Georgia Cider (and Fried Apple Pie) Tasting

Dearest Lar,

A week after your Amsterdam adventure (which sounded so magical, btw), Troy and I made our way back up to Blue Ridge, Georgia. It had been over a year since we visited last and we thought it was the perfect spot to celebrate our 6 year anniversary.

We stayed at Aska Lodge B&B again – the sweet owners made us chocolate cake and gave us a bottle of champs for the occasion 🙂

Unfortunately it rained for most of the weekend, but Troy and I aren’t the hiking types anyways. Instead of enjoying the great outdoors, we went back to Mercier Orchards and visited the new cider tasting room.

Merciers_ciders

In my previous Blue Ridge post, I didn’t fully explain how GIANT Mercier Orchards is. I mean, it’s set up for the thousands of tourist that come every year in the fall to pick apples and enjoy the beautiful foliage of Blue Ridge. And they’re constantly updating and adding to their facilities. So in the past year they created an awesome cider tasting room. The experience is very much like a wine tasting with a selection of ciders, some salty bar snacks, and helpful staff explaining the flavors.

Since I don’t like sweet ciders, I choose to taste the four most dry ciders on the list. It was only $8 for a flight of 4 ciders and a souvenir wine glass. Troy and I ended up getting a bottle of Grumpy Granny, Adele’s Choice and Lone Tree. They are all apple-ly, but not sweet. Just what I like!

Merciers_cider_tasting

When you’re at Mercier’s, you cannot NOT stopped by the bakery for a fried pie. Look at all the amazing options:

Merciers_Fried_Pies

Troy and I ended up getting the classic apple fried pie, because, you know, it’s an apple orchard. It did not disappoint!

Merciers_Fried_Apple_pie

Did I mention we did the cider tasting and the fried pie eating before noon? And this was after having huge breakfast at the B&B. So before we headed into downtown Blue Ridge to eat and drink some more, I burned a few calories by visiting the Mercier Orchards gift shop.

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The gift shop is endless with every apple-themed item you can think of and so much more. There is a whole room just for kid stuff. Like these creepy/cute big-eyed stuffed animals. This is my impersonation of them:

Merciers_giftshop

And even though I didn’t buy this pretty box of tea, I’m including a photo of it because I love the design – like a pinky, neutral, clean-lined watercolor.

Teaforte_blood_orange

Troy and I walked away from Mercier Orchards with 3 ciders, half a bushel of apples and full bellies. Afterwards we spent the day in downtown Blue Ridge eating and drinking at Chester Brunnemeyer’s Bar and Grill, Masseria and Harvest on Main with a nap in between lunch and dinner. So despite the rainy weather, it was pretty much a perfect mountain getaway weekend.

The setting wasn’t as beautiful as Amsterdam and the winter isn’t the best time to visit Blue Ridge, but it wasn’t bad for a quick 2 hour drive north of Atlanta!

Hope you’re having a wonderful start to the week. Let’s Facetime/Skpye this Saturday!

xoxo, Cath

6 thoughts on “Georgia Cider (and Fried Apple Pie) Tasting”

  1. Dear Cath

    Oh my goodness that sounds toe-curlingly good. Every single last bit of it. And you and Troy make the best big-eyed expressions ever.

    I so miss trips like this being over here (not to sound like an ungrateful traveler!) — but American road trips when there’s fried apple pie at the end of it sounds like perfection. Amsterdam is beautiful and I love it, but it isn’t at all the same. I’m so so glad this world has both ;D

    Ditto on the non-sweet ciders. There are lots of sweet ones that are popular here, particularly of the Scandi variety.

    I can’t wait to road trip with you once I’m back in the States! Wanna help me drive out to Seattle?!

    XOXOXOXO

    Lar

    p.s Lots of facetime and skyping this weekend yesssssss!!!

  2. I love dry ciders too. I have never been to the American South. Something I should remedy, I think. I love cider, and that fried pie sounds divine.

    1. Yes, the south definitely has its own culture and is worth a visit or two. Atlanta isn’t very southern, but that changes just as soon as you leave the city.

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