For the grapefruit soda, seek out one that is more “soda” than “juice.” Look for brands like Q Mixers, Fever-Tree, or Ting. The result was a simple, yet brilliant, combination of Finnish gin and grapefruit soda. This one simple switch is the difference between a forgettable mixed drink and an authentic Lonkero that tastes like a Finnish summer. Hartwall Original, also known as ‘Lonkero’ is a ready to drink gin, with refreshing grapefruit. The original mixed gin beverages were only sold at Alko due to higher alcohol content (5.5% alc/vol) and the fact that only Alko was allowed to sell non-fermented alcohol until 2018 when the alcohol legislation was changed.
My Secrets to the Ultimate Finnish Long Drink
- The ‘full-frontal Finnish experience’ is designed for festival-goers, summer garden parties, and those who want a ‘refreshing change from the norm’.
- It was the absolute insistence on balance and a specific type of grapefruit flavor.
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- With this method, you’ll create a drink so crisp and clean it will instantly become your go-to for warm days, backyard gatherings, or any time you need a genuinely refreshing escape.
- Long drinks in the Finnish style have been commercially produced and marketed in other nations, including Japan, China, Taiwan and the United States.
- Lightly sparkling, crisp and refreshing.
Fermented lonkero beverages are sold in ordinary grocery stores under various names like "gin lonkero" or "grapefruit lonkero". In the Finnish state retail monopoly alcohol store Alko, since 2007 Hartwall Original Long Drink has been the most popular product sold by the store, outselling Koskenkorva, one of the oldest Finnish spirits. The same composition can be achieved by diluting a 10% cider into 5% with water and gin and grapefruit flavors, and the 5.5% product can be sold in grocery stores.
- Our team can’t wait to see the Lonkero word spread across the UK this summer.”
- They provide the necessary juniper-forward, botanical crispness that defines the drink.
- The result was a simple, yet brilliant, combination of Finnish gin and grapefruit soda.
- It was crisp, subtly bitter, and unbelievably refreshing.
- Over years of making and enjoying Lonkero, I’ve picked up a few techniques that elevate it from a simple mixed drink to a truly exceptional cocktail.
- This one simple switch is the difference between a forgettable mixed drink and an authentic Lonkero that tastes like a Finnish summer.
Lonkero long drink debuts in UK
It was crisp, subtly bitter, and unbelievably refreshing. I’d heard whispers about this legendary “long drink,” but the canned versions I’d tried back home just tasted like generic, sugary soda. Please note this product may only be purchased by people 18 years and over in the UK. The name lonkero comes from the English term long drink, per the similar pronunciation to the word long, but more adapted to the Finnish pronunciation, which prompted producers to use the word as part of their marketing.
Hartwall Original Long Drink – Gin & Orange 5.5% 24x330ml
England-based startup Lonkero Drinks has launched a Finland-inspired long drink made with gin, grapefruit and botanicals. You want the bitterness and effervescence of grapefruit, not the heavy sweetness of a soft drink. The city was expecting a flood of visitors from around the world, and they needed a pre-mixed, easy-to-serve, refreshing drink to handle the crowds efficiently. With this method, you’ll create a drink so crisp and clean it will instantly become your go-to for warm days, backyard gatherings, or any time you need a genuinely refreshing escape.
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An authentic Lonkero should be crisp, dry, and refreshing with a distinct juniper bite from the gin balanced by the slightly bitter, citrusy notes of grapefruit soda. The key is using a crisp, dry grapefruit soda, not a sweet juice or a sugary soft drink. The host country introduced a fast-to-serve gin-based drink with grapefruit and soda water to keep the visitors entertained. Please note that nutrition information is an estimate and can vary based on the specific ingredients used, especially the sugar content of your chosen grapefruit soda.
Hartwall Original Long Drink – Gin & Grapefruit 5.5% 24x330ml
Long drinks in the Finnish style have been commercially produced and marketed in other nations, including Japan, China, Taiwan and the United States. Until Finland joined the European Union in 1995, the production of long drink was strictly controlled by the government. These were the Gin Long Drink (gin with grapefruit) and the Brandy Long Drink (brandy with Pommac), then co-manufactured with Hartwall.
Lightly sparkling and refreshingly bitter-sweet, it’s a go-to drink for relaxed occasions. There is also a company called Lonkero Drinks in Norwich, UK, whose long drinks are sold in Norwich, Edinburgh, Brighton and London. After joining the EU the government lonkero casino registration was no longer allowed to control the production, and this led to the birth of several long drink brands by different companies. Lightly sparkling, crisp and refreshing. The demand for Finnish long drinks has recently increased among consumers and investors.