Beer in Norway has a 1000 years long proud history, until 200 years ago all farms had a brew house. From the early 20th century brewing was industrialized and home brewing became outlawed. Norwegian drinking culture is strange, for example: drinking 3 beers on Monday is considered bad and you can be viewed as an alcoholic. But if you drink 10 beers and 10 drinks on Saturday, it’s considered normal. Beer can only be purchased in certain shops on certain days of the week and on certain times of the day. Beers above 4.75% are only available from state-run liquor stores. In fact, even buying food is restricted in Norway. Also, marketing of alcohol in Norway is illegal on all media outlets, even online. The only exception is the state-owned Vinmonopolet who mostly market liquor and vine.
So why do I love Norwegian beer? Well, it’s cold, tastes great and has low alcohol content. The water is pure and the ingredients are organically grown. Many of the Norwegian beer brands has a great legacy and some have even won several international prizes for great taste. Oh, and I’m Norwegian. Despite government restrictions, beer is by far the most popular alcoholic beverage in Norway, for good reasons.
