sometimes. But those skins give cider its character.”
The cidery also grows European cider apples and crab apples, such as Wickson and Dolgo, for added acidity and aromatics.
“Like wine, you’re looking for balance—tannin, aroma, and acidity,” Thornton says. “Climate matters. North Carolina’s warm nights mean apples naturally have lower acidity, so blending becomes even more important.” James Creek ferments its cider using methods similar to wine production, often fermenting single apple varieties separately before blending. “We might have over 100 batches a year. Each apple brings something different, and we blend for complexity,” she adds.
James Creek does not add sugar or filter their cider, instead relying on slow fermentation and gravity to clarify. “We don’t want to strip out flavor,” Thornton says. “We let it settle naturally.” Some ciders remain fully dry, while others are back-sweetened with whole fruit, including peaches, blueberries, strawberries, persimmons, pears, muscadines, and blackberries. “We always start with whole fruit,” Thornton adds. “We have ciders with zero residual sugar, but we also make some with gentle sweetness for people who enjoy that.”
In March, James Creek will host the first North Carolina Cider Association spring festival in eastern North Carolina. The goal is to rotate festivals across the state rather than focusing solely on western North Carolina.
“It’s a beautiful time to welcome people to the cidery and look forward to the season,” Thornton says. “We want people to meet the cider makers and taste how different their styles can be.”
Participating cideries will include Barn Door Ciderworks, Botanist and Barrel, Bull City Ciderworks, Noble Cider, Starrlight Mead, and Urban Orchard Cider Co.
VIP ticket holders will have access to limited bottles not available at the main tasting area. “We’re asking each cidery to bring three special bottles for VIP guests,” Thornton says. “There will be charcuterie, seating inside the tasting room, and chances to talk directly with the makers.”
Food trucks will include barbecue and oysters—pairings Thornton believes suit cider perfectly.
“People think cider belongs in New England,” she says. “But it pairs beautifully with Southern food.”
The North Carolina Cider Association promotes cider through education, advocacy, and collaboration. “One of our missions is consumer education,” Thornton says. “Festivals help fund the association and let us show people the diversity and quality of North Carolina cider.”
North Carolina cideries regularly win medals at national competitions, placing the state among industry leaders.
Bloomtime Ciderfest will be held on March 14 at James Creek Cider House and Orchards, located at 172 US Highway 1 in Cameron. Visit jamescreekciderhouse.com/bloomtime-ciderfest for tickets and more information.
