Skol! 33 Books Co. Debuts New Journal for Aquavit Lovers
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Available in Four Variants: One for Each Scandinavian Aquavit-Producing Country.
PORTLAND, OREGON, SEPTEMBER 23, 2021 — When spirits author and aquavit aficionado Jacob Grier proposed an aquavit journal collaboration with 33 Books Co., founder Dave Selden thought he might be kidding. Aquavit is known by spirits enthusiasts as one of the world's most underrated spirits – that is, if they know it at all.
"Even in the Scandinavian countries, aquavit is usually seen as something for older people, consumed at holidays with your family," says Grier, whose enthusiasm for the spirit led him to found Aquavit Week in Portland in 2012. "But in America, bartenders and cocktail nerds are discovering that aquavit is something really unique, and its popularity here in the States is spurring new interest even in its ancestral home." Grier's Aquavit Week event has grown to include events around the United States and is now in its tenth year.
For the uninitiated, aquavit is a caraway- and/or dill-infused spirit traditionally produced and consumed in the Scandinavian countries of Denmark, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, but interest in America has led to dozens of examples produced in the new world.
"My favorite thing about aquavit is that, like gin, it's a very creative spirit," says Selden, Grier's collaborator on 33 Aquavits. "The distiller starts with a neutral base, and then builds a flavor profile from there, adding caraway, usually, and then whatever she can find that tastes good. In researching this book, I tasted aquavits made with dill, cumin, citron, and even rye bread!"
33 Aquavits includes 33 templated note-taking pages featuring a 33 Books Co.'s familiar 'flavor wheel' that drinkers use to evaluate the flavor and aromatic qualities of the spirit as they sample. The book includes features designed specifically for assessing aquavit, including a place to note its color and serving temperature. "Some aquavits are served at room temperature, some just out of the freezer, and everything in between," says Grier. "And it makes an amazing cocktail."
33 Aquavits is available today at 33Books.com in four Scandinavian-inspired colorways. Samplers can choose from four different designs based on the colors of the flags from Denmark, Iceland, Norway or Sweden for $5 each, or choose a "Scandinavian Sampler," and get all four for $18. The books are also available at independent bookstores nationwide. Volume pricing for interested retailers can be obtained by contacting 33 Books Co.
The tiny books hold one final surprise - a small amount of real aquavit was added to the ink used for the books, a different aquavit for each of the four designs.
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About 33 Books Co.
Dave Selden started 33 Books Co. as a side project to his side project. A weekend homebrewer and beer blogger, he developed a unique pocket beer-tasting notebook in 2009 to help take notes on the beers he was writing about. After just a few years, the books became his full-time job. Today, 33 Books Co. produces nearly three dozen specialized pocket tasting notebooks and other tasting tools in Portland, Oregon.
About Jacob Grier
Jacob Grier writes about tobacco, public policy, and other vices. His articles have appeared at Slate, Reason, The Atlantic, The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times, The Daily Beast, Eater, Imbibe, and many other publications. His books include The Rediscovery of Tobacco: Smoking, Vaping, and the Creative Destruction of the Cigarette and Cocktails on Tap: The Art of Mixing Spirits and Beer. He lives in Portland, Oregon. Follow him on Twitter.
