Our history - Ringnes Gård

OUR HISTORY

The first time Ringnes is mentioned, the estate consisted of three separate properties. In the twelfth century there are mentionings of a western Ringnes, eastern Ringnes, and a lower Ringnes which was the largest part and the center of the whole estate. When the manor was fused into one property, Ringnes became an enormous farm of 50,000 km², whereof 30,000 km² was made up of forest-lands, and the estate stretches up to the mountain Hoegvarde 4 790,03ft. (1460 m) above sea level. The manor is situated at the estuary of the river Ringa at the western shore of Lake Kroedern, directly under Norefjell (Mount Nore).

On the Whit Saturday of 1618, a fire broke out and Ringnes Manor was totally destroyed, apart from an oak-chest dated 1682,- nothing remains from before this time. The oak-chest, however, is still at the manor.

Anders Knutsen Ringnes took over the estate in 1837, from his father Knud (Canute) Solum Ringnes, who was the county-sheriff from 1814.

The son became almost as fameous as his great-grandfather with the same name, but unfortuneatly at the opposite end of the scale. For while the ancient Anders of the 16th century became renown for his manor, his might and his trotting horses, his grandson’s son earned his reputation for squandering the inheritance, although he did it by following the old Anders example: keeping an open hospitable house, living on a grand scale and keeping exquisite trotting horses.

But it would be unfair to blame all of Anders’ misfortune on his grand-scale-squandering way of living. We must take into consideration that the 1840’s was a hard time with enormous changes for the Norwegian agricultural population. i.e: changing from trading in goods to the monetary economi, thus increasing the need for cash.
In a time when the extencion of credit was low and the need of currency became ever stronger in rural Norway, Anders had to sell off his estate bit by bit. As early as 1840 he had to sell wood-lands, and the next year he sold Ringnes Manor for the first time. However, by a court ruling six years later his minor son, Amund Ringnes was allowed to access ownership in exchange for mortgage bonds, and in 1855 Anders bought the manor back from his son, the later master-brewer.

But at this time a mounting mortgage debt rested heavely on the manor and in the end Anders Ringnes finally had to surrender his ancestrial-manor. It was bought by his brother-in-law Anders Olsen Berg, and later taken over by his son Ole Andersen who recided until 1896.

In 1855 the two brothers Amund and Ellef Ringnes left their paternal manor, 13 and 15 years old, and went to stay with more wealthy relatives in Drammen. This relative, Augustinus Kopperud supported them trough high school. After that, they had to fend for themselves.

The history of Ringes Brewery

Amund and Ellef Ringnes, in alliance with Axel Heiberg, established Ringnes & Co in 1876. The bloodline, from which the Ringnes’ sprang, has a unique standing among Norwegian peasant families; there are truly few other families in this country who have resided at the same estate for nearly 700 years. The two brothers had to leave their paternal home in 1855, aged 13 and 15, and went to Drammen to stay with relatives there.

Augustinus Kopperud supported them trough high school, and when they finished school Amund and Ellef went to Christiania (Nowadays; Oslo) to get work. Ellef was employed as clerk and later on as a travelling salesrepresentative for Christiania Brewery, while Amund learned the skills as brewer at the same company. They where eager to get into business for themselves and made contact with one of the wealthiest and progressive men at the time, consul Axel Heiberg, to secure his financial support in order to establish a brewery on their own. Despite the fact that there already existed 7 Breweries in Christiania at the time, Axel Heiberg chose to stake his money on the Ringnes-brothers.

The Ringnes Brewery became profitable very soon and when the brothers came int o money, Ellef bought Ringnes Manor back. Amund, being the older brother, and as such had the allodial right, stated that: “Since you have 14 kids, and I only 6, it’s seem only fair that you should have the Manor”.

This expression of generousity and broad-mindedness has been one of the most outstanding qualities of the family, the Manor and the Brewery. Equal attitudes showed up, in the brothers concern for their workers, they set a standard way above what was regarded normal in those days. Amund and Ellef never forgot their own years of hardship, and could easely identify whith those less fortunate. During the Second World War the Brewery area became an important source for food-production for the workers with live-stock and farming.

Ringnes also was very ahead of their time in welfare-benefits such as: pensions, health-care plan and industrial medical officer. The three founders of Ringnes Brewery were vividly interested in their society and the possibilities for human expression and creativity it offered. They had a keen interest for sports, nature and outdoor life, for scientific research, art and culture, and true to their selfmade motto: “Richesse oblige” (wealth commits you) they offered valuable support to a variety of fields in society. I.e they heartly endorsed and financed Fritjof Nansen and his North Pole-expedisions and Roald Amundsen in his race for the South Pole. Also worth mention is their generous backing of renowned artists such as: Sinding, Vigeland, Werenskiold and Munthe. The Manor at Lake Kroedern expresses both the Ringnes-brand- history and its spirit and was eagerly used for representational purposes even at the beginning of the 1900’s. Here the Ringnes-brothers entertained VIP’s and kept an open house for friends and business-partners,- even royal guests, in connection with their blooming brewery-business.

At the Ringnes Manor you meet with history everywhere. Trough the family chronichles we can follow life and faith at Ringnes all the way back to1325. One of the most ancient drinking vessels known in Norway, which is now at the National museum in Copenhagen, comes from Ringnes Manor. Ringnes Manor is still family property. Prelude to The Ringnes Brewery’s 125th anniversary Ringnes initated collaboration between today’s owner Erik Ringnes and Kroedsherad local authorities, in order to, once more, to connect the Manor to the Brewery- operation and strengthen the ties to its roots. Ringnes Manor shall once again inspire its employees, customers and business partners through its history, its multiplicity, its hospitable atmosphere, its beautiful location at the Lake Kroedern,- and not least, trough the possibilities for vaster enlightenment about beer as culture and beverage. Nowhere else can you experience the true “Ringnes spirit” like you can at Ringnes manor.