What`s to Drink in Lithuania
2006-11-13 13:43
Lithuania is also a great place for vodka. The best brand is probably Kvietine.
But as with its northern neighbors, Lithuania has its own set of liqueurs to spring on unsuspecting travelers. Some favorites are the strong honey liqueur Krupnikas, as well as the multi-fruit-based liqueurs, such as Palanga or Dainava. Overall, the choice of liqueurs is much wider in Lithuania than in Estonia or Latvia.
There are also some nice wines produced in Lithuania, many by a winery in Anyksciai district. Their specialty is fruit wine.
Midus, or mead, is a magical, potent honey concoction. Another good drink is gira, which is made from grains and flavored with fruits. Also worth trying is kveisas, a beer-like drink made from fermented birch sap.
Mead (midus, honey liquor) and beer (alus) are ceremonial and traditional drinks. Midus is the oldest and noblest drink, served during banquets and special occasions. Travelers and chroniclers wrote about the manufacture of midus by Lithuanians and Prussians as early as the 11th century. Good conditions existed to make midus because honey used to be taken from wild bees in tree hollows since ancient times. Beer is brewed from sprouted barley malt. The most popular malt beer is made in Central and North Eastern Lithuania, where strong beer is popular. Most of home made wine is made in the South Western region (Suvalkija) from forest and orchard fruits and berries. To satisfy thirst, Lithuanians brew a semi sour drink, gira. Another ancient drink, sula, is made from birch and maple sap, collected early spring






