Beverages from Småland

In Äppledalen – ‘Apple Valley’ – between Gränna and Huskvarna, Småland suddenly opens up into great sweeping fields and oak tree pastures. At the southern end, thousands of fruit trees run up and down the sides of the valley in perfectly straight rows. Here you can find scrumptious delicacies of every shape and kind. You can pick strawberries yourself or embark on an Apple Safari organised by fruit specialists Rudenstams, during which you can taste varieties such as Aroma, Rubinola, Santana and Ingrid Marie. Rudenstams’ locally produced fruit and berry drinks can be bought all over Småland – but a visit to the farm itself is a special treat.

Rudenstam

If you don’t have a sunny, stony slope to grow your own trees on, you are more than welcome to take delight in the wild meadow orchards that have overlooked lake Åsnen in the area around Urshult for the past four hundred years. The trees grow along stone walls and roads and also spread into fields. Come on a visit on a sunny day in early summer and see the pink and white shimmering flowers fill the air. A visit in autumn is rewarded with the lovely scent of apples and you can fill your basket with apple juice, plum jam and of course the fruit itself from local shops. The orchards around Urshult are the only contiguous ones still standing in Sweden, and in 2013 they were granted the status of a cultural site of national importance. You can buy the apple juice at a number of different places, but two worth visiting are The Farm Shop in Ugglekull and Malva Gård.

The produce here is a far cry from the cheap cider drinks on supermarket shelves. With some 300 newly planted English cider apple trees in 12 varieties, the owner, Claes Mark, is going for quality on a major scale. Markcider from Gässhults Säteri is sold in the farm shop, but of course can also be imbibed in the farm pub, with the right atmosphere and the right snacks.

There are plenty of local breweries around Småland. From small-scale hobby producers to established large-scale breweries like Åbro in Vimmerby. The small-scale local beers are sold at some of the state-run liquor stores, Systembolag, and at restaurants offering a special selection of drinks. Ask the waiting staff when you are out eating a meal in Småland! Below are some of the beer breweries found in the region.

Not far from lake Åsnen southwest of Växjö, beer is being brewed like never before at the Skäggalösa estate. And from hops from their own hopfield, no less. Skäggalösa’s Facebook.

Bottled delight – beer brewers who have been inspired by smoky whisky with a peat flavour. Can be ordered from Systembolaget. Kallebryggeriet.

The brewery’s ownRedig APA has been awarded Summer Beer of the Year by the magazine Café. At Kvarnagården’s, the brewing really has taken off – from minimum to small scale brewing. Stable production, strength and flavour have made their beer popular. Kvarnagårdensbryggeri.se

Beer with the joy of discovery – the master brewers here dare to break new ground and play freely with your taste buds. Often in small cask series. Trädskogens.se

Eksjö has its own brewery again after a 60-year dry period. Craft beer brewed from carefully chosen ingredients. Egnells facebook.

A century after a coopering firm was launched here, beer is being produced on the same premises, influenced by Czech, Belgian and Anglo-Saxon brews. Ängöl.se

All the types of beer have been carefully tested and named after someone or something that has meant a lot to the people at BredarydsWärdshus.se.

The big family brewery – Sweden’s oldest – in the centre of Vimmerby. The pub next door offers tours of the brewery with beer tasting and dinner. visitvimmerby.com