brännvin

File:Nyköpings brännvin.JPG

In the Nordic countries, {{langx|da|brændevin}}, Faroese and {{langx|is|brennivín}}, {{langx|no|brennevin}}, {{langx|sv|brännvin}} ({{langx|fi|Viina}}), is an old Nordic term for distilled liquor, generally from potatoes, grain, or (formerly) wood cellulose etc. Beverages labelled brännvin are usually plain and have an alcohol content between 30% and 38%.

It can be plain and colourless, or flavoured with herbs and spices, such as Akvavit. The common style of brännvin in Iceland, spiced with caraway – Brennivín, although, not unique to the country, is considered to be Iceland's signature distilled beverage.

Etymology

The word means "burn[t] (distilled) wine", stemming from {{langx|gml|bernewin}} (Old Swedish: brænnevin). It also exists in {{langx|nl|brandewijn}} and {{langx|de|Branntwein}}, {{lang|de|gebrannter Wein}}, ultimately cognate to brandy(wine), also {{langx|fr|brandevin}}.{{cite web |title=brännvin sbst. |url=https://www.saob.se/artikel/?unik=B_4445-0041.KuOT&pz=3 |website=saob.se |publisher=Swedish Academy (SAOB) |access-date=2025-02-17}}

In Scandinavian culture

File:Skittles at Faggen's. Scene from Fredman's Epistle 55 by Bellman (Peter Eskilson) - Nationalmuseum - 18058.tif's Fredman's Epistle no. 55, by Peter Eskilson, 1868.]]

A small glass of brännvin is traditionally called a snaps ({{langx|fi|snapsi}}; compare German schnapps), although not on Iceland. In Sweden, and among Swedish-speaking Finns, such is commonly accompanied by a drinking song, called snapsvisa.{{cite web|title=Light Swedish vodka Brännvin|url=http://www.swedishfood.com/brannvin|publisher=Swedish Food.com|accessdate=6 January 2018}}{{cite book |author=Carlsson, Hugo |title=Svensk brännvinstillverkning genom tiderna: minnesskrift till Sveriges bränneriidkareförenings 50-årsjubileum |trans-title=Swedish Brännvin Distilling Through the Ages |year=1957 |publisher=Trade Association |location=Kristianstad |language=Swedish}}{{cite journal |last1=Ekstrand |first1=A. G. |title=Den svenska branvinsindustrien|journal=Svensk Kemisk Tidskrift |date=1893 |volume=5|pages=108– |trans-title=The Swedish Brandy Industry |language=Swedish}}

Brännvin was central to the semi-mythical world in the songs of swedish composer Carl Michael Bellman. For example, in Fredman's Epistle no. 1, the first verse begins:{{cite web|title=Fredmans Epistel nr 1|url=http://www.e.kth.se/archive/lnk/bsong/songs/tradition/Bellman/Epistel-01.html|accessdate=6 January 2018|archive-date=7 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180107174825/http://www.e.kth.se/archive/lnk/bsong/songs/tradition/Bellman/Epistel-01.html|url-status=dead}}

class="wikitable"

! Swedish !! Translation

Gutår, båd’ natt och dag!
Ny vällust, nytt behag!
Fukta din aska!
Fram, brännvinsflaska!
Lydom Bacchi lag!

Cheers, both night and day!
New pleasure, new delight!
Moisten your ash(-dry throat)!
Forth, brännvin-bottle!
Let us obey Bacchus's law!

Outside Scandinavia

In the US, a Chicago producer makes a bitter brännvin (beskbrännvin), called Jeppson's Malört.{{cite web |url=http://www.jeppsonsmalort.com/jm.html |title=JEPPSON'S MALÖRT |website=Jeppsonsmalort.com |accessdate=28 December 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171219185932/http://www.jeppsonsmalort.com/jm.html |archive-date=19 December 2017 |url-status=dead }} "Malört" ({{IPA|sv|ˈmɑ̂ːlœʈ|pron}}) is the Swedish word for the plant Artemisia absinthium, wormwood, often used as an ingredient in absinthe.{{Cn|date=December 2024}}

References

External links

{{Cite web |url=http://www.vinosprithistoriska.se/?id=891 |title=High spirits |website=Vin & sprithistoriska museet |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090628115127/http://www.vinosprithistoriska.se/?id=891 |language=en |accessdate=2022-03-04|archive-date=2009-06-28 }} - Short introduction to '{{lang|sv|brännvin}}'. The Historical Museum of Wines and Spirits (English).

Category:Swedish distilled drinks

Category:Swedish cuisine