Modern cider history

MODERN CIDER HISTORY

Norwegian fruit wine history – a little-told story

Sider og ikke minst fruktvin har en 200 år gammel, ganske ukjent historie i Norge. Ifølge en av våre viktigste etnologer, har det med utbredelse av den europeiske hage kulturen på 1700 tallet at vi får tilsvarende, men dog mye mindre hagekultur i Norge. Kulturen knyttes til den rikeste delen av borgerskapet.  Dette skjer på slutten av 1700 tallet i Norge og brer seg til gårder over hele Sør-Norge.  Hagene har et stort innslag av frukt og bær og for å kunne lagre disse må de syltes og saftes, og i vår sammenheng gjæres og blir til vin.

Kulturen med å bruke hagevekster til matauk brer seg utover på 1800 tallet og mange en kokebokforfatter understreker hvor viktig det er å kunne lage egen vin. Kjente kokebokforfattere som Schønberg Erken, er meget tydelig på dette. Fruktvin er i stor grad et kvinneunivers. Det er jo de som styrer matauken og matlaggingen, hvor også sylting, safting og vinlegging inngår.

Fruktvinen inngår etter hvert i en folkelig privat kultur der det blir viktig for husfrua å kunne servere god vin i dannede små glass og drukket på en sømmelig måte, ofte i rene kvinneselskap.  Med andre ord er det kvinene som bærer kunnskapen om fruktvin i Norge, men det er mennene som skal ta den ut i den kommersielle verden. For å kunne lage gode fruktvin er ofte sukker nødvendig ingrediens og sukker er før 1850 ikke allment tilgengelig og en meget dyr råvare.

Med billigere og mer tilgengelig sukker, et klart ønske om å utvikle norsk landbruk, europeiske impulser og kunnskap om fruktvinproduksjon. Bedre samferdsel gjør det enklere å frakte varer og etablere et marked. For noen engasjere entreprenører etableres det en kommersiell fruktvin produksjon fra 1890 årene, av dog ganske småskala de første årene.  Nordmenn kommer til å like denne norske utgaven av vin som egentlig var en hetvin hvor søthet og solid alkoholstyrke var viktig.

The years 1890 – 1914 Gathering knowledge and establishing the industry

  • Kristian Høye from Bergen and Sjur Aga both receive public support to travel to Europe and learn about fruit wine, including in Geisenheim.
  • Manufacturers establish themselves in the field of fruit wine and cider. In Hardanger, among others, Hardanger Cideri & Saftfabrik and Alsåker Fruktpreservering. Some manufacturers exclusively produce fruit wine, such as Fuhr in Grimstad and Røed farm at Filtvet in Hurum.
  • Variable supply of raw materials, especially apples. Lack of control over the fruit production, which is often difficult. Berries such as redcurrants, blueberries and gooseberries are widely used, but rhubarb starts to dominate production after a while.

The years 1910 – 1930 Prohibition, monopoly, and eagerness for business

  • World War 1 provides good income for fruit wine producers, and several producers are starting up around Southern Norway. But Hardanger Cideri & Saftfabrikk does not experience these years, as the company closes down in 1914. The factory at Aga continues with juice and pickling only.
  • In 1923, the manufacturers set up the organisation “Norske fruktvinprodusenters forening” (“Norwegian association of fruit wine producers”).
  • The sale of fortified wine is banned in 1919, but it is ineffective and gets cancelled in 1924. Fruit wine is sold during this time, but with a lower alcohol content. But this is difficult, and the alcohol content is often higher than what is legal.
  • Sales are regulated by the establishment of Vinmonopolet (the “Wine Monopoly”, state regulated alcohol shops) in 1922, but the winery associations become an important sales channel. The sale of fruit wine increases, especially towards the end of the period, although fruit wine never becomes a favourite at Vinmonopolet.

The years 1930-1945 Golden age, consolidation, and the only thing you could get

  • There are 15 producers of fruit wine in Norway, with Fuhr, or Grimstad Gartneri which was the real name, as the clearly dominating company. Most producers are short-lived and close down before the war. This is also the case for Alsaker Fruktpreservering, which closes down in 1941 as the last cidery in Hardanger.
  • Sales are generally high throughout this period and are close to 300,000 – 400,000 litres via Vinmonopol and Samlag (winery associations). The price is only half the cost of imported grape wine.
  • Because of the international wine crisis and demands from wine countries such as France and Portugal, Norway is pressured into raising taxes on Norwegian fruit wine in return for cheaper exports of fertiliser, fish and metals to these countries.
  • War tax on the sale of alcohol is introduced by the Germans
  • As importing alcohol becomes very difficult, Norwegian fruit wine is one of the only things you can buy at Vinmonopolet. But producers also suffer because of a lack of sugar. This affects the quality.

The years 1945- 1975 Crisis, sugar shortages, entrepreneurs dying, but also a new golden age

  • After a difficult start in the first years after the war, sales increase in the 50s and 60s and reach a peak in 1974 with over 450,000 litres in the year before the advertising ban for alcohol is introduced.
  • The leading figures of Norwegian fruit wine all die during the 1950s, among them Mons Fuhr in Grimstad and Frants Michaelsen at Filtvet
  • But the leading brands, such as Fuhr Fino and Golden Power, are still very popular and still sell at half the price compared to foreign competitors.
  • The war tax becomes reconstruction tax, which later becomes a permanent alcohol tax system depending on alcohol content. This contributes to reducing the alcohol content of Norwegian fruit wines.

The years 1975 – 2000 The beginning of the end, lack of innovation and weaker wines taking over

  • Sales stagnate and fall during the 1980s to less than 100 000 litres in 1990
  • Of the producers, only Fuhr and Røed farm still have the same old brands from nearly 80 years ago. Fuhr closes down in 1996, and so does Røed farm in 2006 after an attempt to modernize the design and reduce the sugar and alcohol content in the late 90s
  • The last bottles of Fuhr Fino and Golden Power disappear from Vinmonopolet's shelves around 2005, while the new Norwegian cider is on its way in.

Written by Bernt Bucher Johannessen

Posted in Artikler