179: Southern Apples | James Creek Ciderhouse, NC

James Creek Ciderhouse Dynamic Duo

A cider dinner recording from CiderCon2019 in Chicago with Ann Marie and David Thornton of James Creek Ciderhouse in Cameron, North Carolina.

Before this main feature I read an email from a Russian cidermaker, helping us learn a bit more about the cider culture in this region of the world. Maxim contacted me when he became a patron of Cider Chat via the Cider Chat Patreon page.

The main featured chat begins at 17 minutes into this chat.

Ann Marie and David moved to North Carolina in 2002.

Anne Marie & David Thornton James Creek Ciderhouse — These two win the award for super duper cute and kind couple. Ann Marie & David Thornton

The beginnings of James Creek Ciderhouse

What got the Thorntons into cider? Ann Marie says, “It was the apples. And reading about Lee Calhoun”

Lee Calhoun wrote

Lee lives about 30 minutes from the Thorntons.

Steve Wood of Farnum Hill and Diane Flynt, a James Beard finalist for her work with cider also inspired the Thorntons.

Their experimental orchard is based at their home site, but they are in the midst of building a Tasting Room at an off site orchard in the area, so stay tuned for up dates on that!

In the meanwhile, if you are in or headed to North Carolina go to this link to find out where you purchase some James Creek Ciders.

The Thorntons have two Cider labels.

The James Creek Heritage Ciders which are bottled in 750ML glass presentations!

And the Stargazer series, which provide a compliment of modern style ciders. Read: fruit ciders and not just any fruit ciders but peaches and berries from their farm! We sipped on the Prowling Peach, a barrel aged cider with peach juice. I was over the moon for this cider. Plus peach is not an easy fruit to work with!

All of James Creek Ciders were super tasty and you definitely tell made with a ton of affection for the process. All the apples come from within an area of 100-150 miles and are North Carolina grown.

Keep an eye out for these makers, cuz they are not going away in fact they are a perfect example of #ciderGoingUP in North Carolina

They began planting apples trees in 2009, putting in 60 classic southern apple varieties.

At CiderCon2019 David was elected onto the board for the United States Association of Cider Makers (USACM)