We have all heard of Swedish fruit cider but how much do you know about the burgeoning market for Swedish beer? The number of microbreweries in Sweden has increased more than tenfold in the last decade, making the country an exciting location for craft beer. However, as one of the world’s most health-conscious and innovative nations, it will come as no surprise that Sweden is also one of the leading producers of organic and non-alcoholic wine, non-alcoholic beer and ultra-healthy fruit juices.
Here are ten of the most exciting drinks coming out of Sweden right now:
Spruce-shoots-flavoured Nordic tonic by Ekobryggeriet
Tonic water was originally made from carbonic acid, quinine and other ingredients intended to protect gin-swilling British colonials from malaria. These days, tonic water is enjoyed less for medicinal purposes and more for its mild, bitter taste. Swedish Ekobryggeriet has created an exciting range of organic tonic waters featuring flavours such as spruce shoots, bitter, extra bitter, elderflower and rhubarb.
Omnipollo Mazarin, Pale Ale by Omnipollo
Awarded a gold medal at the 2013 Stockholm Beer & Whisky Festival Omnipollo Mazarin is one of the most noteworthy examples of the pale-ale obsession that has gripped Sweden in recent years. Mazarin is a lavishly hopped American Pale Ale (APA) from Stockholm-based Omnipollo brewery, with a thick, hazy yellowy-orange pour that could almost be mistaken for orange juice. Almost.
RÅ Rödbeta, beetroot juice by Wellnox
It doesn’t get healthier than RÅ Rödbeta (Raw Beetroot), a pure natural, organic-certified juice made from organic beets. RÅ Rödbeta contains 98 per cent organic beetroot, two per cent organic apple cider vinegar, and zero additives. The vinegar adds freshness to the mild flavour of the beets and also balances the pH, creating a delicious dark-red thirst-quencher packed with wholesome goodness for all you fitness freaks out there.
Richard Juhlin Blanc de Blancs, non-alcoholic sparkling wine by MRG Wines
Ever wondered what teetotallers drink at birthday parties, weddings and graduations? Now you have the answer. MRG Wines has developed a range of premium, non-alcoholic sparkling wines in partnership with world-renowned Swedish Champagne expert Richard Juhlin. Richard Juhlin Blanc de Blancs is an elegant French-style sparkling Chardonnay wine that delivers crisp acid, balanced freshness and tones of lime and green apples. The wine has been dealcoholated using a patented method that preserves its natural character and aromas.
Easy Rider Bulldog, non-alcoholic beer by Gotlands Bryggeri
There was a time when non-alcoholic beer tasted about as much like beer as a glass of mineral water tastes like a gin and tonic. Not so any more. Easy Rider Bulldog a non-alcoholic beer for true beer lovers. This India Pale Ale (IPA) has a distinctly hoppy aroma, featuring elements of citrus, elderflower, lychee and passion fruit and, most importantly, contains only 0.40 per cent alcohol.
Premium Strawberry-Lime-flavoured Rekorderlig Cider, by Åbro
ABBA, Volvo, IKEA and… Cider. Who would have thought that sweet, fruity cider would become one of Sweden’s most successful exports of all time? Rekorderlig Cider is manufactured by one of Sweden’ s largest breweries, Åbro Bryggeri. It was first created in 1996 using the famous spring water source in Vimmerby, Sweden, and is currently available in 25 countries and across 43 U.S. states. Best-selling flavours of this sweet, refreshing beverage include Strawberry-Lime and Forest Berries.
Rubin, organic wine by Hällåkra Vingård
Winemaking is a comparatively new practice in Sweden that has been facilitated by rising temperatures in the southern part of the country. Made from 90 per cent Rondo grapes, Rubin was Sweden’s first-ever organically certified red wine. This unfiltered wine is one of the flagship products of Hällåkra Vineyard, a winery in southern Scania, made up of approximately 6.5 hectares of fertile land and some 20,000 vines.
Tropic Thunder, sour ale from Dugges
Looking for a beer that is as refreshing as a soft drink on a hot summer’s day? Look no further. Tropic Thunder came about as the result of a collaboration between the nomadic brewer Brian Strumke (AKA Stillwater Artisanal) and Dugges Ale and Porter Brewery, outside Gothenburg. Tropic Thunder is brewed as a sour ale with lactobacillus and fermented with lots of mango, peach and passion fruit.
Blåbär 100%, fruit drink by Saxhyttegubben
Swedish Saxhyttegubben has come up with the most guilt-free dinner party tipple of all time: a non-alcoholic beverage made from Swedish bilberries, one of the healthiest super foods on the planet. Every 33cl bottle of Saxhyttegubben’s Blåbär 100% contains a whopping 2,300 freshly squeezed Swedish bilberries and absolutely no additives. Bilberry juice is rich in antioxidants and with its distinct colour and flavour, it is the ideal non-alcoholic red-wine alternative.
West Coast IPA, by Poppels
Sweden’s booming microbrewery scene has given rise to a whole host of exciting new brews. One such example is West Coast IPA, an India Pale Ale made by Poppels Brewery. Founded in 2012, Poppels is Sweden’s largest 100-per-cent organic brewery. The West Coast IPA originates on the west coast of the USA, a hoppy beer with tropical undertones that makes ale lovers jump for joy.
