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A bottle of calvados Pays D'Auge
A bottle of calvados Pays D'Auge

Calvados is an apple brandy from the French région of Basse-Normandie or Lower Normandy. The apple is the pomaceous Fruit of the apple tree Species Malus domestica in the Rose family Rosaceae. Brandy (from brandywine, derived from Dutch brandewijn — “burnt wine” is a spirit produced by distilling Wine This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. France is divided into 26 regions or régions (in French of which 21 are in continental Metropolitan France, one is the island of Corsica, Basse-Normandie ('Lower Normandy' is an administrative region of France.

Contents

History

Apple orchards and brewers are mentioned as far back as the 8th century by Charlemagne. Charlemagne (ˈʃɑrlɨmeɪn Carolus Magnus or Karolus Magnus meaning Charles the Great) (747 – 28 January 814 was King of the Franks from 768 to his The first known Norman distillation was carried out by "Lord" de Gouberville in 1554, and the guild for cider distillation was created about 50 years later in 1606. For the non-alcoholic beverage commonly known in the US as "cider" see Apple cider. In the 17th century the traditional ciderfarms expanded but taxation and prohibition of cider brandies were enforced elsewhere than Brittany, Maine and Normandy. Brittany (Breizh bʁejs Bretagne; Gallo: Bertaèyn) is a former independent Celtic kingdom and Duchy, now incorporated into Maine is one of the traditional provinces of France. It corresponds to the old county of Maine centered around the city of Le Mans. Normandy (Normandie Norman: Normaundie) is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. The area called "Calvados" was created after the French Revolution, but "Eau de vie de cidre" was already called "calvados" in common usage. In the 19th century output increased with industrial distillation and the working class fashion for "Café-calva". When a phylloxera outbreak devastated the vineyards of France and Europe, calvados experienced a "golden age". This article is about the grape phylloxera For the Genus, see Phylloxera (genus. During World War I cider brandy was made for armaments. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All The appellation contrôlée regulations officially gave calvados a protected name in 1942. Appellation d’origine contrôlée ( AOC) which translates as "controlled term of origin" is the French certification granted to certain French After the war many cider-houses and distilleries were reconstructed, mainly in the Pays d'Auge. The Pays d'Auge is an area in Normandy, straddling the départements ' of Calvados and Orne (plus a small part of the territory of Many of the traditional farmhouse structures were replaced by modern agriculture with high output. The calvados appellation system was revised in 1984 and 1996. Pommeau got its recognition in 1991; in 1997 an appellation for Domfront with 30% pears was created. Pommeau is an alcoholic drink made in northern France by mixing Apple juice with apple Brandy (it is a Mistelle) Domfront is the name or part of the name of several communes in France: Domfront, in the Oise département

Process of fabrication

Calvados is distilled from specially grown and selected apples, of which there are over 200 named varieties. It is not uncommon for a Calvados producer to use over 100 specific varieties of apple to produce their Calvados. The apples used are either sweet (such as the Rouge Duret variety), tart (such as the Rambault variety), or bitter (such as the Mettais, Saint Martin, Frequin, and Binet Rouge varieties), with the latter category of apple being inedible. The reason the bitter apples are used is that if all sweet apples were used the resulting liquor would be too sweet, like apple jack. Applejack is a strong Alcoholic beverage produced from apples originating from the American colonial period A typical Calvados recipe might include 30% sweet apples, 40% tart apples, and 30% bitter apples; another recipe might include 40% sweet, 20% tart, and 40% bitter.

The fruit is picked (usually by hand) and pressed into a juice that is fermented into a dry cider. For the non-alcoholic beverage commonly known in the US as "cider" see Apple cider. It is then distilled into eau de vie. Distillation is a method of separating Mixtures based on differences in their volatilities in a boiling liquid mixture After two years aging in oak casks, it can be sold as Calvados. An aging barrel is a barrel used to age Wine or distilled spirits such as Whiskey, Brandy, or Rum. The longer it is aged, the smoother the drink becomes. Usually the maturation goes on for several years. A half-bottle of twenty-year-old Calvados can easily command the same price as a full bottle of ten-year-old Calvados.

Double and single distillation

A calvados pot still.
A calvados pot still. A pot still is a type of Still used in distilling spirits such as Whisky or Brandy.

The appellation of AOC calvados authorizes double distillation for all calvados but it is required for the AOC calvados Pays d’Auge.

Producing regions and legal definitions

Map of the calvados region
Map of the calvados region

Like most French wines, Calvados is governed by appellation contrôlée regulations. Wine is an Alcoholic beverage made from the fermentation of Grape juice There are three appelations for calvados:

Visiting a small calvados producer around Cambremer along the cider route.
Visiting a small calvados producer around Cambremer along the cider route.

Grades of quality

The age on the bottle refers to the youngest constituent of the blend. A blend is often comprised of old and young calvados. Producers can also use the terms below to refer to the age.

High quality calvados usually has parts which are much older than that mentioned. Calvados can be made from a single (generally, exceptionally good) year. When this happens, the label often carries that year.

Tasting

Calvados is the basis of the tradition of le trou Normand, or "the Norman hole". This is a small drink of Calvados taken between courses in a very long meal, sometimes with apple sorbet, supposed to re-awaken the appetite. Sorbet is a frozen Dessert made from sweetened Water flavored with iced Fruit (typically Juice or Puree) Chocolate, Calvados can be served as aperitif, blended in drinks, between meals, as digestive or with coffee. An apéritif (also spelled aperitif) is an alcoholic drink that is usually served to stimulate the appetite before a meal Well-made calvados should naturally be reminiscent of apples and pears, balanced with flavours of ageing. The less aged calvados distinguishes itself with its fresh apple and pear aromas. The longer the calvados is aged, the more the taste resembles that of any other aged brandy. As calvados ages, it may become golden or darker brown with orange elements and red mahogany. The nose and palate are delicate with concentration of aged apples and dried apricots balanced with butterscotch, nut and chocolate aromas.

Calvados in popular culture

In his historical documentary novel G. I. , author Lee Kennett discusses the calvados distilled out by French farmers, usually at 140 proof or even higher, which was a new experience for the liberating American soldiers. The GI's claimed it was made from "ground up genades". He further states that some GI's burned it in their cigarette lighters.

In the 1963 novel On Her Majesty's Secret Service by Ian Fleming, James Bond drinks a glass of ten-year-old Calvados. Ian Lancaster Fleming ( May 28, 1908 – August 12, 1964) was a British author, Journalist and Second World War

Calvados is the main characters' favourite drink in Erich Maria Remarque's novel Arch of Triumph. Erich Maria Remarque (Erich Paul Remark 22 June 1898 &ndash 25 September 1970) was a German author. Arch of Triumph (Arc de Triomphe is a 1946 novel by Erich Maria Remarque.

Calvados is often referred to in the writings of mystic George Gurdjieff. George Ivanovich Gurdjieff (Գեորգի Գյուրջիև Γιώργος Γεωργιάδης Георгий Иванович Гюрджиев (or Gurdjiev) January

Cornelius Bear is known to have a stash of several well-aged bottles of calvados in the webcomic Achewood. Achewood is a Webcomic created by Chris Onstad. It portrays the lives of a group of anthropomorphic stuffed toys Robots and

Inspector Maigret often stops in to a cafe for a glass of Calvados in Georges Simenon's novels and short stories. Georges Joseph Christian Simenon (ʒɔʀʒ simˈnɔ̃ in French ( February 13, 1903 &ndash September 4, 1989) was a Belgian writer

On the album Us Against the Crown by State Radio, there is a song called "Calvados Chopper. Us Against the Crown is the first full-length LP from Reggae - rock band State Radio, headlined by former Dispatch vocalist Chad Urmston State Radio is an Alternative rock band from Boston MA, consisting of former Dispatch member Chad Urmston (lead vocals guitar Chuck " It speaks of a man who is driving a motorcycle while "hopped up on Calvados. "

In Astérix et les Normands (Asterix and the Normans/Vikings), volume 9 of the popular Astérix comic books, Calvados is the national drink of the Vikings, and they are depicted drinking it out of the hollowed skulls of their dead enemies.

In the BBC television series Secret Army, the proprietor of the Cafe Candide and agent of the Resistance, Albert Foiret (Bernard Hepton), keeps a supply of Calvados specially for his high ranking German customers. Secret Army is a BBC television drama series created by Gerard Glaister. Bernard Hepton (born October 19 1925 in Bradford, England) is a British Actor of Stage, Film It is the favourite drink of Sturmbannführer Ludwig Kessler (Clifford Rose) who, in the series, is head of the SS in Brussels. Sturmbannführer was a paramilitary rank of the Nazi Party which was used by both the Sturmabteilung (SA and the Schutzstaffel Clifford Rose is a British classical actor (born 24 October 1929 in Herefordshire, England) The ( German for "Protective Squadron" abbreviated SS - or ( Runic)- was a major Nazi organization under Adolf Hitler and the Brussels (Bruxelles pronounced; Brussel pronounced) officially the Brussels Capital-Region, is

Calvados is the regimental drink of Canada's storied Régiment de Maisonneuve, having been taken up as the infantry regiment passed through Normandy following the D-Day invasion. A regiment is a Military unit, composed of a variable number of Battalions – commanded by a Colonel. Le Régiment de Maisonneuve is a Primary Reserve Infantry Regiment of the Canadian Forces.

Calvados is favourite drink of main characters in French rival of The Da Vinci Code, La promesse de l'ange by Frederic Lenoir. A drink, or beverage, is a Liquid specifically prepared for Human consumption Legal residents and citizens To be French according to the first article of the Constitution is to be a citizen of France regardless of one's origin race or religion ( The Da Vinci Code is a controversial mystery / detective Novel by US author Dan Brown, published in 2003 by Doubleday

A bottle of Calvados is given to Steve McQueen, an American soldier, by Nick Adams a Polish DP in "Hell is for Heroes".

See also

Further reading

External links

Producers


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