Viking-Era Ale · Gotlandsdricka
Gotlandsdricka
Photo: W.carter / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
Brewers use juniper branches twice over: as flavouring, and laid in the bottom of the mash tub as a filter bed, a technique shared with Finland's sahti. Gotland is where this farmhouse ale tradition survived best in Sweden.
Gotlandsdricka is an unfiltered, low-carbonation farmhouse ale brewed with smoked malt and flavored heavily with juniper — branches, berries and all. It's smoky, tart and rustic, closely related to Finland's sahti and traditionally served flat, almost like a cask ale.
Why it's made this way: Gotland is the one place in Sweden where this pre-industrial home-brewing tradition survived unbroken, historically passed down through generations of island women who brewed it for Christmas and other family gatherings.
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