How to drink aquavit
Anyone who has ever been to a traditional Scandinavian lunch will be familiar with the Scandinavian drink aquavit. Produced in Scandinavia since the fifteenth century, traditionally it is a light-coloured spirit made from grain or potato and flavoured with lots of herbs – the main ones being caraway and dill. It is usually 37.5 per cent ABV, so it is strong stuff. Lots of different herbs and spices can be used, some with a strong aniseed flavour, so it is advisable to have a few tasters to find one you like. Real aquavit always contains carraway and dill – those that do not are called ‘schnaps’.
When to enjoy it
You usually find aquavit at a big lunchtime smörgåsbord or crayfish party. The host will keep a few bottles very cold and ready to serve. Most aquavit – apart from some of the Norwegian ones – is best served cold in small aquavit glasses. The usual serving is around 25–30 ml (1–11⁄2 fl oz). Some people like their drink extra-cold and put both the aquavit and the glasses in the freezer before serving, although connoisseurs argue this is not how it is supposed to be enjoyed.
The most common time to start the aquavit is at the beginning of the smörgåsbord, when the pickled herring is served. Aquavit goes very well with herring; the flavours almost cancel each other out as well as complement one another. At crayfish parties, the aquavit starts at the beginning of the party and stops when the bottle is empty. At Christmas, people carry on until they forget their own name and, at times, their address, which annoys taxi drivers all over Scandinavia in December.
How to serve
To drink aquavit, you first allow the host to pour you a shot. You do not, ever, help yourself (bearing in mind the price of alcohol in Scandinavia). Once everybody around the table has been served, you wait for the host to say ‘skål’ (‘cheers’). At this point, you pick up the full glass and hold it in front of you; you do not drink it. Look at everybody: they will be trying to get eye contact with you because you have to look at everybody around the table before drinking.
Shall we sing?
Now is the tricky moment where there may or may not be singing. If in Sweden, it is likely you will now sing the song ‘Helan går’, but if in Denmark, they might just want to get to the drinking bit. Follow the lead of the others. After any singing, you once again show the full glass in front of you. Everybody will then – at the same time – drink the shot in one. Try not to make a face at this point and don’t worry, you will get the feeling back in your eyeballs a moment or two later. If you wish, you can drink half.
Let it go
Aquavit is one of those things that can loosen up the hardest soul. Most quiet Vikings come out of their shells after a few of these and, even if you are at a lunch where nobody knows anyone, after some aquavit you will make a bunch of new friends. It is the anti-freeze to our frozen Scandi souls.
The point to note, however, is that aquavit tends to affect most people from the waist down. You will be fine for three or four of these little nubbar (as the shots are called), but once it is time to visit the ‘facilities’, you may find that your feet have simply stopped communicating with your brain. It takes concentration to win that power back. Rest assured, you will not be the only one.
Skål!
Please drink responsibly. Extract taken from Bronte Aurell’s book North – available in bookshops and our online shop. A large selection of aquavit available in our London store and online.
