WHAT DOES AVAL MEAN?
Pronounced AH*VAL, means apple in Breton. The traditional language of Bretagne, France.
BRETAGNE?
(Also known as Brittany) Is renowned for its breathtaking coastal landscapes, rich Celtic heritage and fertile lands. The peninsula in the northwest has the ideal soil for growing apples. It also has arguably the most metal flag in the entire world.
WHAT IS A PROTECTED DENOMINATION?
Effectively, it makes it illegal for us to make shitty cider. Similar to the Denomination of Origin (DO) that you would find in Champagne or Cognac, our Protected Denomination requires that we adhere to a specific set of rules when producing cider. Including where our apples come from and how they are processed.
HOW IS AVAL CIDER PRODUCED?
For over one thousand years, cider has been produced by allowing freshly pressed apple juices ferment with native yeasts. We proudly employ these same techniques today. Albeit with a bit more modern machinery.
HOW DOES TRADITIONAL PRODUCTION DIFFER FROM HOW SOME CIDERS ARE PRODUCED NOW?
Over the decades, some cider production has moved away from the aforementioned traditional methods and begun to incorporate additives such as concentrates, flavoring or sugars. This can be to cut costs or make up for the lack of apple production in the area where the cider is produced.
WHAT TYPE OF APPLES DO YOU USE, AND WHERE DO YOU GET THEM?
The good ones. Cider apples are not traditionally the kind of apple you would find in your local grocery store. These apples are more often apples that are cultivated for their sugar content and acidity unlike traditional table apples which are cultivated for their raw flavor. These apples are grown by farmers all over our region.
WHAT IS A CO-OP?
Farming co-ops are collaborative agricultural enterprises where farmers pool resources and share ownership to enhance efficiency, preserve tradition and collectively market their products. The co-op we work with has a commitment to equity, biodiversity and tradition ensuring the sustainable growth and remuneration of all producer-members involved.
