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Familiar drinks in Finnish everyday life
Coffee, berry drinks and a warming winter punch all have a place in Finnish food culture. There is plenty of variety beyond these examples, but they are a useful introduction to flavours you may encounter in Lapland.
Light-roast filter coffee
Coffee is a familiar part of a visit or a break. Light-roasted filter coffee is popular; Paulig's Juhla Mokka is one well-known example. Use a filter machine or hand filter, adjusting the amount to your equipment and taste. The original recipe suggests about one heaped tablespoon per cup. Drink it black or with milk and sugar as you prefer.
Cloudberry liqueur
For the original cold-steeped recipe, use 300 g cloudberries, 150–200 g sugar and 500 ml vodka. Put them in a large clean jar, close it and shake gently. Leave in a cool, dark place for three to four weeks, moving the jar occasionally. Strain into a clean bottle. Use sound, correctly identified fruit and hygienic equipment.
Lingonberry juice
Combine 1 kg lingonberries with 300–400 ml water. Simmer for 10–15 minutes, then strain through a suitable cloth or sieve. Sweeten to taste and reheat. Cool and refrigerate the juice in clean containers, or freeze it. This short recipe does not establish a shelf-stable preserving process.
Non-alcoholic glögi
This version uses 500 ml lingonberry juice, one cinnamon stick, two or three cloves and a small piece of ginger. Warm gently and leave to infuse for about 15 minutes. Serve warm, optionally with raisins and blanched almonds. Glögi can also be made in alcoholic versions; this recipe contains none.
Koskenkorva and salmiakki
Koskenkorva is a Finnish spirit sold in different products and strengths. The source's simple salmiakki idea combines 4 cl spirit with one teaspoon of crushed salty liquorice sweets, shaken and served cold. Alcohol is entirely optional; berry juice or glögi works just as well for a shared evening.
Buying ingredients
Coffee and ordinary grocery ingredients are widely available. Spirits are bought through Alko rather than an ordinary supermarket. Check opening hours and relevant age limits. If gathering berries, identify them confidently and respect the habitat.
See shopping in rural Finland for practical planning.
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