Wine around the world

Thanks to John Mayer for today’s blog title.

Today’s weigh in?  UP 6.2 pounds.  And yes, that’s in one week.  Hmmmmm.

I weigh in the buff, every Thursday morning, at the exact same time.  So there’s no need to try and justify it with thoughts about clothing, shoes, and jewelry weighing more today than the previous week.

I actually did less resistance training this week than the previous weeks, so no fair making excuses about gained muscle.

The point is really, that it doesn’t matter. 

It’s a number, yes.  This week I just didn’t pay attention.  I went out with the girls last Friday, and had quite a few drinks.  I didn’t count those.  Or the fries I had at 2am following the drinks.  Then I loosey gooseyed on Saturday, not really paying attention to WW points.  Sunday I did fine, but had an 8 point snack at 11pm that I didn’t count in my tracker.  I tend to justify those sometimes because I exercise so much.  Monday I hardly ate a thing, maybe half of my points.  Tuesday I tracked and ate well.  Then yesterday my body couldn’t get enough food.  I had a small taco salad at midnight.  (I work nights, remember.)  I got the evil eye from several people, and a few comments.  People are funny, aren’t they?  It is funny that the same people who eat bags of Doritos and M&M’s all night are so police-like about my eating habits.  It doesn’t make me mad anymore, as much as it just makes me giggle.  And I think that’s just because I’m comfortable with myself.

All of these little fudges add up to disaster.  I don’t honestly believe that I gained 6.2 pounds of fat this week.  But again, it doesn’t matter.  The point is that I half-assed the program all but 2 days this week.  (Btw, if you haven’t read Half Assed by Jeannette Fulda, do so.) 

Obviously this is how I became 175 pounds overweight in the first place…justifying little things, one at a time, which add up to pounds at the scale….and the eventually expanding waistline.

I’m not stressed out about it.  This was a timely wake-up call.

Back to March intensity.  12 pounds down in a month, because I paid attention, and balanced my indiscretions with extra cardio and exercise.  And wrote down every single thing I ate, regardless of the inconvenience.

Back to practicing what I preach.

Volbriöö is the “night of the witches” in Estonia. It happens on the night from 30 of April to 01 of May. The kids wear pieces of fabric, resembling witches, walk over brushes and so on, but there’s no bon fire, it seems.

Tartu kevadpäevad 2009

This year, in Tartu, the Volbriöö happens during the Student Days (which goes from 27.04 to 03.05) and it seems like everything relating to this date will happen in nightclubs.

I thought I would see students marching on the streets with boxes of beer, singing songs today… It didn’t happen (I guess it was too early - not really to drink, but to march). I saw fun student games envolving physical exercise, balance, alcohol, lots of alcohol and vomit, lots of vomit.

Man, I’m getting old. That’s not really what I’m interested in. But it was good to see what happens around, to know what is part of the Estonian tradition, bla-bla-bla…

And oh, it was cold. Yesterday was a delicious day, but today… it was cold, windy, not so fun. I hope tomorrow it will be better.

Now, one interesting thing: 1st of May is the INTERNATIONAL WORKERS DAY in most parts of the world! But not in Estonia. Here, 1st of May is the HANGOVER DAY (Kaatripäev)! Well, after the wild night of the witches, Estonians need to rest, who cares about the workers? They will be working at least until 6pm, some serving coffe  and tee to the still-drunk ones.

By the way, I met a black man at Cinamon yesterday, but the effects of this encounter will dealt with in another post.

If you wanna know more about the Tartu Tudengipäevad, visit their website (be aware that they don’t seem to be interested in your visit - despite the adress, there’s NO English version of it): Student Days

Ha det bra!!!

The glass is gone, the garage is full. My husband is feeling better. I do feel bad for him sometimes because living with me exposes him to situations that he does not know how to handle. It freaks him out. He grew up in a perfect little suburban neighborhood. I did not. My family descends from hillbillies. Actually, we call them hoopies. Apparently, a hoopie was a hillbilly that made barrels (or just the metal hoops for a barrel) and my maternal great grandfather was a barrel maker. And well, hoopies live a little different than the average Joe. We rarely get upset over what we consider the little things. We have seen hard times. So that is why I couldn’t wait to tell my sisters about the code inspector.  It reminds me of my childhood.

I’m sure the area I grew up in did not have a code inspector.  We had the Police.  It was a fairly common occurrence to see them and they were always very nice to us.  The reason we saw them was because of my mother.  She was a bit of a hell raiser.

I honestly don’t know if my mother was crazy or just had crazy ideas.  Drunk or not (mostly drunk), she exhibited strange behavior.  She didn’t like anyone.  If you asked her to name one person she liked, she would actually just sit and think and then say “Stop being goofy.” Now I always thought the appropriate answer might be “I like or love you” but no she was not able to do that.  She had a problem with everyone.  Let’s start with her parents.  Her dad?  Hated him, will see him in Hell, the nasty bastard.  Her mom?  My mother said she was a “saint” but I never knew her.  I only remember seeing her once or twice.  She lived only 3 miles away but I don’t know if I would have recognized her if I passed her on the street.  They had a falling out and my mother never forgave her.  Her sisters?  She had 7 sisters.  I knew 4 of them.  If the sisters had beer to share, they were OK.  If my mother had beer, she wouldn’t share.  If any of her sisters came over unexpectedly when she had beer, she would turn off all the lights and the TV and make all of us hide in the bathroom until they went away.  She called them freeloaders.  My dad?  I don’t know why she got married, I’ll leave it at that.  Her children?  Her 4 girls?  Well, nothing warm and fuzzy there.  She was unable to form an emotional attachment with us but if someone messed with her children all hell would break loose.  Then she would berate us for not taking care of it ourselves, she hated weakness.  Friends or neighbors?  Well, that’s where the real fun begins.  She hated them all for different reasons.  She fought with them all the time.  Things would escalate and then the police would be called.

So I grew up having local enforcement officials stopping by on a regular basis.  The code inspector’s visit brought back so many memories that I had to call my sisters.  I talked to Kat first.  She didn’t find the episode as funny as me.  She analyzed the incident, she wanted to know how it happened.  She asked all kinds of questions and wanted all the facts.  She puts a lot of energy into an innocuous event.  I talked to Lynne second.  It made her think of her husband.  Apparently in my family, either you are a pack rat or you marry one.  She married one.  We laughed as she commented on the location of my house.  “You can’t live on the corner at a stop sign, a block from the municipal building and not expect people to notice things”, she says.  I talked to Sue last.  She just shakes her head.  There are much bigger things to worry about in the world, according to her.  She has a way of putting everything into perspective with a huge smile.  Each sister shared memories related to my story about my mother that we laughed about.  We’ve all been asked how we can be so relaxed about my mother.  I personally attribute our candor to my father.  Although he’s barely mentioned in this story, this is a story about him.  He recognized that my mother’s addiction was a disease before it was popular to do so.  He taught each of us the simplicity of unconditional love.  I didn’t understand it until I became an adult and my mother and I argued our differences heatedly.   We agreed to disagree, at least I did.  That love never dies.

(Originally posted on March 20, 2009)

Looking back at my last post, I see that I have quite a bit of explaining to do.  I guess I thought I’d be able to write more at the bar.  Everyone left me to myself when I was studying notes, but that all seemed to go out the window once the laptop came out…  Where to start? 

I think I’m first going to give you a better idea of who I am and what I like and do: 

I love music, my favorite genre being classic rock.  Led Zeppelin is my favorite band and Jimmy Page is a god amongst men.  Other favorite bands in the genre include Pink Floyd, Moody Blues, Derek and the Dominoes, Queen, The Yardbirds, The Beatles (of course), The Who, and Blue Öyster Cult.  So, naturally, I got Chip and Dale hooked on the good stuff when they started playing guitar!  I grew up playing the piano, so I also enjoy the more classical stuff.  I listen to everything from opera to pop to rap (I can’t help it – I’m a white girl who loves to dance…or try at least!). 

Beast sells beer and wine for a living, and has done so ever since I was born – it’s safe to say that he is a wine connoisseur.  I cannot claim the same for myself, but I am most definitely a wino!  He got me started at a very young age:  there is a picture of me when I was only two years old sitting at the table with a tall-stemmed glass of Pinot Noir and a plate full of Pinot grapes.  It is utterly fantastic – I’ll see about getting it scanned into the computer next time I go home.  Anyways, my favorite red is Farnese’s Montepulcciano d’Abruzzo and my favorite white is Selbach’s Riesling Spätlese from the Piesporter Michelsberg region. 

I am the proud mother of two cats:  Peabody and Lilly (no name/identity protection necessary).  Peabody is a handsome, large-and-in-charge Orange Tabby that will be four on September 20^th.  Peebs is the biggest sweetheart and a huge pushover.

However, he doesn’t care for being held and it’s hit-or-miss.  He also has retarded nipples:  the last pair is instead a group of three (see photo below).  Lilly is a blue-eyed Tabby Lilac-Point Siamese that will be two on May 5^th.   She loves to play fetch and I fear that she will never out-grow the kitten troubles.  Even though she drives me crazy, she is very loving.  She likes to cuddle and lick my ears.  I think she has a superiority complex because she always wants to be on my shoulders or on my chest, as opposed to in my lap or me holding her. 

My babies!

Peabody's retarded nipples.

Lilly propped atop my shoulders. I know it looks like she's squished, but I swear she isn't! She loves that shit.

I don’t believe in awkward situations.  I think it’s all what you make of it.  When most people think of something as being awkward, it’s because they aren’t equipped with the social capabilities that enable them to know how to act when caught off-guard. 

I am a perfectionist.  If I am going to do something, I always go in to it with all I have.  I think this trait can be attributed to me being a competitive gymnast growing up.  I was good, too – I won first place on the balance beam at state two years in a row.  It really taught me how to focus and pay attention to even the slightest of details.  I think my competitiveness is also rooted in my gymnastics background…

Even though I’m incredibly independent, I have a surprisingly traditional view of dating.  Now, I don’t expect guys to open my doors for me all the time or anything like that.  Mainly, I don’t want to be the breadwinner – I think that’s the guy’s role.  When Martyr became pregnant with Chip and Dale, Beast told her that he didn’t want her to work anymore, that he wanted her to stay home and take care of the kids.  I am the person who I am today because of that.  For me, though, IF I ever even have kids, I just want the comfort of knowing that’s an option.  I’m too much of a workaholic to completely give it up! 

That’s a good start for now.  I’ll prepare some stories for the next post. 

p.s.  Still no word from that company…  On the other hand, I have been contacted by a different company in Boston!

We are basking in sunshine on Youngberg Hill as the fog sets in the valley. The vines are enjoying the warmth of the sun and growing like crazy. The cold night we had a couple of nights ago did not hurt the buds at all, so all is fine.

We are preparing for this Saturday night’s winemaker dinner here at the Inn. It is going to be decadent. We will also be at the Stephanie Inn on Sunday for a winemaker’s dinner there. What a treat.

May is shaping up to be quite a busy month with a pouring at Linfield College on the 4th, Mother’s Day open house on the 10th, a tasting at Dobbes Family Estate on the 17th, and of course Memorial Weekend Open House.

Come on up to Taste the Wine & Savor the views!

Last night I dreamed I was eating a genial meal at a sushi restaurant with my mom on my right side and my dad on the left.

This scenario wouldn’t be so implausible if my parents hadn’t abandoned all tolerance for each other long ago.  To put their estranged relationship in perspective, Steve talks about Mariann in the same way the bully at the back of the bus talks about the slow kid up front, and she talks about him as if he were Stalin.  Sushi between the two of them would be as pleasurable as squatting between France and Germany during WWII.  (RIP, Belgium.)

That’s why when my alarm went off I didn’t want to end the dream.  Though seemingly counter-intuitive, I really wanted to see if the fantastical milieu were going to fade into a Nosferatu-reminiscent couchemar, where the chopsticks were going to shoot into wooden stakes and the wassabi was going to become the next generation of burning holy water at the hands of whoever went in for the kill, or if nothing was going to happen at all.  I half-suspected, in my groggy 11-am revelry, that the dream was going to go nowhere apart from remaining genial and enjoyable.

My suspicion doesn’t stem from any inherent optimism, but rather from a ponderous notion that my parents were both convalescing from life-threatening illnesses and didn’t have the strength to ward each other off.  I planted this real-life notion into the couchemar and then let a touch of dream take over.  Between them, I became a prop-like Snorlax meant to impede their bridge to each other just as the real Gameboy Snorlax blocks the path to Vermilion or some other color-coded city.

Now, more than anyone I know, I hate twiddling my thumbs through the woebegone, my-parents-locked-me-in-closets stories of others, so don’t think that’s what this account is shaping up to be.   Most the time, I don’t even know how (or if I care enough) to tackle the consolation of another of Freud’s kids-in-grown-ups’-bodies as they still search for a good life’s role model.  What I do know is that on any given day I’d much prefer the company of those who don’t dream about becoming Snorlax in between their parents, like a fake Madame Sosostris spewing impossible time-consuming predictions that bring us closer to the end of our time without any tactile profit.

I try to avoid the people still dreaming, to a hypocritical fault.  And to eradicate any pride I retain, I’ll admit to using a few shallow but pretty telling tests, the most simple of which is the drunk test.

Imbibe → Assess company’s demeanor → Happy drunks → Carry on

Imbibe → Assess company’s demeanor

Imbibe → Assess company’s demeanor → Sad drunks → Flee!

To be continued…

*The rest explores the impact of instant gratification, Mammon and desire on the human ability to lovingly share, and why that has anything to do with the circular flaws of us and our parents.  Nothing too big…

Sign Me Up!

World’s Best Job: Tweet, Drink and Get Paid $10K a Month

The job title is “Murphy-Goode Wine Country Lifestyle Correspondent.” I’ve always wanted to go to Healdsburg and enjoy other parts of California’s wine country. I’m already on Twitter and Facebook and know my way around social media. Maybe they’ll notice me aka The Twitter Queen, a title bestowed on me by my husband. <wink>

From the Murphey-Goode Web site:

We at the Murphy-Goode Winery got to thinking about the new age of communications and we figured it was a pretty good thing. So to get going, we’re looking for someone (maybe you) who really knows how to use Web 2.0 and Facebook and blogs and social media and YouTube and all sorts of good stuff like that — to tell the world about our wines and the place where we live: the Sonoma County Wine Country.

In exchange, we’re offering you a “Really Goode Job” — a six-month job paying $10,000 a month plus accommodations!

We want to hire a social media whiz (your title will be “Murphy-Goode Wine Country Lifestyle Correspondent”) who will report on the cool lifestyle of Sonoma County Wine Country and, of course, tell people what you’re learning about winemaking.

Did we mention that the compensation was $10,000 per month Plus accommodations in a beautiful home in picturesque Healdsburg, a popular vacation destination in our neck of the woods. Working hours are flexible. And all you have to do is experience wine and good living, and then tell people about it. (Do you play Poker, or Liar’s Dice? Don’t worry; we’ll teach you.)

Posted using ShareThis

Okay, so it’s not so much of a BAR, but what is more American than a ballgame and a beer (Mom and Apple Pie excluded)? Besides, with all the press this place is getting about its beer selection and various other accoutrements, I was expecting something between the mead halls of Asgard and a Bavarian beer garden with a baseball game thrown in to boot. What was it like? Read below!

THE STADIUM ITSELF

It would be supremely unjust to compare Citi Field to Shea Stadium. It would be unfair to the older ballpark, as it was built in an era of multi-use stadiums and, to its final day, remained the best and most unique of those concrete cereal bowls. And it would be unfair to Citi Field, too, which should be judged on its own merits and not simply because it has gobs more amenities than Shea.

So, objectively, Citi Field is a very nice place to catch a game. Overpriced? Yes. A bit kooky? Sure. But the seating is intimate, crowd traffic is lessened (even during big games), and the concourse FEELS like a ballpark. I’ve been to my share of ballparks, and though Citi Field isn’t in the same league as Citizens Bank or PNC Park, it is still a VERY quality place to watch a game, particularly if you shell out for the expensive seats.

This is readily apparent when it comes to food choice. Except for the lower level outfield sections, the fare is pretty standard; dogs, pretzels, burgers, fries, etc. The Big Boys in town – Shake Shack, Box Frites, and Catch of the Day – were all located behind Left-Centerfield. Nathan’s and a few other, smaller stands were set up elsewhere, but if you want more than just what you could get at Shea, you’ll have to make the trip to beyond the Big Apple.

This can be a hassle if you sit in the upper decks (like me). These levels are a bit starker than the rest, but still allow you to watch the game from the concourse when you’re out of your seat. The ability to walk around the entire stadium (save for the various “clubs” and Excelsior level, that is) is also nice; though I bought an $11 dollar ticket to get in (Sections 524-5 are the best of the cheap seats, by FAR), I moved around a lot and took in the game from both the rails and different seats. The ushers religiously guard lower level seats, but are much more lax in the upper sections. I slipped one guy a five at the sixth inning and he allowed me to sit in $60 seats in the Promenade Box for the rest of the game.

But this site is about beer, so let’s get to it.

BEER

I have to admit that I was disappointed by the beer selection at Citi. It’s better than it was at Shea (and a comparison to the New Yankees Stadium would put a mockery to that Bronx Behemoth), but from everything I had heard, I couldn’t get any better selection of beer at a ballgame. Not so.

Budweiser and Bud Light are available at almost every stand in the park for between $6.25 (12 oz.) and $7.50 (16 oz.). Better prices than Shea, but come on; for thirst-slaking purposes, there’s nothing better than American lager, but I was promised rivers of strange and exotic brew!

In addition, there were almost a dozen “Bottled Beer” stalls scattered around the park that sold canned beers of Miller Light, Heineken, Brooklyn Lager, Stella, and a few other choice beers (a little different per each stand, but similar in style) for $7.50. The one notable exception was Shake Shack, which sold a large Bud/Bud Light for $6.25. Of course, you have to wait in a half-hour line to get it.

Also in the outfield was a place called “Big Apple Brews”, a rectangular hut that sold 27 different beers from the bottle, a selection better than a lot of bars. THIS is what I’m talking about! However, 8 of those brews (Bud, Bud Light, Bud Select Bud Light Lime, Bud American Ale, Rolling Rock, O’Douls, and Michelob Ultra) are all very similar beers brewed by Anheuser-Busch, while most of the others aren’t exactly anything to write home about either. And at $7.50 for a bottle, they’re not a steal either. If you’re desperate for high-quality brew, though, it DOES serve Hoegaarden, two Goose Island beers, Widmer Brothers, and Kona.

A few other places sold different beer. “Catch of the Day” sells Blue Point Toasted Lager (see our review) for $7.50 on draft. Box Frites sells Brooklyn’s Blanche de Queens for the same price. This beer is known elsewhere as Blanche de Brooklyn, and is quite a treat (even if the fries from the same stall were rather disappointing…). I won’t go into a full review, save that it was definitely the best beer available at the park, by far. A creamy Belgian ale with clover notes that will wash down the taste of Mets’ failure with the best of ‘em (those lovable rascals lost 4-3 on my visit when they couldn’t handle the Marlins’ “spectacular” lineup, the salary of which doesn’t come close to touching that of the Mets’ starting pitcher of the day, Johan Santana).

I keep hearing that a few other places in the park sell different brews, but I was unable to verify that claim. Not saying that it’s not true, but after the fiftieth Nathan’s stand that I passed selling nothing but Bud and Bud Light, I stopped looking.

VERDICT

Citi Field – B+
A quality park with great seats, some good food, and a lot to offer. It isn’t the best in the bigs, but Mets fans should take comfort in the fact that it is twice the ballpark in which their cross-town rivals play (for half the price). Not as good as Citizens Bank, better than Nationals Park.

Beer Selection/Pricing – C+
Big Apple Brews and Blanche de Queens are the main reason that this score is so high. Considering that Camden Yards has been selling microbrews for over 17 years and that there are several local and near-local breweries that could have been utilized, it seems just wrong that they’re charging $7.50 for a pint of Bud or a can of Miller.

QUICK TIP 1
Game Day Ticket Sales are on the left side of the park. A number of seller booths were hidden directly behind pillars, keeping them out of sight. The lines for these booths (most notably, number eight) were usually only 1-2 people deep, even up to game time, as opposed to a dozen people deep otherwise. In a hurry? Search them out!

QUICK TIP 2
Sitting in the upper decks? Try to sit as close to the infield as possible. The further out you get, the less of your outfield you can see! Also, remember that the main scoreboard is in right field. Those desperate for distractions and stats (and games and what have you) should sit along the third baseline.

-Steele

Citi Field Logo and Big Apple Brews Photo used under Fair Use. Other photo used under license by Creative Commons (by Metsfan84 of Wikipedia).

There were enough resources to do a study that points out the obvious – binge drinking amongst teens is damaging and could affect school performance. How much did this study cost?
On the other hand according to Join Together –“, In a move that has stunned members of the addiction community, the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) announced earlier this month that it has cut all of its Alcohol Policies Project staff except longtime director George Hacker, effectively ending the only full-time advocacy effort on alcohol policy issues on Capitol Hill.”
WHERE ARE OUR PRIORITIES?
It is up to families to educate their teens and where there is a drug or alcohol problem, get them effective drug treatment. Narconon 877-413-3073
“A new MRI study finds that adolescents damage the white matter in their brain — which helps relay information between brain cells — when they binge on alcohol, HealthDay News reported April 21.
Researchers said that the study of 28 teens indicates that binge drinking could impair thinking and memory among teens, perhaps even affecting performance in school. Past studies have revealed white-matter damage in adult alcoholics.
“It could be that episodes of binge drinking during the teenage years, when their brain is still developing, could have adversely influenced the brain’s white matter development,” said lead researcher Susan F. Tapert of the University of California at San Diego and director of Substance Abuse/Mental Illness at the VA San Diego Healthcare System.
Given the current rate of adolescent binge drinking in the U.S., Tapert said that one in four teens could be at risk of white-matter damage due to heavy alcohol use.”
The report was published online in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research.

Relaxing with a cold beer or glass or wine after a hard day’s paddling on one of our self-guided canoe tours in Värmland or hiking tours in the mountains of Lapland is one of life’s little pleasures. But you may find it harder than you think! In this series of FAQs, we look at some of the questions most frequently asked by our clients regarding Systembolaget - the Swedish national chain of off-licences.

What is Systembolaget?

Systembolaget is a nationwide, government-owned chain of off-licences in Sweden. Systembolaget stores are the only places in Sweden apart from bars, restaurants and night-clubs where strong alcoholic beverages can be purchased.

When was Systembolaget introduced?

In the second half of the 18^th century, following a series of unsuccessful attempts to regulate the consumption of alcohol in Sweden, all restrictions were removed by the king. This led to a rapid increase in the consumption and home production of alcohol. In 1830, the first society for moderation in drinking was started in Stockholm, and in 1850 alcohol first began to be regulated by the state. During and following the First World War, strict rationing was in place with the quantities of alcohol which could be purchased limited. This was abolished in 1955 when Systembolaget stores were introduced. In 1965 private stores were permitted to sell beer up to 4.5% abv, but this was reduced to 3.5% in 1977 following a dramatic rise in beer consumption.

Does Systembolaget have a monopoly?

Yes. In June 2007 an EU panel of judges ruled that Systembolaget’s shop monopoly was justified, though did lift restrictions on the private import of alcohol.

Why is Systembolaget allowed to be only chain of off-licences in Sweden?

A number of regulations govern how Systembolaget stores are operated. One major reason for the monopoly being permitted is to enforce the minimum age law. Also, Systembolaget stores are prohibited from favouring particular brands, which in theory leads to a fairer choice for the consumer. Systembolaget can promote itself, but not individual products. All products are taxed on alcohol content rather than price, and all are sold with the same profit margin. Another advantage sometimes cited is that the enormous bulk buying power of the Systembolaget chain helps to keep prices down - Systembolaget is one of the largest buyers of wines and spirits in the world. Staff are well-trained and often surprisingly knowledgeable about the products on sale.

When are Systembolaget shops open?

Opening hours have been extended in some places in recent years. In larger centres, Systembolaget stores may be open Monday-Saturday, perhaps until 7pm on weekdays and 3pm on Saturdays. In smaller towns, opening hours may be restricted to weekdays and/or office hours only. In remote areas and small villages, the local store often operates as an extension of Systembolaget, where orders can be placed in advance for collection on particular days of the week

How do I buy alchohol in Systembolaget?

In some stores you can choose products off the shelf yourself as you would at the supermarket to pay at the till. In other stores, available example products are displayed behind glass cabinets. You write down the codes of the products you would like to purchase, take your order to the cash point and the assistant will fetch your items from the stores.

What is the legal age to buy alcohol in Sweden?

To buy alcohol at Systembolaget you must be aged 20 years or over. To buy alcohol in a bar or restaurant you must be 18.

Do Swedish supermarkets sell alcohol?

Yes, but only beer up to Klass II or “folköl” (”people’s beer”), max. strength 3.5% abv. Stronger beers and other alcoholic beverages must be bought at Systembolaget.

Is alcohol in Sweden expensive?

Generally yes, but not always. Sweden certainly has a reputation for high prices for alcohol. In general, prices for beer, wine and spirits in Swedish bars and restaurants are likely to be higher than in the UK.

However, Systembolaget has a very wide selection to suit a range of tastes and budgets. Prices for a bottle of wine start from around 60 SEK (about £5). As products are taxed on alcohol content rather than price, some products can be quite competitively priced relative to the international market.

Light beers (up to 3.5% abv) are sold in supermarkets and are usually very affordably priced.

Can I recycle cans and bottles in Sweden?

Yes. The price for all beer and other drinks cans includes “pant” or deposit, which will be refunded if you return the empty cans to a recycling station. Most supermarkets have a station outside the store, where you feed in your cans and then get a receipt which you can take to the till to exchange for cash or use as a discount on purchases. Don’t squash the cans! The machines will only accept them if they are intact. The same system also applies to plastic PET bottles.

The Systembolaget monopoly and restricted opening hours can seem strange to visitors from overseas, but in many ways the system functions very well. Provided you plan ahead and check local opening times, there is no reason why you should not be able to enjoy a glass of wine or cold beer after a day of outdoor activities in Sweden!

Best regards

The Nature Travels Team