“Bivrost” – The Trembling Path to Asgard
Bivrost is derived from two ancient Norse words: “Biv,” meaning “Trembling,” and “Rost,” meaning “Road” or “Path.” This term was used by the Vikings to describe the Northern Lights, which they believed to be a magical bridge between earth and the heavens.
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About Bivrost
A few years back, a doctor, a scuba diver, and a hairdresser found themselves gathered in a cabin in Arctic Lyngen. The reasons for their meeting are unimportant, but during their time together, Hans (the doctor), Tor (the scuba diver), and his wife Anne-Lise (the hairdresser) began discussing a mutual interest: local food and beverages. Despite their diverse backgrounds, they agreed there was a notable absence of high-quality local drinks for the burgeoning Northern Lights tourism industry. They questioned why visitors to Arctic Norway should be limited to foreign products and pondered the possibility of creating local beverages for tourists and locals alike.
Hans, the owner of an adventure company, had recently visited Scotland and observed that this enchanting land bore a striking resemblance to Norway. The mountains, fjords, rivers, and the people shared a similar dark humor, warmth, and passion for their homeland. One notable difference was Scotland’s whisky. This observation sparked a conversation that led Hans to propose the idea of establishing an Arctic distillery.
Initially, Tor suspected Hans of indulging in some experimental medication. However, with his practical business acumen, Tor delved into the numbers, statistics, legalities, and logistics of starting an alcohol business in one of the most regulated countries in the world. After numerous discussions with his wife, Tor approached Hans one evening and declared, “I’m quitting my job, and we’re going for this. Do you want to join?” Hans took a mere nanosecond to agree.
With funding from Innovation Norway, the team explored further possibilities on the Scottish island of Islay. This phase involved one of Hans’ connections, Colin Houston from the Scottish Highlands, completing their team. Tor and Colin discovered they shared many interests, perhaps too many: fast cars, fast boats, scuba diving, skiing, adventure, and a touch of danger—all useful traits for embarking on such a daring venture.
Colin had a knack for knowing everyone, especially the key people worth knowing. During their Islay trip, the team visited eight distilleries in three days, engaging in productive discussions with all the managers.
Armed with these insights, the team decided to build a combined distillery and visitor center in Arctic Lyngen.
Anne-Lise, a creative entrepreneur and business owner, proposed a fitting name for their venture: Aurora Spirit Distillery. The name Aurora was inspired by the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights), while “Spirit” referred both to the state of mind and the alcoholic beverages they intended to produce.
Hans discovered the term “Bivrost” in old Norse, which was one of the names used for the Northern Lights. Bivrost was believed to be a bridge between heaven and earth, guarded by the fierce god Heimdallr. The brand was registered as an alcohol brand in the EU.
Planning for the world’s northernmost distillery began in spring 2015, and equipment was ordered from Kothe through Nerhammar Consulting in Sweden. The foundations were laid in December, and thanks to skilled consultants, architects, contractors, Innovation Norway, and the supportive Lyngen municipality, the world’s northernmost distillery opened in the summer of 2016.
Aurora Spirit Distillery now produces some of the purest alcoholic beverages in the world. Visitors can enjoy the spectacular visitor center and learn about Arctic culture and the process of making alcohol under the Northern Lights.