A 170-year-old water-powered cider mill in Fly Creek, New York has again topped the national rankings: Fly Creek Cider Mill & Orchard was voted America's Best Cidery in the 2026 USA TODAY 10Best Readers' Choice Awards, marking the destination's second #1 finish in three years. The mill had previously earned the top spot in 2024 and placed third in 2025.
For beverage and hospitality operators, the win spotlights a durable business model — one that pairs authentic craft production with layered experiential amenities to drive repeat visitation and regional tourism.
Heritage as a Business Asset
Located three miles from Cooperstown, Fly Creek operates cider production on a 1889 Boomer & Boschert rack-and-cloth press, powered by a 1872 water turbine that harnesses a 10-foot head of water from the on-site Millpond. The mill, built in 1856, has never converted to fully modern industrial equipment; instead, visitors watch traditional pressing in real time, a differentiator that owner Bill Michaels credits as central to the property's identity.
"Historical authenticity is something we pride ourselves on," Michaels said. "Our equipment isn't here simply for display. We continue to use water power and our 1889 press to make cider while giving visitors the opportunity to watch the process. It creates a connection between New York's agricultural heritage, its industrial history and the experience we offer today."
That living-history approach has proven commercially viable far beyond novelty. The destination has expanded to encompass a tasting room pouring New York hard ciders and apple wines, a restaurant and bakery, branded specialty-food retail, family attractions, and a calendar of seasonal events — a multi-revenue-stream structure that mirrors successful agritourism operations across the beverage industry.
Agritourism Momentum
The U.S. craft cider category has grown steadily as consumers gravitate toward locally sourced, orchard-driven alternatives to beer and wine. Cideries that invest in on-premise experiences — tastings, tours, food pairing, events — increasingly outperform those relying solely on wholesale distribution, a pattern well-documented in restaurant and hospitality industry analysis. Fly Creek's repeat recognition reinforces the consumer appetite for destinations that combine agricultural authenticity with full-service hospitality.
Fresh cider pressing for the 2026 harvest is currently underway, and the mill is open daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. through December 20. Michaels attributed the recognition to staff and the multigenerational customer base that has supported the property through its evolution from regional mill to national destination.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
