Sima (mead)

Lore & Background

Mead was originally brought to Finland in the 1500s from Lübeck and Riga. The modern concept of a low-alcohol sima originated in the 1700s, as it was developed to be a more refreshing summer beverage. This version of sima is found in the cookbooks of Cajsa Warg. During the 1900s, the drink became associated with the Finnish labour movement and the Finnish Walpurgis Night festivities.

Sima's usual ingredients include lemon, active dry yeast, and raisins. Sugar is added as brown sugar, white sugar, honey, or some combination of them. In some recipes, hops are included for added flavor.

The concoction of water and the lemon and sugars are mixed, boiled, and cooled to room temperature. The yeast is added and the mixture left to stand overnight. Then it is carefully decanted into bottles and a few raisins are added to each bottle.

During secondary fermentation, raisins are added to control the amount of sugars and to act as an indicator of readiness for consumption — they will swell by absorbing carbon dioxide and rise to the top of the bottle when the drink is ready. The sima will be ready in about three to seven days depending on its temperature. It is served chilled. Usually, the alcohol content is low and the drink is suitable for children.

Carbonation is produced by the yeast, and the drink is traditionally cloudy and not clarified or filtered. Because of this, traditional sima is a fresh product that does not store for long; fermentation may continue in a bottle and the alcoholicity may rise. Commercial sima (sold as a soft drink, with alcohol less than 1%) is filtered and clear, and contains no raisins.

Reader's Guide

Sima holds a distinctive place in Finnish culture as a seasonal beverage tied to the Vappu festival, where it is traditionally served with donuts, funnel cakes, or rosettes. Its evolution from a honey-based mead to a sugar-based low-alcohol drink reflects broader shifts in Finnish domestic brewing and taste. The drink's low alcohol content and sweet, lemony character make it accessible to all ages, and its homemade tradition persists alongside commercial filtered versions.

The use of raisins as both a fermentation control and a visual readiness indicator is a unique folk technique. Sima's association with the labour movement and Walpurgis Night festivities underscores its role as a celebratory, communal drink. While modern sima often replaces honey with sugar, the name itself derives from an old Finnish word for honey, used by Elias Lönnrot in the Kalevala.

The drink's limited shelf life and continued fermentation in the bottle preserve its character as a fresh, artisanal product. Commercial sima, by contrast, is a stable, clear soft drink. Sima is related to other fermented beverages such as kilju, kvass, soma, and tepache.