History of calvados producers

A short history of calvados apple brandy - read the whole fascinating history in the book. Includes many pictures and illustrations.

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Celts picked wild apples.
The Romans and monasteries had orchards, and pears were favoured.

8th century
Martel fought the Muslim Arabs that had knowledge of distillation. Charlemagne had orchards and brewers.

10th century
Drinking rituals of the Vikings/Normans with ale and ‘beor/björr’- fermented apples.

13th century
The press and crushing improves.
Inns and merchants sell cider locally called ‘succus pomis’ or ‘pomatium’

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14th century
Battles between English and French. The Black Death and Little Ice Age from the mid-14th through mid-19th centuries. Apples are appreciated. Varieties and orchards are mentioned in several books. Normandy manages thanks to trade and a fertile land. Architectural efforts such as Mont Saint Michel. The rumour of distilled alcohol ‘aqua vitae’, ‘eau de vie’ or ‘water of life’ spread. Raymond Lull and Arnaud de Villeneuve in Montpellier were among the pioneer distillers.

15th century
Distillation at apothecaries and monasteries. Hieronymus Brunschwygk's book ‘Liber de arte distillandi’ illustrate distillation and the virtues of alcohol as medicine.
Tasty cider, ‘sicera’, and spicy apple varieties influenced from the Basques.

16th century
First known Norman distillation ‘Lord’ of Gouberville in 1554. The guild for cider distillation 1606. Import of Basque tarte apples and techniques. Cotentin the cradle of the cider evolution.

17th century
Expansion of traditional ciderfarms. Cider appears at the tables of the nobles. Taxation and prohibition of cider brandies elsewhere than Brittany, Maine and Normandy.

18th century
The area called ‘Calvados’ was created with the French Revolution. ‘Eau de vie de cidre’ was called ‘calvados’ by common man. Mostly a drink for farmers. Output increased.

19th century
Output increased with industrial distillation. The working class enjoy ‘Café-calva’. General interest for natural science. The phylloxera outbreak devastates the vineyards and leads calvados to a ‘golden age’.

20th century
The cider and apple brandy are of great economic importance in Normandy. Improved and controlled quality. Centrifugation and filtration.

World War 1
Alcohol made for armament. The orchards grow but the quality come to a halt.

World War 2
The ‘Label of origin’ in 1942 officially gives calvados its name and protection from the war requisitions. Many barrels were opened to celebrate the

Post war and modern days
Reconstruction of cider-houses and distilleries, mainly in the Pays d'Auge. Decline of the traditional farmhouse structures. Modern agriculture with high output. The remake of the calvados appellation system in 1984. Pommeau gets its recognition in 1991. The cider appellations are refined in 1996. 1997 the appellation for Domfront with 30 % pears take effect.


The styles and classifications of calvados >>