There are so many fantastic wineries, breweries, and distilleries in Georgia that you may not even be aware that there are 2 other alcoholic beverages gaining traction: meads (made from honey) and hard ciders (fruit based)!
Check out these places for a unique taste of the Georgia mountains!
Local Meads and Ciders in the Georgia Mountains
There are a few local places where you are able to sample unique ciders and meads made locally in the Georgia mountains. Use the map below to find the closest location and plan a great trip with your friends and family.
Map of Local Meads & Ciders in the GA Mountains
This interactive map can help you locate the local meadery or ciderhouse that is located closest to you.
Etowah Meadery (Dahlonega)
Located in Dahlonega, the very Heart of Georgia’s Wine Country and Wine Tasting Capital of Georgia, Etowah Meadery gives “wine” a unique buzz!
Visit the “On Tap Now” page to see the current mead list. Light snacks are available in the tasting room (Boar’s Head snacks, meat, and cheese). Purchase a bottle or try a tasting flight (4 x 1 oz pours).
DISCOUNTS
- Military (active & retired): 15% off with ID
- Dahlonega residents: 10% off with local ID
HOURS
- Friday – Saturday: 11:00 am – 7:00 pm
- Sunday: 12:30 pm – 7:00 pm
- Monday – Thursday: CLOSED
CONTACT and VISIT
- Call: +1 (706) 864-6323
- Address: 3003 Morrison Moore Pkwy East, Dahlonega, GA
- Website: Etowah Meadery
REVIEWS and SOCIAL MEDIA
- FACEBOOK: @EtowahMeadery Rated 5 (110+ Facebook reviews), 3280+ Likes
- INSTAGRAM: @etowahmeadery 1800+ Followers
- Pinterest: @EtowahMeadery
- TripAdvisor: Rated 5 (13 TripAdvisor reviews)
- TWITTER: @EtowahMeadery 200+ Followers
- YELP: Rated 5 (20+ YELP reviews)
- YouTube Channel:
- UNTAPPD: Rated 3.73 (1290+ reviews). 8 Likes
Montaluce Winery and Restaurant (Dahlonega)
A beautiful gem with a Tuscan feel in the Georgia Mountains is Montaluce Winery and Restaurant, a short drive north of the Dahlonega square. This is a GaMountainsGuide favorite for it’s classic elegance and ability to transport you to an old world feeling of Tuscany. The gourmet restaurant has panoramic vineyard views and is a great place to enjoy the sunset. On-site lodging is available in Tuscan-style villas. Tesla charging stations available for patrons.
Currently selling a raspberry mead at $36 / bottle… which they say is less honey-oriented. Call for more details, or purchase online (shipping only available to Georgia and Florida).
NOTE that Montaluce Winery and Restaurant is not included on the map above under the “MEAD” category (Montaluce is listed under the “WINE” category instead).
CONTACT & VISIT: Montaluce Vineyards
- PHONE: +1 (706) 867-4060
- ADDRESS: 501 Hightower Church Road, Dahlonega, GA
- GPS COORDINATES: (34.5683255,-84.0643647)
- EMAIL: info@montaluce.com
- WEBSITE: Montaluce.com
REVIEWS and SOCIAL MEDIA
- FACEBOOK: @Montaluce Rated 4.6 (625+ Facebook reviews), 12,700+ Likes
- INSTAGRAM: @Montaluce 2,300+ Followers
- TripAdvisor: Rated 4.0 (400+ TripAdvisor reviews)
- TWITTER: @MontaluceWinery 1,000+ Followers
- YELP: Rated 3.5 (170+ YELP reviews)
- YouTube Channel: Montaluce
- UNTAPPD: Rated 3.7 (15 reviews)
BeeCraft Mead Company (Dawsonville)
Located in Dawsonville, this company is next to the big outlet mall / shops. Seven different types of mead for your enjoyment!
HOURS
- Friday: 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
- Saturday: 1:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
- Sunday: 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
- Monday – Thurday: CLOSED
CONTACT and VISIT
- Call: +1 (855) GET-MEAD
- Address: 30 Industrial Park Rd #114, Dawsonville, GA 30534
- Website: BeeCraftMead.com
REVIEWS and SOCIAL MEDIA
- FACEBOOK: @BeeCraftMead Rated 5 (28 Facebook reviews), 3800 Likes
- INSTAGRAM: @beecraftmeadco 736 Followers
- TripAdvisor: Rated 5 (1 TripAdvisor reviews)
- TWITTER: @BeeCraftMeadCo 367 Followers
- UNTAPPD: Rated 3.54 (235 reviews). 4 Likes.
Mercier Orchards (Blue Ridge)
Mercier Orchards in Blue Ridge is known for their U-pick events and hard ciders. The family business has been in Blue Ridge for 4 generations — they recently celebrated 75 years of operation! They have a downtown Blue Ridge store where you can find their products at 260 West Main Street, but for the full orchard experience you should visit the original farm location at 8660 Blue Ridge Drive.
This family-friendy destination is open early and invites you to dine at their cafe, pick your own fruit, try the adventure / obstacle course, enjoy catch-and-release fishing in their pond, and of course to sample their hard ciders and fruit wines!
HOURS
- Farm is open 7 days a week from 7:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
- Tasting flights are $10 each in the store during these hours only:
- Monday – Saturday 11:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
- Sunday 12:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
- Closed New Years Day, Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas
CONTACT and VISIT
- Call: +1 (800) 361-7731
- Address: 8660 Blue Ridge Drive, Blue Ridge, Georgia
- Website: Mercier Orchards
REVIEWS and SOCIAL MEDIA
- FACEBOOK: @mercierorchards Rated 4.8 (2734 Facebook reviews), 73838 Likes
- INSTAGRAM: @mercierorchards 11700 Followers
- Pinterest: @mercierorchards
- TripAdvisor: Rated 4.5 (2295 TripAdvisor reviews)
- YELP: Rated 4.5 (412 YELP reviews)
- YouTube Channel:
- UNTAPPD: Rated 3.58 (3640 reviews)
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Which of these unique Georgia mountain desitnations is first on your list to visit? Please save and share this map for future reference (scroll up for the interactive version of the map.
Hello Alyce,
Thank you for the information that you have shared in your article. It is a very good article indeed. Personally I am so much of a cider person but the information you have shared makes me crave for healthy Meads. I am now seriously considering to go on a trip and hike the Georgia mountains so that I can have a taste of those Honey Meads.
Thank you
Hi Kachunda, The Georgia mountains offer many unique ways to experience local sights, sounds, and flavors. I hope you are able to visit soon!!
The air and the environment in that place of Georgia must be clean and far away from pollution as those bees live productively in the area. The next time I will visit the place with my auntie who’s living down in Florida, I will request her to pay a visit to BeeCraft Mead Company. I wanna taste that beer that’s made from honey and not grains. Oh, by the way, it’s not beer. It’s mead. Beer and mead are two different things.
I hope you enjoy the local mead. Cheers!
Etowah Meadery sounds nice! And they even have military discounts too, how very kind of them to serve for our unsung heroes. My aunt lives near, I definitely must go and try out that mead with fresh air about, can’t wait! Mead’s a very ancient drink but very popular and healthy too if I’m correct. Do you think we can have a look at their distillery too?
Hi Riaz, Indeed you are right — mead has a very long history and references to mead have even been found in ancient Egyptian artifacts.
These meaderies and cider houses may be able to give you a tour of the production area — it will likely depend on the season and how busy they are when you arrive. It’s best to call in advance to make sure you arrive at the best time for this opportunity.
Warm Regards, Alyce
Hey Alyce, awesome article. I love how you point out all the great activities that can be done and explored while you’re in the Georgia mountains. I’ve never been but your article now makes me want to plan a trip. The information was a great read and although I don’t care for bees, it would be interesting to see the various bees along with everything else the trip has to offer. Thanks for the info.
Hi R.J., I can understand why a person might not like bees (stings are not fun), but know that it’s unlikely that you would come in contact with the bees while at the meaderies. I hope you can make it for a visit — it’s beautiful throughout the year with very different things to do and see in each season.
Warm Regards, Alyce