What is Norway's national drink?

Aquavit

Aquavit

The word aquavit derives from the Latin aqua vitae, "water of life." Compare the words whisky or whiskey, from Gaelic uisce beatha, which has the same meaning. Likewise, clear fruit brandy is called eau de vie (French for "water of life").

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Akvavit - Wikipedia

is a Scandinavian spirit distilled from potatoes or grains that's flavored with caraway and other aromatics like citrus peel and whole spices. Also known as aquavite, akvavit, akevitt, or snapps, it's the national spirit of Sweden, Norway, and Denmark, and can range in color and flavor depending on the maker.

What is the most popular drink in Norway?

Aquavit. As for alcoholic beverages, the top Norwegian spirit drink is definitely Aquavit, also often called Akvavit. This Norwegian liquor is derived from potatoes and grain and is traditionally consumed during celebrations like Christmas and weddings.

What does aquavit taste like?

What does aquavit taste like? Aquavit has a similar taste to vodka because its base is a neutral, distilled liquor. A rye bread flavor often dominates thanks to heavy use of caraway, with other aromatics adding additional notes: fennel, clove, dill, anise and so on.

Is aquavit same as vodka?

Essentially, it's a vodka- or gin-like spirit. By EU decree, aquavit must be distilled with caraway or dill and should have a minimum alcohol by volume of 37.5%, though 40% is usually the average.

What is aquavit made of?

An aquavit is made by infusing the selected herbs and spices, such as caraway and dill, in alcohol which is then distilled and further blended with alcohol and pure water. Since the 16:th century distilled grain spirits became increasingly popular in the Nordic countries.

Norwegian Drinking Culture - Working With Norwegians

How do Norwegians drink aquavit?

In both the Scandinavian countries and northern Germany, aquavit is usually served chilled and unmixed, in small (tulip) glasses, and is usually accompanied by appetizers or sandwiches. Some drinkers prefer it in shots, a glass at a time, because they find the taste of aquavit difficult to accommodate.

Is aquavit sold in the US?

Imports to the United States have also revived as Nordic distillers see new interest in the spirit. Under American regulations, all aquavit must be flavored with caraway, but the addition of other botanicals gives aquavit a very wide range of flavors. Below is a list of aquavits one may find in American liquor stores.

Is aquavit good for digestion?

Aquavit frequently contains spices like fennel and cardamom in addition to caraway, all of which are good for your digestive system.

Should aquavit be chilled?

Stay chill.

“It's best served chilled, so store it in your freezer,” Grier says. The exception is barrel-aged aquavit, which Grier recommends serving at room temperature.

What food is Norway known for?

What are the two 2 most popular alcoholic drinks of Scandinavia?

Your best bets are aquavit (called akvavit or akevitt in Norwegian), glogg, or punsch. Check out what makes up aquavit and other alcoholic drinks that are an important part of Scandinavian drinking culture, often consumed during festive gatherings, such as Christmas dinners and weddings.

Is aquavit like gin?

Like gin, aquavit is a distilled spirit (usually from grain or potatoes, whereas gin in Australia is usually distilled from grain, grape or sugar) flavoured with at least one botanical. In gin, we expect a flavour punch of juniper, among a variety of other botanicals preferred by the distiller.

How is aquavit drunk?

In Iceland, Sweden, Denmark and Germany aquavit is chilled and often drunk in a single gulp from a small shot glass. This is usually attributed to tradition. It is not generally chilled in Norway, but enjoyed slowly. In Sweden commonly the aquavit is consumed immediately following a song, called a snapsvisa.

How strong is aquavit?

Aquavit is strong, typically 40% ABV, and it must be at least 37.5% ABV to be called aquavit (under those EU rules again!).

Does aquavit have sugar?

Since the amount of spirits used in a drink is low (usually around 4cl for a normal drink), the amount of calories is also usually far lower than for the likes of a beer. The Nuet Dry Aquavit has no added sugar, as opposed to most other aquavits.

Why is it called aquavit?

The beverage, produced in the Scandinavian countries, derives its name from aqua vitae (Latin: “water of life”), applied originally to liquor distilled from wine, and was made from imported wine; the product therefore was highly expensive until Swedish soldiers learned to make aquavit from grain.

Does aquavit freeze?

Peel off the carton and put the aquavit on a napkin-covered surface. (The aquavit does not freeze but becomes ice-cold and syrupy.)

Is aquavit a schnapps?

Well, the simple answer is that aquavit is a snaps which is flavoured dominantly by dill seed and/or caraway. Similar to gin, what defines aquavit is regulated by EU law. However, the difference between gin regulations and aquavit regulations are quite different.

What does aquavit translate to in English?

Aquavit is derived from the Latin aqua vitae, meaning “water of life.” The name comes from early distillers believing spirits to be a healing liquid, and the convention is shared by other liquors, such as the word whiskey stemming from Gaelic's uisce beatha or brandy being referred to as eau-de-vie.

Is aquavit the same as eau-de-vie?

The French produce eau-de-vie, while the Scottish take pride in their uisge beatha. Both are well-known examples of the water of life, but the Nordic countries have their own variation called aquavit, which is gaining in popularity across the United States.

What is a traditional Scandinavian drink?

Aquavit is by definition a very Scandinavian drink. It is a spirit spiced with caraway and a variety of different botanicals. The Swedes, Danes and Norwegians have their own character of aquavits. Skåne aquavit is a very traditional Swedish aquavit which has a slightly milder taste than O.P. Anderson.

What is Norway's national dish?

Mutton and cabbage stew, or “fårikål” in Norwegian, has repeatedly been named Norway's national dish. It even has its own festive day on the last Thursday in September. Throughout the autumn months, people all around the country arrange lamb stew parties. “The dish is perfect if you want to invite a lot of people.

What is a Viking drink?

The Vikings drank strong beer at festive occasions, together with the popular drink of mead. Mead was a sweet, fermented drink made from honey, water and spices. Wine made from grapes was also known of, but had to be imported, from France, for example.

What's the drinking age in Norway?

Alcohol. To buy wine or beer in Norway, the minimum age is 18 years. For spirits, it is 20 years. Beer can be found in most shops, but is only sold before 8 pm on weekdays or 6 pm on Saturdays.

What food pairs with aquavit?