Norway in Depth - Norway - page 448

Impressions
I would not enter Norway again for all the firs in Scandinavia. The blight
of temperance has settled on the place.
—Archer Grant of Stroud, Gloucestershire, 1912
eggs, plus wienerbrød (Danish pastry). At this time, most visitors encounter the
ever-popular flatbrød, paper-thin crisp rye bread. Many visitors may not want to
spend the extra kroner for this big spread, but those going on glacier expeditions
need this early-morning fortification.
Incidentally, smörgåsbord and smørbrød are very popular in Norway, although
they seem to be served here without the elaborate ritual typical of Denmark and
Sweden. Customarily, smorgasbord in Norway is only a prelude to the main
meal.
DRINK Norway has strict laws regarding the sale of alcohol. Beer and wine
may be served in hotels and restaurants 7 days a week, but hard liquor can be
sold only between 3 and 11:45pm—and never on Sunday. Visitors can buy the
precious stuff from the Vinmonopolet, the state liquor-and-wine monopoly (see
below). The restriction on hard liquor may be a bonus for budgeters, since Nor-
wegian prices are sky-high, in line with all the Scandinavian countries. Wa r n -
ing: Unless visitors ask for a favorite brand of gin or scotch, they may be served
a sour-tasting Norwegian home brew.
The Norwegians, like the Danes, are essentially beer drinkers. Pils, a light
lager, is fairly low in alcohol content, but the lagerøl is so low in alcoholic con-
tent (less than 2.5%) that it's a substitute for water only. The stronger Norwe-
gian beer is called Export, and is available at higher prices. Two other types of
beer are Brigg and Zero.
The other national drink is akevitt (sometimes written as aquavit or
schnapps). Who would ever think that potatoes and caraway seeds could knock
a person under the table? It's that potent, although it's misnamed the “water of
life.” Norwegians gulp down beer as a chaser. Aquavit (try Linie Akevitt) is
sloshed around in oak vats all the way to Australia and back—for added flavor.
The stores of Vinmonopolet, the monopoly that sells wines and spirits, are
open Monday through Wednesday from 10am to 5pm, on Thursday from 9am
to 6pm, and on Friday from 9am to 5pm. The Vinmonopolet is closed on Sat-
urday in all towns except Kirkenes, Bodø, Ålesund, Trondheim, Haugesund,
and Arendal. Alcoholic beverages are not sold to anyone under 20 years of age.