Beer

Alus. It is one of the most ancient words for beer in Indo-European languages – meaning that Latvians have been beer drinkers and brewers ever since. Beer is the most commonly mentioned beverage in Latvian folklore, and has innumerable folksongs dedicated to it. Even today it is impossible to imagine any festivity without beer. The three biggest names in the Latvian beer industry are Aldaris, Cēsu alus and Lāčplēsis but the true beer connoisseurs tend to prefer the smaller brands, such as Tērvetes, Užavas, Brenguļu or Bauskas. All in all, there are more than 80 different local beers to choose from. But take care not to walk around with an open bottle in hand, since it is not viewed favorably by the police.