The fifth annual Aquavit Week, the week-long celebration of the signature spirit of the Nordics, returns for 2016 from December 4-10. When Aquavit Week began in 2012, the number of aquavits regularly available in America could almost be counted on one hand. Today there are more than forty available, from small batch spirits produced by American craft distillers to quality imports from its home in Scandinavia.

This year’s Aquavit Week will be the best and biggest yet, expanding beyond the Pacific Northwest to include events in New York, Chicago, and Houston. This growth has been made possible with generous sponsorship from Linie, a Norwegian aquavit that undergoes one of the world’s most unique ageing processes, sending casks of aquavit on a months’ long journey at sea in sherry casks.

Aquavit Week is devoted to celebrating the wonderful diversity of aquavit, its pairing possibilities with food and beer, and its untapped potential in cocktails. A comprehensive guide to aquavit brands available in the United States, including many that will be featured at Aquavit Week events, can be found right on the Aquavit Week website.

This year’s Aquavit Week will conduct three events in Portland, three around the country, and a week-long “Snaps & Taps” beer pairing adventure, and bars from all over are invited to join the celebration by offering aquavit cocktails all week long. Additional events will be posted here on the website. This year’s featured events include:

Aquavit Week Opening Party (Dec. 4) – Join us at Broder Nord to experience Portland’s largest selection of aquavit. This ticketed event will feature more than ten different aquavits, aquavit cocktails, light Scandinavian fare, and a true Swedish toast. Come say “Skal!” with us! Tickets $20 per person available at the door, or reserve a spot by calling 503.282.5555. 6:00-8:00 pm

Snaps & Taps (Dec. 4-10) – Sample aquavit and beer pairings featuring special beers from some of Portland’s finest brewers at Portland’s best bars. Look for beers from Breakside Brewing, Upright Brewing, The Commons, Drinking Horse, and, for our first ever Aquavit Week cider, a special release from Reverend Nat’s. Check our website for details on where to find these brews.

Nordic Flight Night (Dec. 5) – Bit House Saloon’s popular Monday Night Flights take on a Scandinavian slant with a worldwide selection of aquavits. Come by all night long to try aquavits made in the Nordic countries, the United States, and right here in Portland, Oregon. 3:00 pm to 2:00 am.

Norwegian Aquavit Tasting at The Nomad (Dec. 5) –  Lysholm Linie Aquavit together with Leo Robitschek and Monica Berg invites you to join us at The Nomad Rooftop in New York for an Aquavit Cocktail Lunch. In addition to a specially curated menu for the day, you’ll have the opportunity to try a collection of carefully selected Norwegian aquavits. (By invitation only industry event.)

Aquavit Week on the Road: New York (Dec. 6) – Aquavit Week travels to New York City to visit the Edda Bar at Aska. The Edda Bar will feature signature aquavit cocktails, ‘Øl and Snaps’ pairings, and more than a dozen of Edda’s house-made aquavits available in flights, along with Chef Fredrik Berselius’ bar menu of Nordic-inspired bites. 5:00 pm to 12:00 am.

Norwegian Aquavit Tasting at the Long Island Bar (Dec. 6) – Join Monica Berg and Toby Cecchini at the Long Island Bar in New York for an evening of rare and unusual aquavits! You will have the opportunity to try bottlings never before seen in US and learn more about this Nordic spirit. 7:00 PM.

Aquavit Week on the Road: Chicago (Dec. 8) – Aquavit takes over the cocktail menu at Sportsman’s Club for one night only in Chicago. Four different local and international aquavits will feature in four different cocktails from the Sportsman’s Club bartenders, and all four will be available in a flight as well. 5:00 pm to 2:00 am.

Aquavit Week on the Road: Houston (Dec. 10) – Julep is best known for their selection of whiskey and classic cocktails with southern sensibilities, but in celebration of Aquavit Week they’re taking the menu in a Nordic direction. Join us on the heated patio to explore aquavits from Norway, Iceland, and the United States, along with aquavit cocktails from the Julep bar team. 3:00 – 6:00 pm.

Aquavit Week Post-Party (Dec. 11) – Toast the ending of the biggest Aquavit Week ever at the internationally inspired Expatriate, featuring aquavit cocktails from some of Portland’s most creative bartenders. 9:00 pm – 12:00 am.

About Aquavit Week: Aquavit Week was founded in 2012 by Portland, Oregon bartender and writer Jacob Grier. The event is dedicated to showcasing aquavit as a neat spirit and as an ingredient in cocktails, introducing American imbibers to aquavits produced domestically and abroad. More information about the event, participating bars, and a guide to the variety of aquavit available in the United States is available at www.aquavitweek.com.

About Linie Aquavit: Sponsorship for Aquavit Week 2016 is provided by Linie. Produced in Norway, Linie is the spearhead icon of aquavit worldwide. It is matured in old sherry casks as deck cargo on ships that travel the seas twice across the equator. The change of temperature and humidity through different climate zones, along with constant rocking of the casks, make for a unique ripening process that gives Linie its distinct taste. Look inside the back of the bottle, enter the individual code online, and see where your Linie aquavit has traveled and which ship took it there. More information about Linie can be found at www.linie.com.

About Jacob Grier: Jacob Grier is the author of Cocktails on Tap: The Art of Mixing Spirits and Beer, and has worked in various Portland drinking destinations, including Wayfinder Beer, The Multnomah Whiskey Library, and Expatriate. He writes at www.jacobgrier.com.

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This year’s Aquavit Week promises to be the best and biggest yet, with more events than ever in Portland, Oregon and expansion into Seattle, Washington. This growth has been made possible with generous sponsorship from Linie, a Norwegian aquavit barrel aged at sea in sherry casks. Aquavit Week is devoted to celebrating the wonderful diversity of aquavit, its pairing possibilities with food, and its untapped potential in cocktails. A comprehensive guide to aquavit brands available in the United States, including many that will be featured at Aquavit Week events, can be found right here.

This year’s core events include four in Portland, one in Seattle, and many bars joining the celebration by offering aquavit cocktails all week long. This year’s featured events include:

Aquavit Week Opening Party (Dec. 6) – Join us at Broder Nord to experience Portland’s largest selection of aquavit. This ticketed event will feature more than ten different aquavits, aquavit cocktails, light Scandinavian fare, and a true Swedish toast. Special guest Christer Olsen of Linie will be traveling all the way from Norway to join the celebration. Come say “Skal!” with us! 6:30-8:30 pm. Tickets $20 per person.

Seven Days of Aquavit (Dec. 6-12) – Three of Portland’s best bars dive deep into aquavit all week long. At Bit House Saloon, seven different aquavit cocktails from seven different bartenders, each featured for just one day. At Multnomah Whiskey Library and the Green Room, a special menu of cocktails, each made with a different aquavit. And at The Rookery Bar at Raven and Rose, aquavit cocktails and a flight of selected aquavits, including a special cask-strength single barrel exclusive. (Check bars for regular business hours.)

Spirit of Scandinavia: Aquavit! (Dec. 8) – Author and ambassador Jacob Grier (of Portland’s Multnomah Whiskey Library and Cocktails on Tap) will join Seattle’s Jay Kuehner (of Cloud Room and Damn the Weather) for an evening devoted to the pleasure’s of aquavit. We’ll be pouring Scandinavia’s finest as well as inspired iterations from the Pacific Northwest, both neat and in cocktails, at the Cloud Room in Seattle. 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm.

Snaps & Beer (Dec. 10) – The Hop and Vine hosts a night of aquavit and beer pairings with special offerings from Portland brewers, including an aquavit barrel aged holiday ale from Alameda, a saison spiced with lemon zest, grains of paradise, and elderflower from Breakside, and a coffee and cardamom infused barleywine from Upright. 5:00 pm until close.

Aquavit Week Closing Party (Dec. 12) – It’s a cocktail collaboration! La Moule, Fenrir, and Aquavit Week team up for a late night celebration of Scandinavian cocktails at La Moule’s beautiful new bar. 10 pm until close.

In addition, many bars and restaurants will be featuring aquavit cocktails throughout Aquavit Week, including Expatriate, Rum Club, Victoria, Sante, Davis Street Tavern, The Fireside, and more. Check here for complete listings.

About Aquavit Week: Aquavit Week was founded in 2012 by Portland, Oregon bartender and writer Jacob Grier. The event is dedicated to showcasing aquavit as a neat spirit and as an ingredient in cocktails, introducing American imbibers to aquavits produced domestically and abroad. More information about the event, participating bars, and a guide to the variety of aquavit available in the United States is available at www.aquavitweek.com.

About Linie Aquavit: Sponsorship for Aquavit Week 2015 is provided by Linie. Produced in Norway, Linie is the spearhead icon of aquavit worldwide. It is matured in old sherry casks as deck cargo on ships that travel the seas twice across the equator. The change of temperature and humidity through different climate zones, along with constant rocking of the casks, make for a unique ripening process that gives Linie its distinct taste. Look inside the back of the bottle, enter the individual code online, and see where your Linie aquavit has traveled and which ship took it there. More information about Linie can be found at www.linie.com.

About Jacob Grier: Jacob Grier is the author of Cocktails on Tap: The Art of Mixing Spirits and Beer, and has worked in various Portland drinking destinations, including The Multnomah Whiskey Library, Expatriate, and The Hop and Vine. He writes at www.jacobgrier.com.

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This year Aquavit Week expands to multiple locations throughout Portland, each hosting a unique event.

Aquavit Week Opening Party — On December 1st, North Portland bar The Hop and Vine will once again host the opening party. This year will feature the brand new release of Bull Run’s Regnig Dag aquavit, aged in a blend of pinot noir and pinot gris barrels. Aquavit-friendly beers on tap will include the Commons’ Pumpernickel Rye Saison. Begins at 6 pm.

Aquavit Pairing Dinner — On December 4th, Racion will serve an inventive dinner pairing aquavit cocktails with modernist cuisine, a collaboration among chef Anthony Cafiero, bar manager Justin Siemer, and Aquavit Week founder Jacob Grier. $100 for five courses. Begins at 7 pm. For reservations, call 971.276.8008.

Nordic Night — On December 6th, Fenrir will offer their menu of Scandinavian-inspired fare, a selection of aquavit, and original aquavit cocktails, a collaboration among owners Ian Wilson, John James Dudek, and Tyler Hauptman and guest bartender Jacob Grier. Begins at 6 pm.

We’re also inviting other bars to join the celebration by offering aquavit cocktails throughout the week. Follow updates on Twitter at @AquavitWeek or here at www.AquavitWeek.com

Skål!

—

Aquavit Week was founded in 2012 by Portland, Oregon based bartender and writer Jacob Grier, author of the forthcoming Cocktails on Tap: The Art of Mixing Spirits and Beer.

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The Hop & Vine will feature aquavit from all five distilleries currently producing it in the United States: House Spirits and Bull Run from Portland, Sound Spirits from Seattle, Gamle Ode from Minneapolis, and North Shore from outside Chicago. The spirits will be served neat and offered in cocktails like the Golden Lion, made with North Shore Private Reserve Aquavit, Dolin blanc vermouth, Galliano, and celery bitters. The Hop and Vine will also tap a special beer from Breakside Brewing, their Aquavit Barrel-Aged Braggot, a strong honey ale aged in a Krogstad Aquavit barrels. This limited keg will be tapped on opening night of Aquavit Week, December 9.

Aquavit is a perfect pairing with foods that are rich with similar spices like caraway, dill, and anise, so we’re offering four fun Scandinavian-inspired bites to enjoy while you imbibe: Raspeball w/ Caraway Butter, Samsø Style Potatoes, Köttbullar (Swedish Meatballs w/ lingonberry jam), and Ärtsoppa (Yellow pea soup with savory Swedish pancakes).

Last year’s inaugural event was so successful that we have a few friends joining us in this celebration of the Scandinavian spirit alongside The Hop & Vine. Free House Bar, The Driftwood Room, Expatriate, and Produce Row Cafe will feature their own aquavit cocktails throughout Aquavit Week. Follow us here and on Twitter at @AquavitWeek for updates and additions to our list of participating bars and restaurants.

Aquavit is an underrated ingredient in cocktails, and with there being possibly more aquavits available in Portland than in any other city in the USA, we’re excited to introduce guests to the spirit.

Skål!

Jacob Grier

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