Drinks with a taste of Örebro

Beer

The brewing culture is thriving in Örebro, and there are several interesting microbreweries here that offer brewery tours, tastings, and the chance to brew your own beer. Many restaurants and pubs in the city also feature a wide selection of local beers on their menus. Be sure to check out Örebro Ölhall, En trappa upp, and Stallyktan.

Kombucha

Have you also fallen in love with kombucha, that bubbly, slightly tangy drink? You’re not alone! Hej Kombucha brews its own kombucha in a variety of flavors at its brewery in Lindbacka bruk. You can buy Hej Kombucha at several retailers in Örebro.

Gin

Lihnells Distillery primarily produces whiskey and gin, but also rum and schnapps. Lihnells Distillery is Örebro’s first distillery since the 19th century, when there was a state-run distillery located across from Örebro Castle. The family-owned Lihnells Distillery, however, is located on the outskirts of Örebro, at the Hjälmarsberg estate. Their "Lihnells Dry Gin" has been named Sweden’s best gin at the World Gin Awards, thanks to its taste of Swedish craftsmanship and high-quality ingredients.

Whiskey

In the neighboring town of Arboga lies the Agitator whiskey distillery, which was founded in 2015 with the ambition of shaking up the tradition-bound world of whiskey. And they’re well on their way to doing just that. In Scotland, the home of whiskey, it’s not permitted to age whiskey in anything other than oak barrels. Even in other countries, oak dominates—except in Arboga. At Agitator, they age their whiskey in chestnut barrels. Here you can read about why they’ve fallen in love with chestnut wood.

There are several factors that set Agitator apart from other whiskey distilleries: a special vacuum distillation process, a double set of stills, and a focus on energy efficiency are just a few of them. Many agree that this results in a flavor that’s truly exceptional.

Coffee

To claim that coffee is a local product is a stretch. But when beans from small-scale farmers around the world are turned into coffee at Cozo Coffee in Lindbacka Bruk, it becomes local in more ways than one. In addition to the beans being ground and roasted by hand in the former mill, the various coffee blends are named after places connected to Örebro. Wadköping, Svartån, and Slottet are some of the local specialty coffee varieties produced by Cozo Coffee.

Apple juice

There’s not much that beats a glass of refreshing apple cider on a hot summer day. Especially if the apples are locally grown and the cider has been pressed at a cozy farm stand. 45 minutes north of Örebro lies Lindesberg’s cider press, where Gertrud and Peter press apples and sell ready-to-drink cider. They took second place in the Swedish Cider Championship, receiving the review: “An excellent, flawless, and refined cider with a nuanced flavor.” They also run a farm shop featuring local artisanal foods at the cidery and rent out accommodations on the farm.

Christmas soda

Did you know that the history of Christmas must actually began in Örebro? In 1910, Harry and Robert Roberts started a brewery that produced Christmas beer (though it was actually a carbonated soft drink). After a few years, its popularity grew, and Christmas must literally flooded the market from various breweries. But then, as now, the very foundation of Christmas must—the extract—is produced in Örebro, and nearly all breweries use it. If you think different musts taste different, it’s entirely due to the production process, the water, and how much sugar is added. The basic flavor itself is the same. Here you can read the article about how the beer became must and later a staple of the Swedish Christmas table.

Main image: Adaras