Pet-Nat style Natural ciders

15.9.2022
|In Tuotteet
|By Emmi Brownie

Our Pet-nat style natural ciders are made using local fruit and leaving the juice to ferment naturally, relying purely on native wild yeasts found on the apples themselves. No temperature control or any added sugar, water, yeast, sulphites, etc. Then we just wait for the right moment to bottle the cider. Both of Lepola Pet-Nat Style ciders “Dry” and “Lingonberry” are certified Finnish Real ciders (aitosiideri.fi).

Lepola Pét Nat Style Natural Ciders
Unfiltered and unfined, they contain a small amount of natural sediment.

 

What is Pet-Nat cider?

“Petillant Naturel cider, or pet-nat for short, means naturally sparkling. Pet-nat is one of the oldest styles of naturally sparkling wine.  It is a very simple cider in which the primary fermentation occurs in the bottle trapping the CO2 and yeast in the bottle.”

 

What is Natural cider?

“Natural cider is like natural wine but made with apples. Meaning the product is made using only natural processes. Nothing added or taken away from the product. Meaning also that the cider maker steps back a bit and lets nature do its thing.”

Pet-Nat style Dry Natural cider 5,2%. Much like a wine every year the ciders will differ slightly due to environmental conditions. A warm summer with little rain will produce a sweeter juice.
Where did you get the idea for this style ciders?

“It is the oldest style of making cider. This style is one of the simplest ways to make cider, it just involves bottling the cider before fermentation has completed. But, it is also challenging to get right with the spontaneous fermentation, and the carbonation levels not too high or not too low.“

 

What was the most important step in making these ciders?

“First to mention is the high-quality fruit, this is where it all starts. Second important phase is to make sure the temperature of cider is in the goldilocks zone for fermentation – not too hot, not too cold. The timing of the bottling has to be right to have enough residual sugar for the carbonation.”

Pet-Nat style Lingonberry Natural cider 4,7%. Lingonberry Natural cider is made with 95% Finnish apple juice from mostly summer apples, and 5% wild Finnish lingonberries. We used the summer apple varieties to keep the alcohol content lower, and the cider to be light and refreshing.
Will you continue making this style cider?

“Yes – hopefully. Every vintage of this style cider will taste different. It also makes the making, and the evaluation along the way interesting.”

 

Which food would you pair this cider with?

“We made these ciders to be shared with friends and family with any meal you prefer to drink them with. Tested to pair well with mushroom risotto and game mince burgers!”

 

Cheers, Emmi & Aaron