Page 314 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Estonia Latvia & Lithuania

312 TRA VELLERS ’ NEEDS

What to Drink
Beer is popular in the Baltic States and several of the region’s
breweries date back to the 19th century. Vodka is not as
popular as it was during the Soviet era, although it is still
widely drunk and both local and Russian brands are available.
The region also has some unusual spirits and liqueurs made
with herbs. Although wine-drinking does not have a
distinguished history, imported wine is available in
restau rants and many affordable local sparkling wines are
available. The most prominent traditional soft drink, kali in
Rīga Black Bobelinė,
Estonia, kvass in Latvia or gira in Lithuania, has been claimed
Balsam, Latvia Lithuania
as a forerunner of strong beer. Customarily made from rye
bread and very mildly alcoholic, it is a refreshing alternative blackcurrant juice or vodka.
to aerated drinks such as cola. Specialist shops, and some
bars, also sell Latvian liqueurs
such as the caraway-flavoured
Wines
stopped during the Soviet Allažu Ķimelis.
Although the Baltic States are occupation. It has been Lithuania has a range of
not a major wine-producing restarted but is very limited and herbal liqueurs, including Trejos
region, both Latvia and often the only chance to try the Devynerios. Concocted by a
Lithuania produce sparkling wine is by attending the annual pharmacist in the late 19th
wines, such as Rīga wine festival in summer. century, Trejos Devynerios was
Šampanietis and Alita listed as a legal patent medicine
Šampanas respectively. In bet ween the two world wars.
Estonia, mulled red wine, Spirits and Liqueurs Vodka drinkers may want to try
known as hõõgvein or glögg, is The best-known Estonian Starka, which is distilled from
popular in winter. Served liqueur is the sweet-tasting rye grain, while other traditional
warm, it has a spicy taste due Vana Tallinn, which has drinks are honey-based mead
to the cinnamon and cloves ingredients such as citrus oils, and bobelinė, a liqueur made
used to flavour it. Fruit wines, cinnamon, vanilla and rum. It with cranberry juice. In rural
such as Põltsamaa Kuldne, can be drunk neat but is areas throughout the
which is made from apples, are worth trying in coffee or region, local people brew
also common. over ice cream. It is also their own, very potent,
Latvia appears in the Guinness used to make cocktails or vodka. Visitors should be
Book of World Records for the mixed with white wine or wary of this, as it is
northermost open-air vineyard champagne. Vodka is also usually of low quality and
in the world. Sabile Wine Hill popular in Estonia, and there have been cases
vineyard (Sabiles, Vīna Kalns) Viru Valge is the most where batches have
(see p182), has a long history of common local brand. In Vana Tallinn been contaminated
viniculture, but production addition to the original liqueur with methanol. In
version, it is available Lithuania, a legitimate
in flavoured varieties drink takes the name of this
such as vanilla, lemon illegal vodka, Samanė, but is not
and watermelon. as strong.
For visitors to Latvia, Rīga
Black Balsam is an
unmissable drink and Beer
makes a popular After independence in 1991, the
souvenir, although region’s state breweries were
perhaps as much for privatized and many of them
its ceramic bottle as were subsequently bought by
for the liquid inside. large international corporations.
Developed in 1752 as Baltic Beverages Holdings,
a medicinal tonic, jointly owned by Carlsberg and
it is composed of a Scottish & Newcastle, owns
top-secret list of several of the region’s biggest
ingredients and is an brands, such as Saku in Estonia,
acquired taste. Aldaris in Latvia and Utenos and
Occasionally drunk Švyturys in Lithuania. The
Rīgas sparkling Põltsamaa Kuldne Glögg mulled neat, it is often mixed Finnish company Olvi has
wine, Latvia fruit wine, Estonia wine, Estonia with cola, hot bought Cēsis, which is Latvia’s