{"id":5104,"date":"2016-08-22T10:40:48","date_gmt":"2016-08-22T08:40:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hejsweden.com\/en\/?p=5104"},"modified":"2020-06-03T14:33:50","modified_gmt":"2020-06-03T13:33:50","slug":"drink-alcohol-like-a-swede","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hejsweden.com\/en\/drink-alcohol-like-a-swede\/","title":{"rendered":"Swedish Drinking Culture – Drink (Alcohol) Like a Swede"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Drink<\/a><\/p>\n

Swedes are like a bottle of vodka: from the outside they look unexcited, calm, pure like water, colorless. But once they open up…
\n… you will probably detect a slight smell alcohol.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

In order to get hydrated everyone has to drink water.\u00a0In the eyes or rather the mouths of some people, water tastes a bit boring. Which is why they might\u00a0prefer to get their body hydration through milk, soda or juice. Swedes on the other\u00a0hand find\u00a0milk, soda and juice a bit boring, because\u00a0those drinks don’t take them any closer to a state of tipsiness or even drunkenness. And\u00a0drunkenness is what Swedes aim for – at least on the weekends.<\/p>\n

Make sense of Swedish beer classification<\/a><\/p>\n

Alcohol\u00a0in Sweden<\/h2>\n

Systembolaget<\/h3>\n

Many, many years ago, workers in\u00a0mine- and forrest workers were partly paid in\u00a0br\u00e4nnvin<\/em>, spirits. Alcoholism became an increasing problem. Thus the sales of alcohol were\u00a0strongly regulated by the government. Until today the sale of alcohol more than 3,5% is only allowed\u00a0in Systembolaget<\/em><\/a>, the state-owned alcohol monopoly. Of course you can buy Vodka and other\u00a0alcoholic beverages in\u00a0restaurants, pubs and night clubs, but for home consumption you have to go to Systemet<\/em>, as Swedes colloquially call it. Alternatively, you fuel your kombi<\/em>, estate wagon, and ask a good friend to join you for a little trip to Germany.<\/p>\n

Recommended book about Sweden and Swedish culture:
\n“How to be Swedish: A Quick Guide to Swedishness – In 55 Steps”
\nnow on Amazon<\/a><\/p>

\"Book<\/a><\/div>\n

Expensive\u00a0alcohol<\/h3>\n

Alcohol is expensive in Sweden<\/a>. For example, a bottle of Absolut Vodka, 0,7 l, costs about 25 Euro. That’s half the price of what you pay in Germany. Reason enough for many Swedes to drive through Denmark and take the ferry to a German\u00a0Bordershop.<\/p>\n

More than 60% of the alcohol price in Sweden\u00a0is tax.<\/p>\n

In the mind of a Swede: “It’s free?! Let’s drink as much as you can!”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

… when the host puts several bottles of spirits and wine on the table and tells the Swedish guests they can take\u00a0as much as they want.<\/p>\n

Alcohol prices in Sweden<\/a><\/p>\n

Swedish drinking culture<\/h2>\n

All Swedes are alcoholics? Certainly not. Only 4,4% of them are<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Swedes have an ambivalent relationship towards alcohol<\/strong>. On one hand they condemn it and its potential destructive effects on health and families. On the other hand many Swedes enjoy getting\u00a0drunk a few times per month.<\/p>\n

Swedes find people suspicious who are drunk but don\u2019t want to make fun of themselves<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

It’s common to see drunk people on late evenings in the city centers. Swedes don’t look down at those people. Being drunk at certain times is accepted through all classes in Sweden.<\/p>\n

L\u00f6rdagsgodis<\/em> – When Swedes eat their Saturdays’ candy<\/a><\/p>\n

When to drink in Sweden<\/h2>\n

It’s not ok to drink during the week, before workdays, say Monday to Thursday and Sundays. Maybe a beer or \u00a0a wine in the evening is okej<\/em>, but you should certainly not do that every day unless you don’t mind your colleagues suspecting you to be a\u00a0smyg alcoholist<\/em>, silent alcoholic.<\/p>\n

Then, on a Friday or Saturday evening it’s totally fine to drink and get drunk. As much as you want.<\/p>\n

Usually it’s not only accepted to drink when you go out and meet friends on a preparty. You might even get some comments if you chose to party without having a drink:\u00a0Vad?! Ska du inte dricka ikv\u00e4ll?<\/em>\u00a0What?! You’re not going to drink tonight?!<\/strong> … is something you’re likely to hear from\u00a0a friend who sees you drinking out of a small soda bottle that does NOT smell like you blended it with alcohol.<\/p>\n

Words from a Swede:<\/p>\n

Of course one can have fun without being drunk. But it’s stupid to miss\u00a0the chance.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Two sides of a Swede; sober and drunk<\/h2>\n

The Swedes you meet on a daily basis often\u00a0show a completely different side of themselves in comparison to being drunk. Not necessarily in a bad way. The normally so shy and distant seeming Swedes suddenly dare raising\u00a0their voices, express conflicting opinions and start using extrovert body language under the influence of alcohol.<\/p>\n

The state of being drunk is not considered an unpleasant side effect, but rather\u00a0a goal<\/strong>. A state that releases them from restrictions and allowing them to show their real (drunk) self. It is accepted to shout out your favorite song at night, to hit on that attractive person from your old work who you coincidentally meet at a bar or send a fylle sms<\/em>, drunk sms, to your ex saying\u00a0you miss those great moments you had together.<\/p>\n

All this is of course not possible when being sober and would cause a strong feeling of shame. However, once being sober after a night of heavy drinking, Swedes feel fylle\u00e5ngest<\/em>, anxiety from having done embarrassing things last night.<\/p>\n

If you ever do\u00a0something embarrassing in Sweden, no problem, your Swedish friends won’t blame you – as long as you can blame it on the alcohol.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Don’t take drunk Swedes too seriously<\/h3>\n

Invitations to a party or paintball shooting next weekend shall be taken not too seriously when the\u00a0Swede who you just met is obviously drunk. They mean well. But don’t ask that person the next day, once they have sobered up, where you are going to meet. Instead let them come back to you to show you that they also mean it in their “sober self”.\u00a0In that case you’ll get an invite\u00a0via sms or messenger. So don’t be disappointed if you don’t receive anything. You don’t have to save the date in the calendar right away.<\/p>\n

Ignoring<\/h4>\n

If you see someone on the street who\u00a0you had a great conversation with last weekend in the pub, don’t expect them to stop\u00a0and have a conversation with you, not even small talk, or\u00a0actually, even a simple\u00a0“hello”. Even eye contact is rare if you meet a Swede you have previously met in a drunk state. This doesn’t mean that next time you meet the Swede again in the pub he or she won’t recognize you. Probably the exactly same person comes to you with open arms hugging you, saying\u00a0Tjjeeeenare, my friend! How is it going?!<\/em><\/p>\n

Being sober on a Swedish party <\/span><\/h3>\n

Drunk Swedes are\u00a0afraid to make a fool of themselves if a sober person is around. Sober people are not considered social when going out, and not welcome either – unless you say to the drunk person that you\u2019re going to drive him or her home later – than it’s accepted\u00a0to stay as much sober as you want. <\/span><\/p>\n

If you stay sober without having the intention to drive later – you’ll be considered “unnecessarily sober”<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Don’t drink and drive<\/h3>\n

Swedes are very restrictive when it comes to alcohol and driving.\u00a0Don’t even start calculating “I’ll just have half a glass of wine and I’ll be fine.” Among Swedes you better drink absolutely nothing if you are going to drive your car later that night.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

So, dear new-Swede<\/strong>, join the queue at Systembolaget next Friday afternoon and feel free to get drunk on\u00a0the weekend – but only then!<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

More about Sweden and Swedish culture<\/h3>\n

Read “How to be Swedish: A Quick Guide to Swedishness – In 55 Steps<\/a>”<\/p>\n

\"How<\/a>
How to be Swedish – by Matthias Kamann<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Here on Amazon<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

More about Sweden and the Swedes<\/h3>\n