Cider Domains to visit close to Bayeux

• CIDER

  The apples used to make cider are not eating apples. They are blended in proportions kept secret by their producers, and from them a pure apple juice is produced, the first step. Cider is a living liquid, it matures, it clouds, it clears. The sugars contained in the pure apple juice will turn into alcohol, producing a drink that will taste a little different according to the criteria of the cider farm where it comes from. Cider is a drink between 3° and 5° of alcohol by the fermentation of its sugars. Its strong characteristics are the result of being a totally natural product

There are 3 main types of ciders according to the blend of apple varieties and the bottling density :
– doux (= sweet) : maximum 3% of alcohol and sweeter : it’s fruity and perfect with desserts, pastries, pancakes, crepes…
– brut (= dry/raw) : bitter, less sweet, between 4,5 and 6,5 % of alcohol. This is my favorite ! Great as an aperitif or with meat, seafood, fish and cheese.
– demi-sec (= semi-dry) : it’s an alternative between sweet and raw ciders : not too sweet, not too bitter and a degree of alcohol between 3 and 5 %. Perfect with a meal and cheese.
Nowadays there are many other varieties of ciders such as rosé cider : made from apples with red flesh which gives a natural pink color. It’s very fruity with 4% of alcohol and is a good option for the aperitif or with desserts or ice creams.

To conclude, I would say that cider of any kind is very pleasant to drink especially in summer when it is hot because it is very refreshing (especially dry cider) !

• CALVADOS
  Calvados is an apple brandy which improves with age, in contrast to cider. This eau-de-vie is still made along traditional methods. The cider used to make Calvados won’t be bottled but left in cask to allow the sediment to settle within. After a year or two, it is ready to be distilled according to the process used in the creation of any great brandy (eau-de-vie) : distillation consists in separating the alcohol from the water, an operation that transforms the cider into Calvados. Depending on where it is produced, there is one or two distillations.
  In the Pays d’Auge, there are two  distillations : in the first distillation the unadulterated alcohol is extracted and then passed through a second distillation process in order to obtain the calvados, giving it depth and flavour.
  The calvados is stored in oak casks where it picks up the tannins in the wood and ages gracefully. Its age in cask is important as it affects the sophistication of the taste and some family businesses store casks of calvados that is over 50 years old (once bottled it ceases to age, unlike wine).
  According to the AOC label (which guarantees the quality of a product), a minimum of two years aging in oak barrels following distillation is mandatory to market Calvados  : it is necessary to bring it to maturity and lower its alcohol level to consumption standards (40% vol. minimum).
  Calvados contains between 40 and 45° of alcool.
  
  
• POMMEAU
  Pommeau is a Norman aperitif based on apple juice and calvados. It also ages in oak barrels and takes a beautiful amber color. It is best served fresh.