Mumma (drink)
Mumma is a traditional Swedish mixed drink commonly associated with the Christmas buffet. It is typically made by combining dark beer with a sweet carbonated beverage, sometimes with the addition of fortified wine; versions may also be spiced or lightly strengthened with spirits such as gin or brännvin.
History and etymology
The word mumma has been used in Swedish since the 16th century, initially referring to the imported German beer Brunswick Mum, a dark, strong beer from Braunschweig. Historical Swedish sources distinguish varieties such as Stadtmumme and the stronger Schiffsmumme. Over time, Swedish usage broadened so that mumma could mean a sweet dark beer in general and later a mixed beer-based drink sweetened and sometimes spiced or fortified. In figurative Swedish, det är mumma means “that is delicious/wholesome.”
Preparation and variations
Modern mumma recipes vary by household and region. Common elements include a base of dark beer blended with a sweet carbonated drink such as sockerdricka, with optional additions of fortified wine. Some versions add a small measure of gin or brännvin, season with ground cardamom, and sweeten with cooled sugar syrup rather than granulated sugar. The drink is usually served chilled in a jug during the Christmas season.
In language and culture
The popularity of mumma in Sweden is reflected in phrases such as smaka mumma and det är mumma .