Sweden’s drinking habits

In the 1830s and 1840s, it was common for Swedish people over 15 years to drink at least two liters of spirits a week. On a regular day, this would include four drinks before midday: the breakfast drink (“frukostsupen”), the rooster drink (“tuppsupen”), the bitter drink (“bäsken”), and the coffee drink (“kaffesupen”).

At dinner there would be another five drinks (the appetizer, the fish drink, the half drink (“halvan”), then “the third drink” (“tersen”) and the heel drink (“klacken”). In the evening, many people would take “something strengthening” and finally end the day with the so-called “flea drink” (“loppsupen”) before going to bed.