Lekve Gard, Hardanger Saft- og Siderfabrikk
Contact:
Anna O. Tokheim
Address:
Øvre Lekve 17, 5730 Ulvik
Phone:
Website:
E-mail:
On the traditional orchard Lekve is Hardanger Saft og Siderfabrikk, a family-run orchard producing apple juice, cider and spirits.
The family farm is located on a south-facing slope with the best climatic conditions for fruit growing. In the past, there were apples, pears, plums and cherries on Lekve, but today the entire farm is planted with apples. Much of the farm is located on steep terrain, so here we pick all the apples by hand.
In 2004, Nils J. Lekve (4th generation) set up the first commercial cider tank with the production of genuine spontaneously fermented cider from Hardanger, and in 2006 he sold his first cider bottle at Vinmonopolet. Since then, product development has been at a good pace, and today we make different types of cider, from dry to semi-sweet, both with and without berries, sparkling and "still".
As a natural part of product development, the distillery was completed in 2009, so we now also produce apple and cherry brandy, liqueur and aquavit. The wines are aged in oak barrels in the distillery.
In our products we only use apples from Hardanger, either from our own garden, our neighbor's or from the fruit warehouse in Hardanger. If we add fruit and berries, these come from local producers in Vestland. In this way we contribute to local roots and more sustainable operations.
The leftover raw material from pressing apples (apple pomace) goes to local farmers, who in turn feed it to cows and sheep. A popular ingredient that is said to stimulate milk production and digestion in animals.
Nils has been a pioneer of modern Norwegian cider and a tireless advocate and door-opener for improving the conditions for the cider industry. He was one of those who fought for the sale of cider from the farm to be allowed in 2016, and has now given life to a new industry in Hardanger.
We are together with Syse Gard and Ulvik frukt & cideri, Norway's only "Fruit and Cider Route". Here you can walk in beautiful cultural landscape from the center by the fjord and up to the farms. During the summer season we have fixed times for tastings with guided tours, in addition we serve cider planks, which you can enjoy at any time during opening hours. The farm shop is open all year round!