April 18, 2022

7 Things You Didn’t Know About the Apple Barn in Sevierville

The Apple Barn is one of the most popular places to visit in the Smoky Mountain area, but how much do you really know about it? This destination is known for its delicious apple fritters and apple cider, but it’s actually rich in history. Are you interested in learning more about the Apple Barn and Cider Mill? Check out these 7 things you didn’t know about the apple barn in Sevierville:

1. It’s a real barn.

Nothing at the Apple Barn is just for show — it’s an actual farm that has been cared for by the Kirkpatrick family since the 1970s. The centerpiece of the Apple Barn is actually a former cattle barn that was built in 1910. In the 1970s, the apple trees that Bill Kirkpatrick planted began to bear more fruit than the family could use, so they began to sell bagged apples for a few weeks each fall, and Bill experimented with a cider press. Soon, they turned the barn into a place to buy apples and cider made on site, and then it grew from there!

2. There’s more than 1 delicious restaurant.

Everyone always talks about the delicious food you can enjoy at the Apple Barn in Sevierville, but did you know there’s actually more than one restaurant? You can choose to dine at the Applewood Farmhouse Restaurant or the Applewood Farmhouse Grill. Both restaurants serve delicious Southern meals, with the grill offering a few healthier options on its menu as well. The Applewood Farmhouse Restaurant is the original favorite — the farmhouse was converted to a restaurant in 1986. The Applewood Farmhouse Grill was opened because the original restaurant was so popular! Enjoy homemade apple fritters and apple julep with every meal, and popular Southern dishes like fried chicken, chicken n dumplings, and chicken pot pie.

3. Their wine is made from apples.

There’s also a winery on site! What’s different about the Apple Barn Winery is that all of the wine is made with the apples grown on site. Their apple cider is the beginning point for many of their sweet fruit wines like apple-raspberry, apple-peach, and apple-strawberry, and they also serve muscadine wine and other Southern favorites. Visitors can enjoy free tastings daily at the winery and shop for unique fruit wines and a variety of other gifts and accessories.

4. All of the fruit sold is grown there.

The Apple Barn is dedicated to local fruit. All of the fruit that’s sold is grown right at their orchards. They offer an assortment of locally grown varieties that change throughout the season, depending on what’s ripe. The mountains of East Tennessee are known for their crisp, juicy apples that have an extra punch of flavor. There are approximately 7,000 dwarf root stock trees at the orchards that produce many of the apples used in their products, including pies, cakes, apple butter, and more. Other apples used in their products come from local growers!

5. There’s more than just a restaurant and cider mill.

When most people hear about the Apple Barn, they hear about the cider mill and the restaurant, but there is so much more to this popular area in Sevierville. The Apple Barn is home to 2 restaurants, a hard cider house and a cider bar, a general store, a candy shop, an ice cream shop, a winery, and a Christmas and candle shop! You could spend an entire day exploring the Apple Barn Village.

6. You can watch cider being made.

If you visit during the fall, you can actually watch as the cider is being made! The apples in the orchards are harvested during peak season and then are taken to the kitchens and distilleries on the property. Visitors will have the opportunity to watch as the distillers make the apple cider! You’ll love getting a behind-the-scenes look at how some of the delicious products are made.

7. You can sample hard cider for free.

The Apple Barn Cider House offers hard ciders that are crafted on site! Visitors can sample the cider for free, then choose which ones to purchase. The cider at the Apple Barn stands out because it’s made using a sterile filtration method instead of a full pasteurization process. This allows the cider to remain clean, smooth, and crisp, rather than having the general “cooked apple” flavor you get from other makers.

More Things to Do in Sevierville

Now that you know more about the Apple Barn in Sevierville, we bet you can’t wait to start planning your visit. To help you decide what else you want to do while you’re here, check out some of our other favorite things to do in the Smoky Mountains!