Cidre Breton

 A French cider from Brittany (as the name inficates) it is widely available in England so it must be one of the more popular imported ciders. 

An odd mixture of flavours, starting with a very dry with the flavour of old cheddar! This disappears and is followed by quite dry tannic-like finish. Even the bouquet was lightly of old cheddar aftertaste. 4/10

Ladrón de Manzanas (50)

I tried this in Madrid. It has a nice medium strength in taste and off-dry. Made in Spain but the brand is owned by Heineken. 7/10

Scrumpy Jack

Produced by Symonds, Scrumpy Jack is a good just off-dry cider, made from Dabinett and Chisel Jersey apples.

Cowbell

A new dry cider from Blyth, Ontario, made with 100% Ontario apples. A pronounced apple taste but quit off-dry, sweeter than I like. 6.5/10

French cider festival

Each year in early February is the "Les Mordus de la Pomme" apple festival. Located in Les Broussettes, 56140 Saint-Laurent/Oust, Brittany. See also the Facebook page for one of the organizer.

Brittany Cider

From the Brittany tourism site: "Where would Brittany be without the apple, its emblematic fruit? There are more than 600 varieties of apple in the region and some of them go back a long way. Breton farm cider is made using an ancient process and is the ultimate local drink."

Outstanding Breton Ciders
It’s the skill of the producers that make these ciders great, from the choice of apple varieties to the various stages of production. Like wine, cider also has its outstanding vintages.

Cidre de Cornouaille AOP
In 1996, Cornouaille Cider was the first product from Brittany to be granted an “Appellation d’Origine Protégée” (AOP). It comes from an area that covers 38 communities around Quimper, which meet certain criteria such as hours of sunshine, rainfall or altitude. The area draws on the traditional skills of around 28 producers. Cornouaille is a semi-dry cider made from 100% pure juice and has a golden colour, very fine bubbles and a slight hint of bitterness.

Royal Guillevic, France’s only Red Label Cider
At the gateway to the Rhuys Peninsula, the Cidrerie Nicol, founded in 1928, makes a cider that graces some of the most prestigious tables. Because of its delicate flavour, gourmets consider it to be the “Breton champagne”. It is made from a single apple variety, the Guillevic.

Cuvée Prestige Carpe Diem: a cider for the Elysée Palace
Since 1997, the Cidrerie du Domaine de Kervéguen has supplied its Prestige Carpe Diem cider to the Elysée Palace. Made from late-season apples, this cider is produced in the same way as late-season wines or wines made from dried grapes. An outstanding, traditional cider, it is made using organic techniques and matured in oak barrels.

Other Cideries to Visit

Brest Terres Océanes

• Cidrerie de Rozavern, Crozon – Organic ciders 
• Ferme de Kermarzin – Maison du cidre, Argol – Organic ciders  

Cap Fréhel – Saint-Malo – Mont Saint-Michel Bay

• Cidrerie Sorre, Plerguer – Ciders with IGP Bretagne certification 
• Cidrerie Prié – Musée du cidre, Pleudihen-sur-Rance – Organic ciders

Pink Granite Coast – Morlaix Bay

• Cidrerie du Léguer, Lannion – Organic cider, free tours and tastings 
• Cidrerie de Cozmezou, Plouégat-Guerrand – Craft ciders and apple juices 

Quimper Cornouaille

• Cidrerie Manoir de Kinkiz, Quimper – Craft cider with AOP Cornouaille certification 
• Cidrerie de Menez Brug, Fouesnant – Tradition du cidre Fouesnantais et jus de pomme 
• Cidrerie Melenig, Elliant – Organic craft cider with AOP Cornouaille certification 
• Cidrerie Paul Coic, Plonéis – 4 medals at the Concours Général Agricole 2018 
• Cidrerie Kerné, Pouldreuzic – Gold medals for sweet and dry ciders at the Concours Général Agricole 2018

Saint-Brieuc Bay – Paimpol- Les Caps 

• Cidrerie de la Baie, Plangunoual – Organic cultivation since 2000 

Southern Brittany – Morbihan Gulf 

• Distillerie du Gorvello, Sulniac – Organic production, award at the Concours Général Agricole 2018

Where can I try cider? 

The Comptoir Breizh Café in Saint-Malo
The Comptoir Breizh Café in Saint-Malo is a crêperie and cider bar with more than 60 recommendations, not just from Brittany but from all over the world. Carine, the cider waitress, can also suggest some original combinations of dishes and ciders.

Le Sistrot in Quimper
Le Sistrot is a must for all cider lovers when in Quimper. There are many different vintages to try including cidre de glace (ice cider) and cidre de feu (fire cider) from Québec, where the bar’s founders spent a few years.

Normandy Cider Route

Normandy is the heart of French cider. There are hundreds of cider producers throughout Normandy and Brittany. Here is one suggested cider route east of Caen. 

From the cider route website: "To the east of Caen, the Cider Route is a 25 mile signposted trail that criss-crosses the Pays d’Auge down picturesque country lanes connecting the villages of Beuvron-en-Auge (one of the ‘most beautiful villages in France’), Cambremer, Bonnebosq and Beaufour-Druval. Along the way, you have the choice of stopping off at over twenty cider farms!"

1. La ferme du Bout du chemin 2. Jean-Louis Caignon 3. Ferme de la vallée au tanneur 4. Genevieve Denis 5. Ferme cidricole Desvoye 6. Domaine Dupont 7. Marie-Louise Foucher 8. Manoir de Montreuil 9. Cave du Manoir de Grandouet

10. Francois Helie 11. Calvados Pierre Huet 12. Aurélien Lepage 13. Antoine Marois 14. Famille Montais 15. Distillerie des Ambres 16. Thierry Rungette 17. Alain Sauvage 18. Bruno Vilain