Brittany

Cider has been produced in Brittany since the early 6th century. Production flourished during the Middle Ages. Cider is traditionally served with crepes and galettes.

Beer has been brewed in Brittany since the early 1600s. Beer drinking among young adults is gaining in popularity. This is due, in part, to the association of brand names with the popularity of Celtic music and the Breton cultural identity movement. Best known brands include Coreff, Lancelot (both barley beers) and Telenn Du (a buckwheat beer).
Wine production is widespread in the region, particularly in the area of Nantes, where vineyards predated the Romans. The Muscadet grape produces the region’s signature expression – a dry white wine. Nearly one-half of the area’s grape production is exported.

Chouchen is a type of mead. It is made from water and fermented honey and was the Celts’ favorite drink because they believed it offered immortality for humans and a “sacred state of drunkenness” for the gods.
Calvados is a dry apple brandy. In the early 1700s apple brandy distillation was restricted to Brittany and Normandy, to protect the grape brandy trade throughout the rest of France. Normandy is the more well-known region for Calvados production (the town of Calvados is situated in western area of the region), but Breton Calvados is highly regarded in its own right.