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.
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Key facts
- Ingredients. INAO describes it as a blend of Eau-de-vie de cidre de Bretagne and apple must. [1]
- Ageing and strength. Aged in wood for at least 14 months; more than 90 g/L of sugar; 16–18% ABV. [1]
- The brandy. Eau-de-vie de cidre de Bretagne is made only from traditional Breton cider-apple varieties, aged in wood for at least 2 years, and may also be called Fine Bretagne or Lambig de Bretagne. [2]
- History. A 1935 decree banned the sale of cider-based aperitifs; producers won the right to sell pommeau in 1981, and Pommeau de Bretagne became an AOC in 1997. [1]
How does Pommeau de Bretagne differ from Pommeau de Normandie?
Both are made the same way, by adding cider brandy to apple must (see what pommeau is); the differences are in the brandy and the sugar rules.
| Pommeau de Bretagne | Pommeau de Normandie | |
|---|---|---|
| Brandy | Eau-de-vie de cidre de Bretagne [1] | Calvados [3] |
| Must sugar at mutage | At least 123 g/L [4] | At least 108 g/L [4] |
| Sugar in the bottle | More than 90 g/L [4] | More than 69 g/L [4] |
| Before sale | From 1 June, after at least 30 days in bottle [4] | From the end of the 15th month [4] |
| Strength | 16–18% ABV [1] | 16–18% ABV [3] |
Related answers: what pommeau is · where to buy pommeau · what cider brandy is
Find it on Cider Radar
- Brittany: 73 cider makers listed (as of 2026-10-02). Check each profile for pommeau.
- Glossary: pommeau
- Open the map: app.ciderradar.com · iPhone · Android
Cider, perry, calvados and pommeau are alcoholic drinks. Enjoy responsibly and follow the legal drinking age where you live.
Questions
What is lambig?
Lambig de Bretagne is another name allowed for the AOC Eau-de-vie de cidre de Bretagne, a Breton cider brandy aged in wood for at least 2 years. [2]
Where is Pommeau de Bretagne made?
In historic Brittany: INAO describes the cider-brandy area as 372 communes in five departments, including Loire-Atlantique. [2]
Sources
- Pommeau de Bretagne (AOC) — INAO
- Eau-de-vie de cidre de Bretagne (AOC) — INAO
- Pommeau de Normandie (AOC) — INAO
- Élaboration du Pommeau — IDAC – Interprofession des Appellations Cidricoles