Calvados
making The apples are worked in this same land, and the still used to distill the cider is called an "alambic à repasse". This means it distills twice.
As for the A.O.C. calvados, it has its' own land for collecting and transforming, which is bigger than the aforementioned. The still distills once only and is called an "alambic à colonne".
The
stills :It is the traditional still. .
The still is composed of six elements : the hearth, the boiler, the top, the coil, the cooler and the cider-warmer.
The still is composed of six elements : the hearth, the boiler, the top, the coil, the cooler and the cider-warmer. After heating once, the still heats up a second time :
The first heating : cider is heated until it becomes 28 - 30 % proof . Care will have been taken in removing the "head" and the "tail", which contain uninteresting components as far as the final product is concerned.
The second heating : distillation takes place. It will be at the correct temperature of no more than 72% which is necessary for calvados. The head and tail are removed, once again.
L'alambic à
colonne is used for A.O.C. calvados.
It consists of three components : the
boiler, the exhaustion column and the concentration column.
"The
art of ageing well "
Calvados ages at the bottem of very dry oak trees. The contact with wood gives it the elements necessary for perfect completion.
Each store house has its' "savoir-faire" and method. In fact, no one method for ageing, in particular exists.
The work of the storehouse is not simply in the maturing of calvados.
A competent alchemist is capable of bringing together calvados of various ages and origins (gathered from different soils). This enables him to associate the complementary qualities of each one.
