Kippis! (“Cheers!” in Finnish)
Go long. No, not for football, but for your libations. There’s a new drink taking Steamboat by storm, quickly becoming the brand’s second top market in Colorado behind Denver. The drink: the Long Drink, a Finnish concoction that has been around for nearly 75 years and still uses the exact same recipe: gin, citrus, and other northern goodies. It’s available in Traditional Citrus at 5.5%, Strong Citrus at 8.5%, as well as Sugar-free Citrus, Cranberry and Peach.
The story began in Finland in 1952 with the country still recovering from World War II and preparing to host the 1952 Summer Olympic Games. Wanting to welcome global visitors but concerned with how to serve them drinks fast enough, the government commissioned the creation of a new drink, the Long Drink, which has since evolved into one of the most popular drinks in Finland.
It owes its Steamboat presence and following to local Finnish-herself sales rep Maria Linna, who promotes it at free concerts and other events. “I started repping Long Drink in fall 2021. Fast forward to today and Steamboat sales are now number two in Colorado after Denver. It’s easy and rewarding to promote a product I’ve been familiar with since my late teen years in Finland.” She has help, of course, in the form of her Cavapoo puppy Toivo, which means “Hope” in Finnish. “He’s my Long Drink co-pilot,” she says. “He’s the ultimate brand ambassador or “spokescanine” for the product.” You can find Long Drinks in most area liquor stores and certain restaurants. Want to try its citrus goodness in person? “I love to host happy hours for anyone interested and introduce Long Drinks to everyone,” she says. “Gather your friends and I’ll show up with refreshing samples.” www.thelongdrink.com
