It’s about 10:30 on a Sunday night and I just poured myself a tall shot glass of Gammel Dansk, a Danish bitter. As a bitter, it’s primary purpose is to help with digestion. But it is a fickle drink and depending when you have it, it either warms one’s core like mother’s milk or goes down as brutally as a cocktail of motor oil and acetone. The effect on digestion seems like rendering an opinion rather than providing assistance. And I’ve found that if I eat well, or at least modestly, it tends to taste better, regardless of the time of day. (Indeed, it can be good in the morning — just as the label actually says.)
Along with the even stronger aquavit (akvavit ), Gammel Dansk is common stuff for a toast at social gatherings. I’m not sure what draws us to drink these concoctions. They are harsh liquids. But, then again, when one is surrounded by friends, all raising a glass and deliberately making eye contact before taking a gulp, you can find everything. The bitter liquid a reminder of what pains each of us; the warm glow that follows, a reminder of what’s good and keeps us going. Or, maybe on some cellular level, our brains just have it in for our livers.
Either way, the Old Danish tasted good tonight, even though Mary’s dislike of it (and the fact that she has gone to bed) has me drinking it alone.