Calvados - what kind of drink, what taste, how many degrees, a way to make apples at home

From this article you will learn about Calvados, and learn to cook it

Content

Until almost the 20th century, Calvados was considered a drink of the poor. It was produced from the 16th century in the north of France, in Normandy, from apples. But everything changed, and with an alcohol, I began to be interested in knowing when Erich Maria Remarck described it in his works. So Calvados became famous.

Since 1942, only the drink that is made in Normandy is considered to be Calvados in 3 of its provinces, and apple alcohol from other regions of France and the rest of the world are considered ordinary apple tincture. How to cook real calvados and apple tincture? We find out in this article.

Calvados is useful or harmful?

Since Calvados is overtaken from apples, double cleaning of moonshine was made in modest quantities (no more than 1 glass per day) he is useful:

For blood vessels - cleanses the walls of blood vessels of harmful cholesterol
For digestive organs - improves food digestion and improves appetite
For the whole organism - removes toxins, and this warns the development of cancer
Warms in winter, relieves stress, and improves mood

How to cook fast apple tincture, like Calvados?

Fast apple tincture like Calvados, The smell resembles a real calvados, but her taste is completely different.

For apple tincture, you need:

About 2 kg of apples
1 liter of vodka
1 cup of sugar
150 ml of pure water
On the tip of a knife vanilla

Cooking:

My apples, cut into 4 parts, cut out the core and throw it away.
We cut the slices of apples into cubes, pour into a jar, sprinkle with vanilla, fill with vodka, cover with a lid, and put in a dark place for 2 weeks.
After the due time, the tincture is filtered.
Separately, in another pan, we cook syrup from the water, adding sugar, about 5 minutes.
When the syrup has cooled, pour it to the apples, stir it - and we have tincture about 35 degrees.
We pour tincture into bottles, close with traffic jams, store in a cold place up to 3 years.

Apple tincture like Calvados is prepared quickly

How to cook real calvados from apples and pears?

Calvados in Normandy is prepared from local ripe apples and pears of small -fruited varieties, they are usually very fragrant:

30 % of pears and 70 % of apples are taken to Calvados, but if more pears grow in this area, then apples and pears are in half.
70 % of the total number of apples falls on the apples tart-sweet
20 % sour apples
10 % of mustard apples

Cooking:

Of all the apples (not mine), squeeze the juice.
We leave the juice for 1 day to stand in a dark place, then drain the carefully brightened juice so that the sediment remains at the bottom.
Fill the juice with a large bottle or several dishwasher, where it will wander. You need to fill out the bottles not completely, but only by 75%.
Close the bottle with a special lid with a tube. We lower the tube into the water. If there is no such cover, you can put a rubber glove on a bottle, pierce one finger with a thin needle so that air comes out.
We leave the vessel with juice to roam at room temperature at least 18 degrees Celsius, in a dark place, at least 2 weeks or until fermentation is completed.
How to find out that fermentation ended? There are signs that indicate this: the juice is lighter than it was at first, a sediment gathered at the bottom of the bottle, the glove fell or the air bubbles do not come out of the tube, the juice is sour and the sweetness is not felt.
The juice was transferred, and it turned out to be a cider. It must be carefully so as not to hurt the sediment, drain, and overtake through the moonshine. We drive the moonshine for the first time, until the fortress drops to 30 degrees, if below, we pour the rest.
Next, the moonshine should be overtaken for the second time, but first we dilute it with water to 20 degrees.
We place an overturned alcohol for the first time in the moonshine. At first, when the moonshine begins to flow, it contains impurities harmful to health, they spoil the taste of Calvados, so we pour the first 10-12% of the total number of moonshine or store for technical needs.
Then the moonshine is dripped, which we collect for Calvados. You need to drive while its fortress is above 40 degrees, if the mark dropped below, we stop the work. The moonshine of 70-80 degrees should be obtained. Dilute it with water to 45 degrees.
Calvados is not yet ready - it needs to be kept in a cold place, at least six months - in a new oak barrel, then in an old oak barrel - 6 years old. If there is no barrel, then you can pour apple moonshine into banks, and lower oak stakes there.
We first prepare the stakes: first, pour boiling water for 10 minutes, then with cold water for 20 minutes, dry - and can be used.
The last stage is filtration through gauze with cotton wool. Now you can pour Calvados into bottles, which we close tightly with traffic jams. And you can enjoy the drink.

What does real Calvados look like?

Depending on how long the infusion of Calvados was, it looks different and differs in taste:

Young Calvados, infused 2 years -Lightly golden with a sharp aroma and taste of fresh apples, it is sold under such brands: Trois Etoiles, Trois Pommes, Fine. There can also be 3 stars on the bottle.
Calvados, infused 3 years - Golden with apple aroma, under the stamps: Vieux, Reserve.
Calvados, infused 4-5 years -dark golden with a taste of apples and oak barrels, such brands are sold: V.O., V.S.O.P.
Mature Calvados, insisted for 6 years -Amber or light brown with a taste of baked apples, chocolate and spices, with a pleasant and long aftertaste. Mature Calvados is sold under the stamps: Hors Dage, Napoleon, Age Inconnu, Extra, X.O.
Calvados, designed for more than 6 years, is called old, It looks like mature calvados, but it has a more rich aroma and taste, and a longer aftertaste. Marking on the old Calvados indicates the number of years of exposure.

How to drink Calvados?

How to serve Calvados?

Calvados is poured into glasses to half, let stand for 15-20 minutes, during which time the drink will be saturated with oxygen, and will give excess alcohol-and you can drink
Calvados with a drink temperature of about 20 degrees is best drunk
Calvados is served in glasses, in the form of a tulip, on a long leg
Calvados drink in small sips, relishing it, and inhaling the aroma, it takes at least 40 minutes to 1 glass
Serve calvados between the main dishes, during lunch or dinner

Calvados drink before and after eating:

If Calvados has an exposure of up to 4 years, it is drunk before meals - to increase appetite
If there is more than 4 years, they drink calvados after eating - to improve digestion

Where else is Calvados use?