We enjoyed a visit to Jeter Mountain Farm. An apple orchard just outside of Hendersonville, North Carolina. Perfect to coincide with North Carolina Cider Week!
Jeter Mountain Farm is only open during Apple Harvest season. The farm offers hayride tours of the orchards, a large event center, plenty of green space to spread out, a food truck on site, live music, freshly harvested apples and pumpkins, a farm/gift store, apple cider donuts, and a Hard Cider Tasting Barn!
The farm was extremely busy on our visit, yet with so much space it didn’t really feel overly crowded. Though I did have to stand in line for my cider tasting. I survived.
The cider poured is from Flat Rock Cider Company based out of Dana, North Carolina, just the other side of Hendersonville. The final cider is produced entirely from Jeter Mountain estate grown apples but still fermented at Flat Rock Cider Company. For $10 you get to taste all six ciders on tap and keep the commemorative logo cider tasting glass.
First pour was the Flat Rock traditional hard apple cider. This cider is not extensively filtered and there still looks as traditional fresh pressed apple cider. This one is semi-dry at 6% ABV. I enjoyed it and found it to be well balanced with crisp acidity. I would judge it high bronze to low silver.
The next pour was the Flat Rock Cranberry. This one is 6% ABV. Continuing with the lightly filtered process, this one does exhibit a beautiful cranberry color. The fruit is added after fermentation, yet this does cranberry justice. Nice nose and good flavor. I would score this one as a bronze medal winner.
Third pour was the Flat Rock Pineapple. Honestly, taste as if a keg of pineapple juice was dumped in a questionable batch of cider. It did have an expressive pineapple taste. 6% ABV. It probably drinks better on a hot summer day. I would not medal this cider.
The fourth pour was the Flat Rock Blackberry. Talk about extreme polar differences. The blackberry show perfect balance of tartness and Apple crispness. 6% ABV. This pour is the star of the show! I’d judge this one as a high silver medal winner.
Fifth pour of my tasting was Flat Rock Hopped Cherry. This one is fairly true to it’s description, hops are prevalent on the tongue with cherry detectable on the nose but not overpowering. I enjoyed this one and would judge it as a low silver medal winner.
The final pour of my tasting was the Jeter Mountain Farm original. Traditional cider produced from the estate blend of freshly pressed juice. This one a little hotter at 7.2% ABV. Shows nice crispness with a hint of tartness. This one drinks really easy. I’d judge it as a high bronze to low silver medal winner.
The entire farm makes for a fun outing. Perfect for families and cider lovers as well.
And what would a visit to an apple orchard be without apple cider donuts! They are making them fresh all day… and when purchased they are still hot! We took a half dozen home…after enjoying one freshly made hot donut right onsite!
A perfect Fall day get-away to an apple orchard in the mountains including hard apple cider, apple cider donuts, and purchasing freshly harvested apples.
While I am a certified competition judge for cider, admittedly I am not yet competition experienced as such a judge. That said, I’d highly recommend visiting Jeter Mountain Farm to partake in your own hard cider tasting of the offerings from Flat Rock Cider Company.
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