Botanist & Barrel Asheville: The South's Only Natural Cidery Pours Pet-Nat and Co-Ferments on Broadway

By Jon Tharp, Broker  ·  May 26, 2026

Botanist & Barrel Asheville: The South's Only Natural Cidery Pours Pet-Nat and Co-Ferments on Broadway

Botanist & Barrel occupies a specific position in the American cider world that no one else in the South has claimed: natural cidery, wild fermentation, Pétillant Naturel production, zero sulfites, unfiltered, never pasteurized. The production farm is in Cedar Grove in Orange County. The Asheville tasting bar is on Broadway Street downtown, open to anyone who wants to taste what "natural" actually means when applied to cider.

It is the first producer of Pétillant Naturel ciders in the Southeastern United States. It is the South's only fully natural cidery. Both distinctions are earned and currently unchallenged.

What Natural Cider Means Here

"Natural" in the wine and cider world has a specific meaning: no added sulfites, no commercial yeast, no filtration, no pasteurization, no concentration. The drink is the fruit, the ferment, and whatever complexity the environment contributes.

At Botanist & Barrel, fermentation happens with wild yeasts already present on the heirloom apple skins and in the Cedar Grove farm environment. The result is ciders and co-ferments that taste like a specific place at a specific time — which is what natural producers are actually trying to make.

The Cider and Co-Ferment Lineup

Production is seasonal and rotating. The following represent the range:

Pétillant Naturel (pet-nat) ciders: - Foragers Delight Pet Nat — foraged and abandoned orchard apples, spontaneously fermented with wild yeast. Zero/Zero cider: zero sulfites, zero additives. Natural carbonation, no disgorgement. - That's How the Light Gets In — biodynamically grown apples, spontaneously fermented. Fragrant apple peel on the nose, citrusy and earthy on the palate.

Dry ciders: - Farmhouse Seriously Dry — flagship dry cider; the clean expression of what heirloom apples taste like without sweetening - Seriously Dry Rosé — dry rosé cider, pink hue from apple variety selection

Specialty and co-ferments: - Still Blushing — apples + raspberries + Chambourcin + Merlot wine grapes, co-fermented. Bright and juicy — a crossover between cider and rosé wine - Grapes Have Feelings — barrel-fermented NC Muscadine wine blended with barrel-fermented Chardonnay cider. A full co-ferment that challenges the cider/wine distinction at every level - Paw Paw Cider with Jasmine Tea — paw paws co-fermented with cider, finished with a jasmine tea infusion. Aromas of passion fruit, mango, and jasmine - Earl Grey Orange — specialty flavored cider

Tasting flights: $18–$28 depending on selections.

The Cedar Grove Connection

The production winery and farm is in Cedar Grove, NC (Orange County), where founders Kether Smith and Deric McGuffey have operated since 2017. The farm hosts its own event calendar independent of Asheville: Farm Wood Fired Pizza Nights, Chef Oven Takeover Series, The Big Grape Stomp, Apple Fest, Pick-a-Ton, and Blueberry Fest.

The Asheville location is a tasting bar and bottle shop — the full product range available in a downtown setting that puts the natural cider movement where it's most visible: in a city that pays attention to what's happening in food and drink.

Events at the Asheville Bar

Weekly Friday Night Wine Tastings, Chef Pop-Ups, live music, and comedy events run on a regular schedule. Full event listings: botanistandbarrel.com/ashevilleevents and Eventbrite (eventbrite.com/o/botanist-barrel-51207902573).

Asheville's Food and Drink Scene

Asheville has been named one of the best beer cities in America, hosts a James Beard Award-nominated dining scene, and has a food and drink culture that rewards independent producers doing unusual things. Botanist & Barrel's natural cidery positioning fits exactly that context: it's the kind of operation that lands in Asheville because Asheville is the kind of city that supports it.

For buyers considering Buncombe County real estate — whether as a primary residence or an investment — the depth and quality of Asheville's food and drink scene is a genuine part of what makes this market different from other WNC counties.

Botanist & Barrel Asheville 32 Broadway St, Suite 110, Asheville, NC 28801 botanistandbarrel.com/ashevilletastingbar | events: botanistandbarrel.com/ashevilleevents Production farm: Cedar Grove, NC