Fraxner Kirsch / Fraxner Kriasiwasser

Traditionally produced spirit drink in the village of Fraxern, Vorarlberg, made of sweet cherries grown on southern slopes of the Rhine Valley.
 
 
Record Number: 34
 
Disclosure Date
First mention of Fraxner Kriasi (Fraxner cherries) in a document in 1574 as “Khriespern”.  
 
 

Photo: Kulinari...

Title
Fraxner Kirsch/ Fraxner Kriasiwasser
(Fraxner cherry spirit) 
 
 
 
 
 
Abstract or claim
Traditionally produced spirit drink in the village of Fraxern, Vorarlberg, made of sweet cherries grown on southern slopes of the Rhine Valley.
 
Name of product, Product class
Spirit drinks
 
Name of region
Community of Fraxern, Vorarlberg, Austria
 
Field of search
Agriculture and Spirit drinks
 
Name of information provider
Mr. Josef Summer, Sägeweg 6, 6833 Fraxern
 
Name of applicant for title
---
 
Holder of knowledge or associated resources 
About 35 peasant distillers from the community of Fraxern.
 
Grantee(s), holder(s),
assignee(s) or owner(s) of title, if any
Community of Fraxern 
 
Descriptors
 
- History:
In 1574 first mention of Fraxner Kriasi in a document as “Khriespern”. The term “Kriasi” originates from the French word ”cerise” and, in Alemannic German dialect, means “cherry”.
The production of cherry spirit in the mountain village of Fraxern was promoted as late as in the 19^th   century, in the course of improvements in the distilling technology, and has increased remarkably in the past decades.
 
- Region:
Community of Fraxern, Federal Province of Vorarlberg. The mountain village of Fraxern is situated on the southern slope of the Rhine Valley, about 1,000 m above sea level.
 
- Fraxner cherry:
Cherries for Fraxner Kriasiwasser are obtained from about 2,200 high-stem cherry trees. These trees are cultivated on slopes several hundred meters above the Rhine Valley, under favourable climatic conditions.
Whereas at the beginning of cherry cultivation only few cultivars were used in the area of Fraxern, nowadays about 15 cultivars can be found in this region. The cultivar “Klennzweiete” is called the “original Fraxner Kriasi”. It is a very small-sized, sweet, black cherry which is no longer greatly in demand as a dessert cherry. Another old cherry variety which has been cultivated for 200-300 years already is the black, medium-sized “Rutle”.
Several very old cultivars seem to have vanished. Today, the predominant cultivar in Fraxern is the “Big Black” (“Große Schwarze”). This variety as well as the cultivars “Riegerkirsche” and “Herzen” have been brought to the region from Switzerland.
 
In order to obtain cherries of superior quality, the fruits are hand-picked from the high-stem trees. For this purpose, wooden ladders are put up and the farmers climb up with baskets (”Krata”) tied around their bodies.
The wooden ladders are still traditionally made in Fraxern and are used instead of modern aluminium ladders, as they are more stable and better prevent the trees from damage.
 
Harvest time lasts for about 4-5 weeks. The average harvest in the region is about 45 tons, which corresponds to more than 5 million cherries.
 
- Utilization:
All parts of the cherries processed in Fraxern (fruit flesh, stone and stalk) are used in some way or other.
 
After picking, the cherries are carefully hand-selected and a good portion of them is sold right under the trees.
 
Dessert cherries are mostly preserved or frozen on the day of harvest.
All other cherries are removed from the stalks and processed to jam or “igschpeert”, which means they are put into barrels (“igschpeert” = metaphorically speaking for “put inside” or “imprisoned”) for fermentation.
 
The sweet cherry varieties used for distillation are a little smaller in size than dessert cherries are and thus have a higher sugar level (in relation to their fresh weight) and are considerably more aromatic. In December the mashed cherries are distilled twice. Each of the approx. 35 farmers has his/her own, often traditionally passed down, formula to obtain the best quality.
 
Fraxner Kirsch is characterized by its distinct aromatic flavour which is best expressed at the ideal drinking temperature of 14-16°C. The minimum alcoholic strength by volume shall be 35 %, the maximum 45 %.
 
In addition to the distillation of spirit drinks from the fruit flesh, also the stalks and hard stones of the cherries are utilized.
 
The stalks are processed to a bitter tasting tea which is regarded as a remedy against sore throat.
The stones are filled into small bags (called ”Kriasimann”), a much valued alternative to hot-water bottles. After having been heated up in a tiled stove, the stones dissipate heat longer than any hot-water bottle does.
 
- Protection:
“Fraxner Kirsch”/ “Fraxner Kriasiwasser” is protected for the geographical area of Fraxern in the Codex Alimentarius Austriacus, Chapter B 23: Spirits. Annex 1: Protected Designations.
 
Key Words 
Agriculture and Spirit drinks, Traditional Knowledge, Austria, Vorarlberg, region, Fraxern, Fraxner cherry spirit, Fraxner Kriasi, Fraxner Kriasiwasser, Prunus avium 
  
Bibliography / References
- Codex Alimentarius Austriacus, Chapter B 23: Spirits. Annex 1: Protected Designations. 
- Fraxern das Kriasidorf 
  http://www.fraxner-kriasi.com/ 
- Die Süsskirsche 
  http://www.zauser.at/schnaps/sorten/Suesskirsche.shtm 
- Kirschwasser 
  http://lexikon.freenet.de/Kirschwasser 
 
Language Code
German
 
Product of www.genuss-region.at 
No
 
Regional contact 
Mr Josef Summer, Sägeweg 6,
6833 Fraxern,
Phone: 0043 5523 53191 or 0043 664 82 51 804
 
Authors: Eva Sommer, Dr. Erhard Höbaus
 

15.11.2011, Lebensministerium III/4