Drinking
Northern lands teach the value of good company and fine drinking. It is our strength in winter and our joy in summer.
In long hard winter months we know the value of warm drinking with our friends to keep the dark at the door – and in the short heady summertime we celebrate the sun together in the long bright days.
Beer is of course a favourite in northern lands like in England. Traditional ales were malted barley, often flavoured with juniper berries and herbs to make them more bitter. Drinking rituals were very important to our ancestors. Ale was not poured by servants but by the noble-born – just like at Northern Lights!
Our modern beers are all bottom-fermented lager types. At Northern Lights we stock draught Danish beers and a range of bottled beers from around Scandinavia and Finland.
A traditional Scandinavian spirit is snaps, flavoured with fruit or forest berries, based on alcohol distilled from potato or grain. People used to think it cured many diseases so called it akvavit or aquavit meaning “water of life” but basically it just tastes great and gets you drunk fast so you don’t notice the other stuff that’s wrong with you. Powerful medicine!
A really popular flavouring is liquorice – a special favourite made at Northern Lights with a vodka base,
Wine has always been imported (in the old days only from Rhineland). Traditionally it was only drunk by the very rich, At Northern Lights we have a wide selection from around the world - priced for everyone to enjoy!