Calvados does not go bad in the way food does: at 40% alcohol or more it does not spoil, and in the EU and UK drinks of 10% alcohol or more do not need a best-before date. An opened bottle slowly loses aroma as air gets in, so keep it tightly closed, upright, cool and out of direct light.

How do you drink pommeau?

Pommeau is usually drunk chilled, as an aperitif, in a small glass. Normandie Tourisme says it is best served chilled, and INAO describes Pommeau du Maine as a cousin of Pineau des Charentes. It is sweet and 16–18% ABV, so small measures work best, before a meal or with apple-based dishes.

How do you pronounce calvados?

You pronounce calvados "KAL-vuh-doss" in British English and "KAL-vuh-dohss" in American English, with the stress on the first syllable. Cambridge Dictionary gives /ˈkæl.və.dɒs/ (UK) and /ˈkæl.və.doʊs/ (US). The final "s" is pronounced. In France, calvados is often shortened to "calva".

How is calvados made?

Calvados is made by fermenting cider-apple and perry-pear juice for at least 21 days, distilling it in a copper pot or column still, and ageing it in oak for at least two years, then bottling at 40% ABV or more. The cider may not be pasteurised or sweetened, and no sugar may be added to the juice.

How many calories are in calvados?

Calvados has about 231 calories per 100 g, or about 97 calories in a 1.5 fl oz (42 g) measure, based on US nutrition data for 80-proof (40%) distilled spirits. Almost all of those calories come from alcohol, as an unsweetened spirit like this has no carbohydrate. Cask-strength calvados above 40% has more.

Is calvados good for you?

Calvados is not good for your health. It is a spirit of at least 40% alcohol, and health bodies say no level of alcohol is safe. A 25 ml measure is 1 UK unit, and the NHS advises not regularly drinking more than 14 units a week. In the EU and UK, alcoholic drinks cannot carry health claims.

What goes with calvados?

Calvados goes well with Normandy cheeses, foie gras, smoked fish, roast pork or poultry with apples, and apple or chocolate desserts. Old calvados is best sipped after dinner or with coffee, while young calvados of two to four years mixes well with tonic and in cocktails such as the Jack Rose and the Corpse Reviver No. 1.

What is a trou normand?

A trou normand ("Norman hole") is a pause in the middle of a long meal for a small glass of calvados, a Normandy custom with a formal place at 19th-century banquets. Today it is usually an apple sorbet soaked in calvados, served between two courses as a palate cleanser before the meal goes on.

What is calvados?

Calvados is a French brandy distilled from cider and perry made in Normandy and neighbouring areas, then aged in oak for at least two years. It has three protected appellations: Calvados, Calvados Pays d'Auge and Calvados Domfrontais. It is sold at 40% ABV or more, and it is the base for Pommeau de Normandie.

What is cider brandy?

Cider brandy is a spirit distilled from cider, usually aged in wood. In French it is called eau-de-vie de cidre. The best-known is calvados from Normandy, which can also use perry. Other protected cider brandies include Eau-de-vie de cidre de Bretagne, Eau-de-vie de cidre du Maine and Somerset Cider Brandy in England.

What is pommeau de Bretagne?

Pommeau de Bretagne is a protected (AOC) Breton aperitif made by blending unfermented cider-apple must with Breton cider brandy, Eau-de-vie de cidre de Bretagne, then ageing it in wood for at least 14 months. It is 16–18% ABV, has more than 90 g/L of sugar and has been an AOC since 1997.

What is pommeau?

Pommeau is a sweet French aperitif made by blending unfermented apple juice (must) with cider brandy, which stops fermentation, and then ageing the blend in oak. It is a spirit drink of 16–18% ABV. Three protected versions exist: Pommeau de Normandie, made with calvados, Pommeau de Bretagne and Pommeau du Maine.

What is the best calvados?

There is no single best calvados: the right one depends on how you'll drink it. Young calvados (VS, at least 2 years) suits cocktails and casual drinking; VSOP pairs with Normandy cheeses; older XO or vintage calvados is for sipping neat from a tulip glass. Choose the appellation too: Pays d'Auge, Domfrontais or Calvados.

What is the difference between calvados and applejack?

Calvados is apple and pear brandy made in Normandy and neighbouring areas under French appellation rules. Applejack is an American name: under US federal rules, "applejack" can mean apple brandy, and "blended applejack" is at least 20% apple brandy aged two years in oak, mixed with neutral spirits. Both are bottled at 40% ABV or more.

What is the difference between calvados and cognac?

Calvados is a French brandy distilled from cider made from apples and pears in Normandy and nearby areas, while cognac is distilled from white wine made from grapes in the Charente region. Both are protected appellations aged at least two years in oak, but they differ in fruit, region, stills and taste.

Where can I buy apple brandy?

You can buy apple brandy from distilleries and cider makers who distil, from specialist spirits shops and liquor stores, and from online retailers. Look for the type you want: calvados from Normandy, applejack or apple brandy from the US, Somerset cider brandy from England, or eau-de-vie de cidre from Brittany.

Where can I buy calvados?

You can buy calvados from its producers in Normandy, often at the distillery or farm, and from wine and spirits shops in many countries. When buying, check the appellation (Calvados, Calvados Pays d'Auge or Calvados Domfrontais) and the age statement on the label, such as VS, VSOP or XO.

Where can I buy pommeau?

Pommeau is made in north-western France, so the widest choice is sold by cider and calvados producers in Normandy, Brittany and the Maine area, often at the farm. Outside France, look in wine and spirits shops or importers' ranges. Three protected names exist: Pommeau de Normandie, Pommeau de Bretagne and Pommeau du Maine.

Calvados, pommeau and apple spirits