Toot Your Own Horn (2021)

Style: Cider
Producer: Brutes
Origin: Sweden
Size: 75cl
Alcohol: 6.5%
Price: 109kr
Systembolaget: 5414601

Brutes was formed near Stockholm in 2019 by a group of friends who had a passion for natural wine. Most of their fruit comes from old wild apple and pear trees around Stockholm and Lake Mälaren. They use spontaneous (wild) fermentation — meaning no commercial yeast is added. This is a French style cider made with both Wealthy Cox Pomona apple varieties. These were then joined by 5% wild apples and macerated for 5 days, which helps release aromatic compounds and their precursors from the apple skin into the juice.

This was pale golden with high levels carbonation and a medium body. In the aroma, fresh orchard apples lead the way, backed by with a heavy rustic earthiness that was reminiscent of hay, wool and barnyard. This continued into the taste, which was crisp and had a refreshing acidity. Green apple again was at the forefront, along with yeast and wool in the back end. The high carbonation lifted the palate and helped to keep everything feeling vibrant in the dry aftertaste.

Overall I thought this was nice but it’s not a cider I would be drawn to. I still much prefer English style cider, which isn’t usually as funky as this. This was tart, fruity and earthy, so if that’s the style of cider you like I would say this would be perfect for you.