When we’re traveling, I post my little travelogues on the go and off the cuff. Instagram only allows 2,200 characters per post, so I have to be stingy with words. Maybe that’s a good thing. 😉 One of the reasons I started this blog is so I can take a pause after our trips, and look at something(s) more in depth. Enter, the drinks report.

One of my favorite things to do when we travel is to explore the local drinks (alcoholic and not) situation. I could spend hours in the local grocery/wine/liquor store just studying the shelves. Ken is not as enthusiastic about this activity, so I usually send him off to climb a mountain or something.

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Without further delay, here is my drinks culture report from Norway:

Norwegian Taxes and Availability

First: alcohol is expensive in Norway. In an attempt to reduce alcohol consumption, the Norwegian government clobbers people with the double-punch of high taxes and limited availability.

Norway has a complicated tax system. I’m not even going to try to unpack that here. Its outcome is best illustrated with an example: In Norway, a 700 ml bottle of Absolut Vodka costs $35. In Virginia, USA, a 750ml bottle of Absolut is $20. Note: a standard size bottle of spirits in Europe is 700ml, in the USA it’s 750ml.

Now, the limited availability part. In Norway, you can only buy alcohol below 4.7% ABV at the grocery store – beers and ciders, mostly. Everything else has to be sold through the Vinmonopolet, which is the state-owned monopoly in charge of regulating alcohol sales. You want wine or spirits after 6pm, or anytime on Sunday? Too bad. No aquavit for you. Remind you of anywhere? Side-eye: Most of the American South.

Aquavit

Aquavit is a category of distilled spirit made in Scandinavia, the style of which varies by country. Danish and Swedish aquavit is a clear spirit, but Norwegian aquavit tends to be golden in color – because they age it in casks. Danish and Swedish aquavit is usually distilled from grain, but Norwegian aquavit must be made from potato spirits (aka vodka). Swedish aquavit is heavy on anise and fennel, whereas Norwegian aquavit is driven by caraway or dill seeds. Can’t say I’m a fan of either style.

Translated literally, aquavit means, aqua vitae, or water of life. Aquavit was originally made as a medicinal beverage. In the Middle Ages, people believed spirits (and the herbs used to infuse them) had healing powers. Today, people (mostly) recognize it’s not going to cure anything, but they’re still convinced it’s good for digestion.

Gin

We made a stop at the local Vinmonopolet to have a look around. Aquavit nirvana. I bought my dad a couple of interesting looking bottles. Decent vodka/gin selection. I bought a bottle of Bivrost Arctic Gin and brought it home with me. I may or may not have bought it because of the viking on the bottle. Bivrost claims to be the world’s northernmost distillery — the gin is made with melted glacier water and local botanicals. Perfect. I have always wanted to drink a melted glacier. Big brand whiskeys were available, but super expensive. Price for a 700ml bottle of Jamesons? $40. Jack Daniels? $62.

Ice Hotel Welcome Drink

The “welcome drink” at the Ice Hotel in Kirkenes, Norway, was a shot of some kind of homemade concoction called, Rudolf’s Revenge. Normally, I would be skeptical about drinking something out of a bottle with a handwritten Post-It note for a label, but I was about to sleep on a bed of ice. Fortification was needed. I have no idea what was in that glass. I’m guessing vodka and black currant juice? It was strong and sweet. But the best part — after you finished your shot, you were encouraged to smash your ice glass on the floor. Good times.

Cider

Officially, monks from England introduced cider to Scandinavia during the Middle Ages. But it’s highly likely that the Vikings, who believed apples had special powers (an apple a day keeps the doctor away – even in Asgard), made some form of cider already. Viking cider would have been made from native crab-apples, and probably tasted just short of terrible. But, those Middle Age monks brought new apple cultivars with them, and better cider followed.

Norwegians enjoy their cider today. In every restaurant/bar we went into, there was at least one tap for cider, along with beer. We dried a few (including a pear cider) and they were all delicious.

Beer

You know what? I don’t think we drank any beer in Norway this trip. Shame on us.

Sparkling Apple Juice

When we travel in Europe, one of the first things I seek out is sparkling apple juice. Note: I’m not talking about Martinelli’s sparkling cider. I’m talking about no sugar added sparkling juice. It’s really tough to find in the US. I have to drive 30 minutes to find a store that carries it around here. In Europe, it’s available at every convenience store. Anyway. I drink this by the liter in Europe – instead of soda. Unless I can find Fanta Lemon, which is also absent from the US.

Coffee

The Norwegians seem to drink an awful lot of coffee, and they have a wonderful afternoon tradition called hygge, which doesn’t translate very well, but generally, it means a feeling of coziness and comfort. It’s essentially a coffee (or tea) break. With cake. And I am here for it.

Solbœrsaft

As far as comforting hot beverages go, this stuff is superb. I could not get enough. So so good. It’s a black currant syrup that’s added to hot water and served in wooden cups called kuska, which are traditional wooden cups that originate from the Sami culture in northern Scandinavia. Kinda wish I had bought one.

And that’s a wrap on my drinks report from Norway.

Skål!