Tasting various forms of licorice in Copenhagen

There is something about licorice, and exactly, I think you either love it or hate it.  Well, people in Scandinavia really have a thing for licorice. It is mainly consumed in its salty version and produced as confectionary or candy. So even though you are eating candy and it’s meant to be sweet, there is a salty twist to the flavor. 

To be honest, I am not a big fan of licorice candy myself; however, I've recently changed my mind. And I will tell you why. For many people, the most common way of consuming licorice, especially in Scandinavia is as candy. That is the reason why many non-Scandinavians actually don’t like licorice and find the taste to be too intense. Now before we dive into the different forms of eating and drinking licorice, I wanted to share with you some of its health benefits, which might convince you that it is not so bad.  

Health benefits of licorice

"Licorice root" has been around for many years and has numerous medical benefits. Some of the proven and most common uses are for digestive issues such as heartburn, and smooth digestion. Licorice is also an excellent anti-inflammatory for the skin and the entire body; it also helps to lower cholesterol and can help with respiratory issues. 

Alright, so if you are not very keen on eating licorice candy, some fantastic alternatives are things like: licorice tea, licorice ice-cream or panna cotta, licorice beer, and even licorice inspired chips. All of these alternative forms of licorice can be found and tasted in Denmark. 

Various ways to taste liquorice 

At "Social Foodies," you can taste licorice in an ice-cream form, either as plain salty licorice or combined with chocolate- which might be a better option if your taste buds are not yet licorice friendly. This place is probably one of the most popular licorice ice-cream places in Copenhagen. 

Social Foodies

Østerbrogade, 2100 København, Denmark

When in Copenhagen, try to make a stop at Mikkeller. This is a microbrewery that came to life in 2006 and serves numerous delicious and unique beers. One of their specialties is also the licorice stout beer, which is not your ordinary kind of beer.

Mikkeller Copenhagen

Viktoriagade, København, Denmark

So if you are more into cocktails rather than beer, and you think you could handle some licorice in your cocktail, then head over to Lidkoeb Cocktail Bar. At this bar, you can order the Østersø Cola, which is a cocktail made from Pimm’s No.1, vodka, lemon juice, and licorice syrup. By the way, this is one of the chicest cocktail bars in Copenhagen and a trendy place amongst the locals.   

Lidkoeb Cocktail Bar

Vesterbrogade, Frederiksberg, Denmark

Last but certainly not least, is the licorice chips, which can be found in most grocery stores across Denmark. The chips are called "Earth Brand" and have numerous flavors, one of them being licorice. Though a bit unusual, the combination of salted licorice on salty potatoes chips, gives this snack a fantastic twist. Ideally, you should eat the chips with a blonde beer or similar. Cheers & enjoy!