How to avoid mistakes when selecting mead and cider

mead

Mead - one of the traditional Russian drink, to cook which used honey, hops and yeast and water. Taste mead depend on the choice of spices (ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, red pepper, almonds) and berries (juniper, rosehips, currants, blueberries, strawberries). His famous Novgorod mead, Suzdal, Tver, near Moscow Kolomna.

Strength of the beverage ranges from 5 to 9%, and does not depend on the amount of alcohol, and the holding time.

In old mead was prepared without the use of a long fermentation by yeast natural components. It was poured into a barrel, the cover resin. Exposure time takes 5 to 60 years. If tar still seeping through the cover, then know that mead is spoiled, it was possible only after a long time.

In Russia is not established common rules for the production of mead, there are only GOST P 52700-2006 for the production of soft drinks, which determines the maximum overall performance requirements of the finished product. Each manufacturer is preparing mead in their specifications, but must use the natural ingredients of honey, hops, spices, instead of imitating them

nutritional supplements.

The alcohol component of the drink to be obtained by fermentation of wort rather than topped up by means of the finished drink alcohol. Otherwise, such a product can not be called mead.

How to choose a quality mead

Look at the label. The name should indicate that this is mead. Well, if it is referred to GOST R 52700-2006, but it is not a requirement.

Take a good look at the composition. There should be indicated only natural ingredients: honey, hops, yeast, berries and spices. Quality mead does not require preservatives, and carbon dioxide, as the saturation of the gas goes in the fermentation process. There should not be a part of and other spirits, such as vodka.

Look at the bottle to the light. Color may be different, it depends on the process used in the preparation of fruits and spices. But in all cases the liquid should be transparent.

How to drink mead

Mead is traditionally used as an aperitif: drink before meals in small sips. Today it is possible to drink with almost all products except fish, which interrupts their smell the aroma of the mead.

In the cold season is allowed to warm mead to 35-40 ° C. In the summer it is better to drink it chilled.

How to prepare the mead at home

For those who like to do everything with their hands and wants to be 100% sure as mead, we tell how to cook it at home.

Cider

Cider - alcoholic drink from apples, strength of which varies from 1.2 to 6%. Color, aroma and taste may vary slightly, depending on the characteristics of production. Cider, like wine, is divided into dry, semi-dry, semi-sweet and sweet varieties, can be carbonated. Traditionally, cider is brewed in the UK, France, Germany, Spain. He is also popular in the Baltics and Scandinavia.

There is a legend that the first cider turned when a bag of overripe apples sat Charlemagne. Crushed apples eventually ferment. But in fact, cider brewed since the days of ancient Rome, and so it is widely used in Europe - the former Roman colony.

In Russia sidovareniya traditions are weak, and not least because of the lack of raw materials.

For the production of cider apples are not suitable usual, as they very little tannin - special tanning agent imparting cider tart taste. You need special varieties of apples, the taste is reminiscent of the wild.

There is pear cider called Poiret, or perry. Puare Fortress varies from 5 to 8%. For its preparation used pears and apples small amount (approximately ¹/₄ of the total volume). The taste of this cider unlike apple will be sweeter.

How to choose a quality cider

In accordance with the requirements of GOST 31820-2015 cider should be transparent, without sediment and foreign inclusions.

The composition may include cider apples and pears, fruit juice concentrates, sugar, yeast, water, citric acid and sorbic acid, carbon dioxide. Ideally, the composition should be only natural ingredients and yeast absent. According to the conventional technology cider is fermented naturally without the use of yeast.

Be sure to find out exactly where the cider is promoted. IN Great Britain and several other countries at the legislative level prescribed requirements for the composition of cider. In Russia, it can cook including on the basis of concentrated juice. GOST 31820 provides such a right manufacturers.

Strength of cider may not exceed 6%. All that is higher - this is a fruity wine.

Ciders foreign production permit the presence of precipitation, because they are not filtered. In foreign Sidera you can often see that the floors carpeted with sawdust to visit may throw sediment from the wine glass on the floor.

How to drink cider

In France, cider is drunk from a tall wine glasses or champagne, the bubbles of carbon dioxide exhaled as slowly as possible. In the UK and Germany, cider is served in beer mugs.

In Spain and France, it is believed that you need to pour the cider from a great height, from the beverage to free up more bubbles and foam formed. This drink should be drunk immediately. Glass filled to ¹/₄ or ¹/₃ and topped up as necessary.

Cider goes well with pancakes, cheese, meat, cooked Grilled, Seafood. Drink it should be chilled.

How to verify the authenticity of tax stamps

On March 1, 2013 mead and cider - excisable goods means packaging these beverages should be sealed with excise stamps.

Here is the full list of criteria to be met by the present excise stamp, we do not we will, as a normal part of the buyer signs still not without special equipment recognizes. Those interested can see information on the site Rosalkogolregulirovaniya.

In an alcoholic beverage brand bar code encrypted information - the manufacturer, the amount, date of issue, the fortress. These data are recorded by the manufacturer or importer to state EGAIS system. When you receive alcoholic beverages for retail sale the seller is obliged to scan the code. These fall into Rosalkogolregulirovaniya base. So it is possible to track the movement of each bottle from the moment of its production to sales in a particular store.

Ordinary buyer can check alcoholic beverages legality and data on the official tax stamps portal alcohol market.

Verification of excise stamps on the site sometimes does not work well, so it is best to install an application to test the excise tax on your smartphone. You will need to enter contact details and name, since through the app you can not only check the brand, but also to send a complaint to the sale of counterfeit goods in the state bodies. Without your contact information the complaint will not be considered.