On Tuesday lunchtime, Cactus launched a new Luxembourg craft (artisinal) cider, Barebourg, which is now available in Cactus supermarkets across the Grand Duchy, at their Summer Picnic event at their headquarters in Windhof.
Barebourg - the naked apple - was launched; a Luxembourg craft cider of which the taste is real and authentic, and which is marketed solely and exclusively at Cactus and Cactus Shoppi. It was introduced for Cactus by Marketign Manager Marc Hoffmann, with its creator Carlo Wampach explaining about the process involved in producing the light apple drink.
Carlo Wampach is well known in Luxembourg Grand Duchy for his "Viz" craft apple juice which he has produced and distributed for more than 30 years. Today he has completed the first annual batch of cider and launched it in collaboration with its trading partner, Cactus.
He explained that the idea for a new product that germinated in his mind is finally being realised; in the regions between Grevenmacher and Echternach, farmers used to produce apple wine with juice apples by fermentation. It was a natural way to keep the unpasteurised juice. Everyone had a family recipe used for personal consumption. To diversify its production by producing regional cider with regional apples was therefore for him a new challenge.
The name Barebourg - branded as "the naked apple" - signifies a return to tradition, with the addition of gas that makes this refreshing natural drink foam and fizz. The production site is located in Berbourg, not far from the family farm. This is where the apple juice is transferred to the stainless steel fermentation tank where it turns slowly, developing all its flavours: sugar found naturally in apples will achieve, after fermentation, an alcohol content of 5.7%. The still cider - not sparkling - is then brought to a specialised production station for bottling (50cl bottles) gasification and capping.
"Barebourg is an exceptional product that combines authenticity and flavour. If you are passionate about quality and originality, then Barebourg, the naked apple, is for you. A traditional product, local and delicious. And if that was the recipe for happiness? Hats off to Carlo for this innovation!" said Marc Hoffmann, with a cider drink in hand at the Cactus Summer Picnic.
Photo by Geoff Thompson
