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''Apfelwein'' ( German, 'apple wine'), or ''Viez'' ( Moselfranken, Saarland, Trier, ''vice'') or ''Most'' ( Austria, Switzerland, South Germany, ''must'') are German words for cider. It is made from a mix of sour tasting apples, such as "Bohnapfel" or "Speierling", respectively. It has an
alcohol Alcohol most commonly refers to: * Alcohol (chemistry), an organic compound in which a hydroxyl group is bound to a carbon atom * Alcohol (drug), an intoxicant found in alcoholic drinks Alcohol may also refer to: Chemicals * Ethanol, one of sev ...
content of 4.8–7.0% and a tart, sour taste. ''Apfelwein'' is also regionally known as ''Ebbelwoi'', ''Äppler'', ''Stöffsche'', ''Apfelmost'' (apple must), ''Viez'' (from Latin ''vice'', the second or substitute wine), and ''saurer Most'' (sour must, ''Süßmost'' or sweet must is essentially apple juice). Instead of the name ''Äppler'', restaurants and smaller manufacturers may instead call the beverage ''Schoppen'' or ''Schoppe'', which actually refers to the measure of the glass. In the Frankfurt area, berries from the
service tree Service tree can refer to: * Species of ''Sorbus'', particularly: ** '' Sorbus domestica'' ** ''Sorbus latifolia'', service tree of Fontainebleau ** '' Sorbus torminalis'', wild service tree ** ''Sorbus pseudofennica'', Arran service tree See also ...
(''Sorbus domestica'') may be added in small quantities to increase
astringency An astringent (sometimes called adstringent) is a chemical that shrinks or constricts body tissues. The word derives from the Latin ''adstringere'', which means "to bind fast". Calamine lotion, witch hazel, and yerba mansa, a Californian plan ...
, in which case the specific type of ''Apfelwein'' is called ''Speierling''. In modern times, the term ''Speierling'' is often also used to refer to any more sour variety of Apfelwein, even if it lacks any juice of the
service tree Service tree can refer to: * Species of ''Sorbus'', particularly: ** '' Sorbus domestica'' ** ''Sorbus latifolia'', service tree of Fontainebleau ** '' Sorbus torminalis'', wild service tree ** ''Sorbus pseudofennica'', Arran service tree See also ...
.


Production

''Apfelwein'' is made from pressed apples. The juice or must is fermented with yeast to produce an alcoholic beverage usually around 6%
ABV Alcohol by volume (abbreviated as ABV, abv, or alc/vol) is a standard measure of how much alcohol (ethanol) is contained in a given volume of an alcoholic beverage (expressed as a volume percent). It is defined as the number of millilitres (mL) ...
. It can be made with the addition of the unprocessed juice from the fruit of a small, indigenous tree known as ''Speierling'' (''
Sorbus domestica ''Sorbus domestica'', with the common name service tree or sorb tree (because of its fruit), is a species of ''Sorbus'' native to western, central and southern Europe, northwest Africa (Atlas Mountains), and southwest Asia (east to the Caucasus) ...
'') or ''Speyerling'', an endangered species that is easily confused with the wild apple. ''Apfelwein'' is mainly produced and consumed in Hesse (where it is the state beverage), particularly in the Frankfurt, Wetterau, and
Odenwald The Odenwald () is a low mountain range in the Germany, German states of Hesse, Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. Location The Odenwald is located between the Upper Rhine Plain with the Bergstraße Route, Bergstraße and the ''Hessisches Ried' ...
areas. It is also found in Moselfranken,
Merzig Merzig (, french: Mercy, ''Moselle Franconian:'' ''Meerzisch''/''Miërzësch'') is a town in Saarland, Germany. It is the capital of the district Merzig-Wadern, with about 30,000 inhabitants in 17 municipalities on 108 km². It is situated o ...
(
Saarland The Saarland (, ; french: Sarre ) is a state of Germany in the south west of the country. With an area of and population of 990,509 in 2018, it is the smallest German state in area apart from the city-states of Berlin, Bremen, and Hamburg, and ...
), and the
Trier Trier ( , ; lb, Tréier ), formerly known in English as Trèves ( ;) and Triers (see also Names of Trier in different languages, names in other languages), is a city on the banks of the Moselle (river), Moselle in Germany. It lies in a valley b ...
area, as well as the lower Saar area and the region bordering on Luxembourg. Several large producers are located in these regions, as well as numerous small, private producers which use traditional recipes. Some of the most famous restaurants where ''Apfelwein ''is served are in
Sachsenhausen (Frankfurt am Main) Sachsenhausen-Nord and Sachsenhausen-Süd are two quarters of Frankfurt am Main, Germany. The division into a northern and a southern part is mostly for administrative purposes as Sachsenhausen is generally considered a single entity. Both cit ...
. Some of these regions have regular cider competitions and fairs, in which the small, private producers participate. Cider songs are composed and sung at these events. The Merzig region crowns a "''Viez'' Queen", and the lower Saar area a "''Viez'' King".


Culture

''Apfelwein'' is served in a ', a glass with a lozenge cut that refracts light and improves grip—a holdover from the past, when some meals were traditionally eaten without cutlery. Traditional ''Apfelwein'' restaurants serve a "proper" 0.30-litre (10-oz) serving, although some establishments may also have a 0.25-l or 0.50-l version of the glass. A ''Geripptes'' filled with ''Apfelwein'' is also called a ''Schoppen'' (mainly in Frankfurt and the surrounding areas) Most establishments also serve ''Apfelwein'' by the ''Bembel'' (a specific ''Apfelwein'' jug), much like how beer can be purchased by the pitcher in many countries. The paunchy ''Bembel'' (made from salt-glazed stoneware) usually has a basic grey colour with blue-painted detailing. In the Eifel region, near Hunsrück, around Moseltal, along the lower Saar and in Trier, the drinking container is called ''Viezporz'' and consists of white porcelain or stoneware. Hot ''Apfelwein'' is commonly taken as an old household remedy against colds, or as a warming beverage in the cold season. The ''Apfelwein'' is heated and served with a cinnamon stick, possibly with cloves and a slice of orange, much like mulled wine. An official ''Viez'' route, (''Route du Cidre'') connects Saarburg with the border to Luxembourg. An annual ''Viez Fest'' is celebrated in Merzig. The date is usually the second Saturday in October.


Commercial varieties


See also

* Fruit wine * '' Handkäse mit Musik''


References


External links


French-language site about Route du Cidre

German-language site about Viezstraße
{{Authority control German cuisine German alcoholic drinks Cider Culture in Frankfurt Hessian cuisine