Aquavit also known as akvavit is produced on a high scale in Scandinavia. It has been produced there from the 15th century. What aquavit basically is, that it a distilled water that has been taken out from grains and potatoes. It has been flavored using a variety of herbs. Aquavit is considered to be the most popular and favorite drink in Germany.
Aquavit is known for the distinctive flavor it possesses. It gets this flavor from a mi of a number of spices and herbs. The most dominant flavor comes from the dill seed that it is composed of. It has about 40% alcohol in it.
You can easily find aquavit by google-ing wine stores near me as is it easily available everywhere.
If you are the kind of a person who loves spicy food, then you will definitely fall in love with the taste of aquavit. Following are the 10 reasons why you will become a die-hard fan of aquavit:
Caraway lovers
If you love the taste of a bread or loaf you will definitely love aquavit as we have mentioned above. It is a distilled spirit that is excreted from grains and potatoes and it tastes much like vodka. Caraway also known as fennel is the dominant taste in aquavit. Other than fennel it may also contain dill, coriander, citrus and anise.
National spirit of Scandinavia
If you are visiting Sweden, Norway or Denmark you will definitely be served a glass of aquavit. The flavor of caraway is the most loved flavor in all these regions mainly because it is also known to be the best and the most common flavor which is known to be great for digestion. Caraway gives aquavit that savory tinge that everyone loves. It is available in a number of wine stores in all these regions. It is served best with smoked fish, pungent cheese etc.
It has healing powers
Aquavit means the water of life and because of this the early chemists believed that it has healing properties. It has also been used as a medicine many times in the olden times.
Toast with an aquavit
When drinking aquavit, it is always a tradition that we got from the Vikings that to raise a toast with aquavit you need to make proper eye contact and raise your glass and say cheers. This should always be followed when drinking aquavit. This is also called Skaal and is followed at times of celebrations.
It is a party animal
Despite the fact that aquavit is delighted all year in Scandinavia, it’s particularly pervasive during unique events and occasions. For Norwegians, May 17 is Constitution Day, an occasion that is praised with marches, gatherings and all the aquavit you can drink. In Sweden and Denmark, it’s tanked socially during midsummer suppers to the tune of rambunctious drinking tunes. There are at present 200 drinking melodies devoted to aquavit in museums.
Varies according to regions
The particular herbs and flavors used to season aquavit are dictated by neighborhood inclination and food. Swedish and Danish aquavit is generally refined from grain, while Norwegian aquavit is customarily produced using potatoes. Danish aquavit inclines heavier on dill, coriander and caraway and is delighted in as a brisk chilled took shots at late morning lunch. Swedish aquavit includes more anise and fennel flavors, but on the other hand is brought down in one go, frequently followed by a lager and supper of salted herring.
Norwegian aquavit
Denmark and Sweden look at aquavit as an unmistakable soul, yet in Norway, there’s a solid convention of container maturing. Norwegian aquavit develops in sherry oak barrels that give the soul a brilliant shading and full-bodied character with traces of vanilla. Lennie Aquavit is one of Norway’s most popular as a result of its one of a kind maturing process that was inadvertently found in the mid nineteenth century.
Signature drinking style
Scandinavians take their aquavit straight up. Certainly, it could be a shot tossed back directly from the cooler or a glass tasted restful nearby a feast, however it’s once in a while blended. One special case occurs in Copenhagen during winter, when aquavit is presented with espresso as kaffepunch. The beverage is set up by placing a coin in the base of a cup and pouring in enough espresso to cover the coin, at that point adding enough aquavit to make the coin noticeable once more. In the US, barkeeps are bound to utilize aquavit in mixed drinks.
It’s getting popular in the US
Notwithstanding imported contributions like Norway’s Lennie Aquavit and Denmark’s Aalborg Aquavit, local distillers are additionally beginning to try different things with aquavit. Krogstad Aquavit from Portland and North Shore Aquavit from Chicago are getting notable with barkeeps for their luxuriously appetizing caraway notes. Wisconsin’s Gamle Ode offers three distinct styles: Dill, Celebration and Holiday.
Make your own
Yes, you can make your own aquavit at home. There are a number of DIY recipes as well.
