The social drinker

You’ve probably noticed that Denmark is having a bit of a moment. We are all being urged to live in a more more Danish fashion. This apparently involves making life more hygge: a Danish word that is pronounced ‘heurgha’ and defies translation, much in the same way that the Irish term, crack, defies translation.

The best explanation of hygge seems to be enjoying a cosy evening at home with candles, a nice fire, a drink, and family or friends. It seems that the love of hygge is the reason behind Denmark’s regular appearance at the top of world happiness tables.

Now, despite having been to Denmark dozens of times, I can’t pretend to know anything about hygge, but I do know a little about the country’s drink culture, which can be anything but hygge and alarmingly close to what we call the crack.

Danish beer is excellent, but ruinously expensive in its home market, but the price does little to deter Danes from indulging. Carlsberg is justly famous across the world, along with Tuborg, which comes from the same brewery, but you are unlikely to find any other Danish beers outside the country because Carlsberg so comprehensively dominates the export market. What you will find, if you look hard enough, are Danish spirits known as akvavit. They come in beautiful bottles, cost an arm and a leg, and generally taste foul. Not surprising perhaps; akvavit is basically distilled grain or potato, with a few spices and herbs, such as caraway or dill.

As autumn becomes chillier and the insane daylight-savingtime rules force us to live in darkness, hygge seems like a great idea to me — but stay away from Danish drinks, and try a hot port or whiskey instead.