Cider House | Les Vergers Petit & Fils

For the last four generations the Petit family has grown apples with devoted passion. Using their traditional methods, choice of cultivation and ecological innovations the Petit's have created unique products with the highest quality. It is with great pleasure that we introduce a brief presentation of the techniques we use in cider production.

The harvest

Fall Harvests are a celebration for farmers and agriculturalists but also an important period for Cider production. A meticulous examination of the orchards permits us to determinate the ideal moment to pick the apples according to their variety and in order to insure the optimal maturity of the fruit.

Press and wait

For our ciders Petit Pomme léger, Champomme and Champomme rosé, the press is done right after the picking, usually the end of October or beginning of November.

For our ciders Petit Pomme fort and the ice cider, the apples are stored until the start of very cold weather.

Traditional method

Traditional cider is made by a second fermentation in bottle. The bottles are placed in a riddling rack and being slightly rotated following a precise movement. Then comes the disgorging step: the removal of the residue accumulated below the cork. A “liqueur d’expédition” (dosage) is added to fill in the emptiness that was created.

The light and tranquil cider

Once the apples are pressed, the pomace is put in a mill where it will ferment for 3 to 4 months. During this fermentation, sugars will be transformed into alcohol with the help of natural or added yeasts. This first fermentation rises the level of alcohol to 7%. The cider is then transferred into another barrel where it will ferment for six months. This second fermentation will help the cider develop more depth.

The sparkling cider

This cider is processed the same way Champagne is made. It is a result of two bottle fermentations and the sparkles are naturally developed. It needs to be done with care and detail and also how to manipulate bottles in a very specific manner.

Ice Cider

Making process

To make its Ice Cider, the Petit family uses two natural methods: cryocentration and cryoextraction. The apples are stored until very cold weather arrives. At the end of December the apples are taken outside and exposed to cold winter winds. This method- cryocentration- is the concentration of cold temperature and traps the fruits natural water and sugar in itself.

Next, the frozen apples are pressed to extract the maximum amount of nectar. The nectar is put in barrels and exposed to strong winds against Mount St.Hilaire in order to insure a sufficient concentration and to obtain the level of alcohol needed. The magic happens during the freezing nights in the barrels. The water in the apples crystallizes and is then extracted in order to get the most concentrated nectar.