In this article, learn about best drinks in Sweden for you to try when you’re visiting the wonderful Scandinavian country! – 13 of Sweden’s best traditional drinks to try when you’re in Sweden.
Best drinks in Sweden to Try – We will talk about alcohol and non-alcoholic Swedish beverages in this article and share to you the reasons why you need to try them (even once) when you’re visiting Sweden.
READ HERE: Best breakfast in Sweden and Best Local Sim Card for Tourists in Sweden
WHERE TO STAY IN SWEDEN – Traditional Drinks in Sweden
Ahh, Sweden and all the Nordic / Scandinavian countries. Accommodation prices are easily expensive here, and some smaller places and boutique hotels can start from $40-50/night. The good thing is that because of the high demand of tourists, there are a variety of options for all kinds of travel – hostels and hotels, and even AirBnbs.
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SWEDISH DRINKS: 13 BEST SWEDISH BEVERAGES AND NON-ALCOHOLIC DRINKS IN SWEDEN
SWEDISH BEVERAGES: ALCOHOLIC DRINKS IN SWEDEN
1. Glögg – Drinks in Sweden
Glögg is one of the top favorite drinks in Sweden usually drunk in winter. To make Glögg, you mix mulled wine with red wine, sugar, and various spices like orange zest, cinnamon, cardamom, allspice, cloves, and ginger. You can even mix it with distilled spirits like brandy, sherry, vodka, port, or akvavit.
The Swedish Glögg includes almonds and raisins. Glögg also has alcohol-free versions!
2. Akvavit
Akvavit or aquavit is a distilled spirit that is principally produced in Scandinavia, where it has been produced since the 15th century. Akvavit is distilled from grain or potatoes, and is flavoured with a variety of herbs. It is also popular in Northern Germany.
3. Gotlandsdricka
Gotlandsdricka is a traditional homebrewed alcoholic beverage made on the island of Gotland, Sweden. It is a kind of ale, closely related to the Finnish sahti, and Norwegian Maltøl with a smoky, bitter-sweet, spicy flavor. It is similar to gruit.
4. Punsch / Swedish Punch
Usually, the Swedish Punsch is a light way to have some alcohol with your drink. It’s something traditionally drank with a bowl of warm pea soup. Served warm or cold, Punsch is a popular Swedish drink that is made through a mix of Batavia Arrack, and with flavors coming from a mix of cloves, tea leaves and cardamom. It’s definitely a drink not to miss when you’re visiting Sweden!
To make Swedish Punsch, mix arrack with white rum (or vodka), sweeten with sugar syrup and flavour with lemon zest and nutmeg (some recipes also call for cardamom and cinnamon). Swedish Punsch has a pungent aroma and a very distinctive flavour.
5. Snaps
Snaps is a popular Swedish drink during the Swedish herring and crayfish season. It’s also considered a festival Swedish beverage. A typical Swedish party drink is mixing vodka and spices. The spices help to lessen the strength of vodka. If you like drinking wine with your meals, it’s the same for the Swedish having Snaps with their meals.
6. Craft Beers
Gotlandsdricka is the only traditional homebrewed beer to survive the emergence of industrial brewing in Sweden. It is still made largely the same way as it was in centuries past. Its origins are on the island of Gotland, in the Baltic Sea east of the Swedish mainland, where it is also known just as dricke (drink).
SWEDISH BEVERAGES: NON-ALCOHOLIC DRINKS IN SWEDEN
7. Julmust
When you think about holidays, various cultures definitely have their favorite holiday drink and in Sweden, this is the Julmust. Julmust is a soft drink that is commonly drunk by the Swedish during the Holidays. If you’re looking for a non alcoholic drink during the Swedish holiday season, Julmust is a must drink in Sweden for you to try.
8. Cider / Swedish Cider
The main difference of Swedish ciders from the usual Apple ciders is that in traditional Swedish drinks, they don’t only use Apple for cider flavors but other fruits and spices as well. You can see in the sample above how they use the Rhubarb for Cider.
9. Pucko
Pucko is a classic Swedish drink made from milk, sugar and chocolate. It is currently manufactured by Cocio in Denmark.
10. Soder Tea / Söderblandning
Söder tea or Söderblandning is a Swedish blend of tea made from black tea, tropical fruits and flowers. The blend was invented in 1979 by Vernon Mauris and is named after the area Södermalm in Stockholm where his shop is located. Söder tea is a very popular tea in Sweden, and also in Japan.
11. Saft
In many Scandinavian languages, saft is simply the word for juice, but in Sweden, “saft” has acquired a special meaning. It is used specifically to refer to a very sweet, fruity juice concentrate, which is blended with water and ice to make refreshing cool drinks.
12. Fika / Swedish Coffee – Drinks in Sweden
Swedish coffee – definitely something we’re looking for! Fika is actually a Swedish word for “slowing down“, instead of just having tea of coffee. The Swedish culture is full of these meaningful words that we are actually starting to adopt outside Sweden, like the word Hygge.
Fika is to slow down with coffee or tea and can be done anywhere from your home, coffee shops and cafes, parks or anywhere else you can take a break from your routine during the day and slow down. And yes we agree with this being a part of best drinks to have in Sweden!
13. Filmjölk – A Cultured Yogurt Drink (Drinks in Sweden to Try)
Filmjölk is another popular Swedish drink more popularly known as a cultured yogurt drink. Filmjölk has a bit of a sour aftertaste and is usually partnered in Sweden with fruits. Can be easily part of your breakfast oats or cereal, or can also be consumed during a Swedish lunch.
Filmjölk or cultured yogurt drinks is a big part not only in Swedish drink culture but in other countries as well as it is believed that these drinks help with gut health due to its good bacteria content.
Hope you like our best drinks in Sweden and let us know in the comments below which one is your favorite of this list of Swedish drinks
About the Author: Ruben, co-founder of Gamintraveler.com since 2014, is a seasoned traveler from Spain who has explored over 100 countries since 2009. Known for his extensive travel adventures across South America, Europe, the US, Australia, New Zealand, Asia, and Africa, Ruben combines his passion for adventurous yet sustainable living with his love for cycling, highlighted by his remarkable 5-month bicycle journey from Spain to Norway. He currently resides in Spain, where he continues to share his travel experiences alongside his partner, Rachel, and their son, Han.