I think the Sweedes have been holding out on us!

[lovetriangle]

So, I'm in the not-so-local IKEA on Sunday participating in the age-old ritual of buying a big-girl bed for my daughter, when I have to pop into the foods section to get yummy meatballs and cookies I can't find in the normal stores.

I spied and snagged a large can of Kopparberg Pear cider. I cannot begin to tell you how yummy this stuff is! O. M. G. There should be a law! This should be on tap in my kitchen! Why can't I find this stuff anywhere??? This particular variety is light and crisp as ginger-ale but the pear taste is tangy and fresh - they make it with real pear juice, not a bunch of artificial flavorings. It's made by the Kopparberg brewery in Sweden, and according ot their website, they also make ciders in apple, blueberry, blueberry/lime, cloudberry, cranberry, elderberry/lime, raspberry, raspberry/blackcurrant, and summer fruits. Whatever "summer fruits" is I'm sure it's delicious, along with all those other happy flavors! What could a cloudberry taste like? I don't know but I want to find out!

My delightful flavor extravaganza was non-alcoholic, but made with de-alcoholized pear wine. Imagine my delight at finding out they make hard ciders as well with about 4.5% alcohol! Can I adequately express my desire typing into this infernal machine? I think not... *sigh*

To all the Europeans who may have this stuff as common as coffee over there, forgive my exhuberance. My joy at tasting this incredible festival of fun for my tongue is only equaled by my disappointment at not being able to find it anywhere but IKEA in the north end of Burbank. Burbank is not close enough for me to pop to when I want some, which is ALL THE TIME NOW!!!

Comments

[goth-twiglet.livejournal.com]

That stuff is crack. Dear God, our IKEA is 10 minutes away from us , and we can't stop buying it (and drinking it)! MMMMMmmmmmmm.

(Apparently the Finns make something very similar but about 10% alcohol).

Cloudberries are yummy.

Ikea is dangerous.

[love3angle.livejournal.com]

Yeah, if I could freebase it I'd be in real trouble.

[liadethornegge.livejournal.com]

Hehe. Our British friends usually like the berry ciders quite nicely.

Although I wouldn't call 4.5% hard cider. You'd need at least double digits for that moniker. The Kopparberg Ciders are nice pop-alcohols for my money :)

[love3angle.livejournal.com]

I don't know if "hard" has an actual % to reach to be legit here, but I know the pear cider I had (did I mention how delicious it was?) had HUGE letters all over the can saying it was non-alcoholic even though dealcoholized wine still has a smidgen of booze in it. It must have been small enough to not need it labled for the US market. But 4.5% would definitely be labled in the US as hard.

...I can almost taste it again as I'm typing about it...

[colleency.livejournal.com]

Um...there is not one, but two Ikeas in my direct path home from work every night. I might be persuaded to stop there some slow Wednesday afternoon.

[love3angle.livejournal.com]

tease

[myladyswardrobe.livejournal.com]

Try some of the Old English Ciders. With some of the old fashioned apple varieties!! They are gorgeous!!

BTW - "Summer Fruits" is usually the kind of berry fruits mixture one sees in summer such as red- and blackcurrants; raspberries; wineberries; strawberries; gooseberries etc etc.

We see them in "Summer Fruits Pudding" which is a gorgeous cold and "pudding" that I love to make.

I don't have an Ikea near me.

[myralea.livejournal.com]

well, being brought up on sweet swedish ciders, i am not sure i share your taste... (brought up on the non alcholic as a child that is ;)

although there is one good swedish brand, "astrakan", which is not as sweet.

myself, i prefer the french ciders above all!

[frualeydis.livejournal.com]

Like Myra I prefer less sweet ciders. I like the sweet apple and pear varieties and lederberry flower as an alternative to ordinary soda (that I drink very seldom), but for cider with alcohol I prefer the tart english ciders.
But then I'm an anglophile, like so many swedes.

/Eva

[love3angle.livejournal.com]

Interesting... I am not a connoisseur of ciders because most of what I've had here in the US is crap and does not inspire me to try more.

I'm a little confused by all the comments, though. Is the Kopparberg Pear considered sweet? I thought it was very crisp and tart even though it had a lot of sugar in it. In general, I prefer less sweet beverages - I hate sugar or syrup in coffee and tea, and can't even touch a regular cola, so I am very intrigued by the idea of tart English Ciders or French ciders.

Now... where do I get my hands on some...

[myralea.livejournal.com]

sweet to swedish taste, yes.
sweet to american taste, well probably not!

/m
-who found the US to be a way too sweet country for her taste :)

[tailordrews.livejournal.com]

I know excactly what you feel. But i didnt have it with cider. Yesterday i baught a bottle (very expensive) freshly pressed raspberry juice. I tell you it hit me right back to my childhood and my moms homemade juices.
My parents had a huge garden full of fruits of all sorts, and all the summertime my mom stood in the kitchen and made juices, jams, and deepfreezed fruits for the winter. My moms stewed fruit with thickening and chopped almonds served with cream i have never tasted after her death. Even i have tryed hard myself to make it, i cant get that taste out of it, as she could.
But that raspberry juice, i tell you its heavenly. Afraid i am going to buy as long as they have..................

Bjarne

[love3angle.livejournal.com]

Yes I know what you mean. My folks have an orange tree in their backyard that makes the best oranges in the world and it is not Christmas without one in my stocking. :-)
Raspberry juice sounds amazing...