Köpings Musteri, Hallstahammar
In the autumn of 2015 Lena decided to do something with the 10 hectare of biodynamic apple orchard just outside Hallstahammar, in Berg. This is 100 kilometres west of Stockholm. These orchards were planted in 1993 and are unique with around 100 different and ancient varieties that’s more or less impossible to find elsewhere. Many of them comes from former Eastern Bloc countries where people before the wall fell, grew quite a decent amount of apples. These apples were for food and beverage purposes and completely organic because the people simply couldn’t afford chemicals. It meant that only varieties suited for these growing conditions survived. Therefore these sturdy, cold and resistant varieties was kept.
So, this orchard is not only an apple orchard, it’s also cultural heritage. One of the missions that this gang has is to find more old, sturdy varieties that is suitable for both the climate and cider production.
Lena has been working with the development of what we can do within our cold country for quite a while now. When she saw this place, she just couldn’t resist the challenge. She took her husband Anders on board the journey and they bought this orchard together, and from 2018 their daughter Johanna is also part of the team.
It has not been the easiest work, trying to understand which variety is which. You can be sure that they have eaten quite a bit of apples to distinguish what is good for what, when the best harvest time is and also to find the perfect equilibrium for the blended must and cider. This project is in its first face, and we look forward to follow it, the future looks really interesting.
Products: The must is pure, complex, always with high acidity. The always pasteurize at 83-85°C and use no filtration, to keep flavour, structure and nutrition.
Zilga (attention-this is a grape juice)
Little Red Rhubarb: Made from Discovery apples, flavoured with 10% rhubarb
Lingonberry Apple: Made from Amorosa apples, flavoured with 8% lingonberries
Blackcurrant & Apple: Unfiltered juice made from Aroma apples from Skåne and Innat black currants from Åsmon in Ångermanland.
Lobo: Made with apples from Mälardalen, Grönsöö.
Bergs Margaretha: Made with apples from Bergs Äppelgård.
Relinda: Made with apples from Bergs Äppelgård.
Cider
Nils Anders 7%
Made with a variety of apples from Bergs Äppelgård. Direct crush and press. Natural fermentation to start with and then aged in steel tanks for three months. Finally, to create nice bubbles, the last step was bottle fermentation with some addition of fresh juice and yeast.
Extras: Best in class and silver at the Nordic Artisan food awards.
2020 Per Johan 6%
Made from equal parts apples and pears.
Direct press. Natural fermentation and unfiltered. Bottle fermentation to create natural bubbles.
All fruit comes from Bergs Äppelgård.