Reykjavík Grapevine - 07.06.2013, Qupperneq 27

THE FRESHEST FISH ....AND IDEAS!
SKÓLAVÖRÐUSTÍGUR 14 - 101 REYKJAVÍK - 571 1100
After years of study,
strings of awards and
having led kitchens of
some of Reykjavík’s most
esteemed restaurants,
Gústav still sees him
self as just a kid from
up north, with a life-
time passion for fish.
27
“Did you know that in Sweden, we
had alcohol rationing from World
War I until 1955, when a ration book
would allow you to buy 1.82 litres
of strong liquor a month,” says the
Swede.
“There are some places in Nor-
way where it is still forbidden to buy
a double vodka, but you can buy two
singles and mix them together,” says
the Norwegian.
“That is nothing,” says the Finn.
“Until recently in Finland, you could
only buy a beer if you were also buy-
ing food, so the same sandwich was
passed around all day with every
drink order. Also, you could not move
your drink from one table to another.
You had to ask the bartender to do it
for you. Otherwise, it was no longer
considered a restaurant but a bar,
and those were illegal.”
The Dane has nothing to con-
tribute. They are far too close to the
mainland. In Denmark, you can even
buy strong alcohol at food stores,
whereas in the other Nordic coun-
tries you have to go to specially li-
censed, state-run liquor stores. In
many ways, the Danes are Nordic in
name only.
Being from Iceland, I know I hold
the strongest card. I keep it until last.
“Did you know that in Iceland,
beer was banned until 1989, but
strong liquor was allowed?”
The table falls silent.
“But…but why?” asks a horrified
German colleague.
“Well, everything was banned in
1915,” I say, “but then the Spanish
refused to buy Icelandic fish un-
less the Icelanders bought Spanish
wines. So wines were reintroduced
in 1922 and then the strong stuff, but
they never got around to legalizing
beer. Everyone thought that would
encourage too much drinking.”
“And did it?” someone asks.
“People drink too much in either
case, but after they switched to beer
they seem to remember more of
their Saturday nights.”
“In Berlin, you can buy alcohol in
kiosks and supermarkets at all times
of day and night,” says the German.
When I arrive in Berlin, I am slight-
ly surprised by the fact that despite
this, the city is still standing. The
bus drivers don’t seem noticeably
drunk, unlike in Greenland which has
some of the strictest alcohol policies
in the world. And unlike in Helsinki,
there is no confused looking, bleary
eyed man at the airport asking me
what day it is. Even on weekends,
and despite all the parties, people in
Berlin don’t seem to get as horribly
drunk as they do at home. Whatev-
er it is that Nordic alcohol laws are
supposed to accomplish, they don’t
seem very good at it.
Valur Gunnarsson has been following Icelandic politics
closely for almost a decade, was Grapevine’s first editor, and
works as a journalist for various Icelandic publications.
The Drinking
Problems Of The
Scandinavians
Drinks are served. We are at an annual convention of Nor-
dic and German journalists in Helsinki, Finland. The usual
topics are discussed: the debt crisis in Cyprus, gentrifica-
tion in Stockholm and Berlin, the end of the war in Afghani-
stan. Then, the conversation turns to alcohol policy and
suddenly the Nordic journalists spring to life.
Photos: Julia Staples