Jean-Yves on Cider!

Jean-Yves, from Brittany in Western France, is an old hand at making authentic Breton cider. Here is the first part of his article telling how it's done.

How to Make Good Breton Cider

The steps:

1 - Good choice of apples

2 - Collecting apples at the right period

3 - Brewing with mature fruits with no disease

4 - Clarify the wort immediately when it get out of the press

5 - Transfer the wort as soon as it's clear

6 - Low fermentation temperature in a fresh cellar, with airlock

7 - Bottling

1 - Good choice of apples.

The good apples varieties must give the wort a density above 1055 (i.e. more than 115 gr of sugar per litre )

Different categories of apples:

the sweet and sweet/bitter apples : "Douce MOËN" " Douce COËT LIGNE"; there're rich in sugar, they're the basis of the cider.

the bitter apples: " Jeanne Renard" " Kermerrien" "Marie Menard" . they give the body and help to clear the cider (we say: faire le "chapeau brun"); they 're also antiseptic.

the acid/sour apples : give fresher, improve the flavour and protect against the diseases of the cider.

Example of a " pommage" apple's mixing/blending : 4/10 of sweet apples + 3/10 bitter/sweet apples + 2/10 bitter apples + 1/10 acid apples.

2- Collecting apples.

There are 3 periods for collecting apples:

apples of 1st season: September/October: give sweet cider, must be drunk early

apples of 2nd season: October/November: give the best cider (the one I try to do !!!)

apples of the 3rd season: November/December : give dry to very dry cider

As soon as they are collected, the apples are stored in a safe place (to protect against soil humidity and bad weather). Apples which are not mature are poor in sugar, and the cider will not be clear and will be low in alcohol.

Counter