Norway's Version Of The Irish Coffee Is Way More Intense

You can have yourself a nice, comforting cup of coffee to start your day — or you can add booze to it for a different kind of morning. Such is the case with karsk, a traditional black coffee drink that the Scandinavians have enjoyed with vodka or some sort of moonshine since the 1800s. While the Irish added whiskey to cups of coffee, the Scandinavians were splashing all kinds of alcohol into their coffee mugs. Though we don't have a record of who, exactly, first thought this was a good idea, word of the caffeinated cocktail spread quickly. 

The name of this kicker is borrowed from karsks, an Old Norse word meaning vigorous and agile. For those pouring themselves a cup, the recipe largely depends on what kind of alcohol is being used and the tolerance of the drinker. Those who have their hands on some moonshine are more likely to be adding more coffee than booze to their drinks. Curious drinkers who can't find local alcohol to dump into their mugs can use vodka, and try adding equal parts hot coffee and vodka to a cup to drink. Sugar is often included to help sweeten the strong concoction. 

Though you can find this peppy cocktail poured at cocktail hour in establishments and city homes alike, the drink is often associated with rural communities where the hot beverage helped take the edge off the colder Norwegian winter months. One tradition is to use a coin to help measure out ratios to be poured into taller glasses, but this approach can fail if certain types of cups are used, like a classic espresso cup. The gist is that once a copper coin is placed into the bottom of a glass, coffee is then added until the coin is no longer visible. Next, alcohol is poured until the coin again can be seen — no measuring cups required.

Unlike Irish coffee recipes, mugs of karsk are not topped with frothy dollops of whipped cream or pretty dustings of cinnamon or cocoa powder. Instead, these black coffee cocktails are more utilitarian in nature, offering warm sips that are all but guaranteed to warm drinkers from the inside out.