Swabian Cider – Brut

Schwäbischer Cider brut. Meadow apple, wine pear, yeasty depth and little sweetness.

Schwäbischer Cider brut is the dry, partially fermented fruit sparkling wine made by Jörg Geiger from hand-picked meadow apples and wine pears, with yeasty notes and mild bitterness. No sweet fruit cider, no still must, no apple sekt.

Schwäbischer Cider brut is a craft cider from Schlat that combines apple and pear from the Streuobst orchard into a dry, sparkling food companion. A plate of white asparagus, new potatoes and melted butter sits on the table. Beside it, a slender glass of cider with fine bubbles rising. The first sip smells of freshly cut apple, then pear and a little like bread dough.

Apple acidity, pear bitterness and a touch of yeast

The aroma combines vegetal notes and yeasty nuances with fresh apple and pear aromas. The yeastiness is reminiscent of bread crust or brioche. Such tones come from the fermentation and give the cider a depth that pure fruit drinks lack.

On the palate, apple and pear together carry the fruit. The old pear varieties provide a mild bitterness, the apple the acidity, the carbonation the lift. This makes the cider fresh and lean without being thin.

In France, "cidre brut" refers to the drier style compared to the sweet "cidre doux". The Swabians go one step further and ferment the pear along with it. What runs under the name Poiré as its own drink in Normandy is here in the same glass as the apple.

The brewery states around 12 g of residual sugar per liter. This is little for cider and corresponds to the upper limit of what is considered brut in sparkling wine. Anyone expecting a juicy-sweet cider will find it too bitter. In this case, the mild craft cider made from apple and wine pear from the same house is the more suitable choice.

A cider for asparagus and potatoes

According to the brewery, Schwäbischer Cider brut pairs well with asparagus and light potato dishes, as well as appetizers and vegetables. Asparagus is considered a difficult partner by sommeliers. Its slight bitterness can make some wines taste metallic, while the fruit acidity of the cider counteracts it.

In spring, the asparagus dish is the obvious occasion. For the rest of the year, the potato takes over: boiled potatoes with herb quark, a lukewarm Swabian potato salad with broth and chives, or a potato-leek gratin. Rösti with smoked trout and horseradish also gets along well with the acidity.

According to the manufacturer, the ideal drinking temperature is between 8 and 10 °C, and as a glass, he recommends the sekt flute. Served colder, the yeasty notes disappear; warmer, it loses its freshness. One bottle makes around six 125 ml glasses.

Good to know: This cider is not intended for hearty stews or dark game. It lacks the tannins and body to stand up to a braised beef roast. Its strength lies with light, vegetable-focused dishes and butter.

Our tip: Pair the cider with a Swabian snack of a pretzel stick, mountain cheese, and radishes. The acidity cleanses the palate after every bite, while the pear bitterness matches the spicy cheese.

Streuobst from the Albtrauf in the bottle

The cider comes from registered Streuobst orchards around Schlat near Göppingen, which the manufacturer lists as Schwäbisches WiesenObst. The areas are registered in a database. On-site inspections are carried out by the WiesenObst e.V. association and the independent testing body ABCERT.

Wine pears, also called Mostbirnen, taste bitter and furry fresh from the tree because they are rich in tannins and acidity. In the cider, exactly these properties provide structure and length. Apple alone would give the drink less backbone.

Partially fermented means that the fermentation ends before the yeast has converted all the fruit sugar into alcohol. In the brut, it goes significantly further than in the house's mild cider, which is why hardly any sweetness remains. The CC in the name stands for Craft Cider, the brewery's craft cider line.

High-stem fruit trees do not bear the same amount every year. Experts call this alternance: a strong harvest year is often followed by a weak one. For a brewery that works exclusively with such trees, this means dealing with different quantities and varieties every year.

Jörg Geiger took over his parents' inn, Lamm in Schlat, in 1997. A year later, he began experimenting with the harvest of five trees of the old Champagne Bratbirne. In 2001, he received the Cultural Landscape Award of the Schwäbischer Heimatbund for the preservation of the Streuobst orchards on the Albtrauf. In 2020, at the SISGA cider competition in Gijón, Spain, all six products submitted by the brewery were awarded.

The dry alternative to sekt at the table

Schwäbischer Cider brut fills a gap between beer and sparkling wine. It sparkles like a sekt, but remains fruitier and brings the Streuobst of the Alb to the table. For an asparagus dinner with friends, it is a drink with regional roots that carries you through the evening. It also accompanies a late brunch with scrambled eggs, chives, and smoked salmon.

As a gift, it is suitable for hosts who appreciate wine and like to try something new. The 750 ml bottle looks like a sparkling wine on the table. Stored cool and dark, it keeps well unopened; once opened, it is best drunk within one to two days.

A glass of Swabian Streuobst with little sweetness and lots of freshness, made for asparagus, potatoes, and long tables.