Scan Magazine
Lifestyle
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Columns
Scandinavian Lifestyle Amp up Easter with a historical beer style The historical beer style Gose, which is brewed with salt and coriander, has had a revival and is popular amongst Scandinavian craft breweries. It’s surprisingly easy-drinking, refreshing and tasty. Gose dates back to the Middle Ages. It was originally brewed in the town of Goslar in Germany, where it takes its name from the river Gose, and later became popular in Leipzig. Eventually, the beer style pretty much died out, but in the 1980s American craft breweries brought Gose back to life, and nowadays it’s brewed around the world. Have you tried Gose? It’s an unfiltered sour wheat beer, similar to Berliner Weisse but brewed with salt and coriander seeds. It might sound somewhat strange with salt in beer, but it’s actually a light and very refreshing beer with low bitterness and high carbonation. Also, this style
is usually around 4.2-4.8 per cent ABV, so sessionable too. Some Scandinavian examples include Stigbergets’ Buñuel, Poppels’ Margarita Salty Sour, and Brekeriet’s Whatever Gose. The coriander seeds add a citrusy quality, like a slice of lemon in ice tea, and the salt is more of a general freshness or a slight sea breeze. It’s like adding salt to a chocolate desert; it brings out sweetness and elevates flavours. Gose is also a great base for adding fruit, and many breweries use, for instance, mango, pineapple, passionfruit and guava, but also more Scandinavian ingredients such as raspberries, strawberries and blueberries. Gose works excellently on its own as an aperitif and pairs well with food too, thanks to the balance of saltiness and acidity. It’s delicious with a wide range of
By Malin Norman
dishes such as ceviche, salads and fish. Why not amp up your Easter meal with a tasty Gose?
Malin Norman is a certified beer sommelier, beer judge and member of the British Guild of Beer Writers. She writes about beer for Scan Magazine, beer magazines and beer suppliers.
Friluftsliv – a passing trend or the secret to mental well-being?
By Heidi Kokborg
Last year, Vogue, Daily Mail and Reader’s Digest all dubbed ‘friluftsliv’ (a concept loosely summarised as ‘open-air living’) as the next big Nordic lifestyle trend. So why hasn’t it taken off yet? It seems that concepts like ‘fika’ and ‘hygge’ are still having their moment, while ‘friluftsliv’ is lacking in glamour and appeal. But is it really only down to the lack of coffee, cake and candles? In a nutshell, ‘friluftsliv’ refers to the value of spending time outdoors, be it hiking, cycling, camping or simply enjoying your coffee in the open air. With 55 per cent of the world’s population living in urban areas, it’s no wonder most of us have lost our connection to nature. We’re taking walks in concrete jungles, working in skyscrapers and running side by side with other city folks on treadmills while blasting the same chart tunes to stay motivated. 40 |
Issue 141
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April 2022
At the same time, stress and anxiety levels are skyrocketing. According to the WHO, mental health conditions are on the rise globally. Could ‘friluftsliv’ be a part of the solution? Perhaps it could. Several studies have shown that spending time in nature lowers cortisol levels (that’s the stress hormone). One demonstrated that daily exposure to nature can improve self-esteem. Crucially, exercising in nature has been shown to reduce the risk of mental health problems by 50 per cent. I recently relocated to the countryside. Instead of seeing construction sites when looking out my kitchen window, I now see lush, green fields. Instead of traffic noise, I hear birds chirping. There are no street lights to keep me awake at night, and whenever I need a break during the day, I just put on my wellies, grab the dog and take
a walk around the fields. I am calmer, less stressed, kinder, less worried, and overall just happier. Perhaps, after all, ‘friluftsliv’ is not just a trend, but absolutely vital to our mental well-being.
Heidi Kokborg is a journalist and health coach from Denmark. She runs her own online business and writes a column for Scan Magazine about health and wellness in Scandinavia. Web: www.heidikokborg.com
