It's actually very good: unless you specify, it will be starkol, the strongest Class III beer if this is what you want, ask for a star stark, cheaper will be folk6l, Class II and weaker; whilst cheapest (around half the price) is lattol, a Class I concoction notable only for its virtual absence of alcohol. Classes I and II are available in supermarkets, although the real stuff is only on sale in the state licensed liquor stores see below where it's around a third of the price you'll pay in a bar. Pripps and Spendrups are the two main brands, or watch out for a brew called 5050, which is half Pripps and half the British Samuel Smiths. Wine (all imported) is pricey, too, especially in restaurants: a glass of wine in a bar or restaurant costs around 30kr, bottles from lOOkr and upwards. And even the Swedish Tourist Board recommend taking in your dutyfree quota of spirits, though note that if you do buy them in bars, they are all known by their generic English names. For experimental drinking, aquavit is a good bet. Served icecold in tiny shots, it's washed down with beer hold onto your hat. There are various different "flavours", too, spices and herbs added to the finished brew to produce some unusual headaches. Or try glogg: served at Christmas, it's a mulled red wine with cloves, cinnamon, sugar and more than a dash of aquavit. Where to drink You'll find bars in all towns and cities and most villages. In Stockholm and the larger cities the move is towards brasserietype places smart and flash. Elsewhere, you still come across more downtoearth drinking dens, often sponsored by the local union or welfare authority, but the drink's no cheaper and the clientele heavily male and drunk. Either way, the bar is not the centre of Swedish social activity if you really want to meet people, you'd be better off heading for the campsite or the beach. In the summer, cafebars spread cut onto thp pavement, better for kids and handy for just coffee. In out of the way places, when you want a drink and can't find a bar, head for a hotel Wherever you drink you'll find that things close down at 11pm or midnight, though not in Gothenburg and Stockholm where as long as your wallet is bottomless you can drink all night The Systemsbolaget Venturing into a Systemsbolaget (the state off licence) is a move into a twilight world. Buying alcohol is made as unattractive as possible, everything behind glass and grilles and served by dour disapproving faces. There is still a real stigma attached to alcohol and its (public) consumption, and punters sneaking out with a brown paper bag full of the hard stuff is not a rare sight. Buying from the Systemsbolaget is, however, the only option for many budget travellers, and apart from strong beer (12kr or so a thirdlitre), the only bargain is the wine from around 50kr a bottle for some surprisingly good European and New World imports. The shops are open Monday to Friday only (9am6pm), closed weekends and the day before a public holiday; minimum age for being served is twenty, and you may need to show ID.