Ragnar 2.0

The Ragnar 2.0 is a remake of the legendary Swedish cocktail, the Ragnar. After Absolut Kurant was discontinued, the Ragnar was reinvented in 2023 as the Ragnar 2.0, now featuring Absolut Wild Berri as its base.

Served in a highball glass with ice cubes, it mixes Absolut Wild Berri, lemon-lime soda and fresh lemon juice. Garnish with a lemon wedge…and a couple of fresh berries if you fancy!

The 90s reinvented! There’s the taste of sweet berries balanced out with the tartness and freshness of lemon juice. 

The Ragnar 2.0 is a remake of the legendary Swedish cocktail, the Ragnar. Much like Absolut Citron became synonymous with the Cosmopolitan, Absolut Kurant was once the key ingredient in the Ragnar. Released in 1992, Absolut Kurant inspired Anders “Ragnar” Andersson to create the drink, which quickly became a staple in Swedish bars and clubs.

The story goes that Anders was at a bar, eager to try a cocktail with the newly launched Absolut Kurant. He asked for something neutral to highlight the vodka’s flavor and was served “sockerdricka” – a clear, sweet, citrus-flavored soda from Sweden. Feeling something was missing, Anders asked for something sour and was given a couple of lemons. He squeezed the lemons and, well, the Ragnar was born. The original Ragnar consisted of 40 ml Absolut Kurant, 20 ml fresh lemon juice, topped with lemon-lime soda, and garnished with a lemon wedge.

Although Anders initially crafted the drink for himself, he introduced it at his restaurant in a ski resort in Åre, Sweden. As his staff traveled to Stockholm, Mallorca, Sydney, and New York, they shared the Ragnar, spreading its fame wherever they went.

After Absolut Kurant was discontinued, the Ragnar was reinvented in 2023 as the Ragnar 2.0 during an episode of Absolut Drinks, now featuring Absolut Wild Berri as its base.

• Fresh lemon juice
  As Anders “Ragnar” Andersson says in the video, the key to a perfect Ragnar or Ragnar 2.0 is fresh lemon juice. You need that sourness and acidity to cut through the sweet berry flavors and the sweet lemon-lime soda. Avoid store bought stuff and squeeze your own lemon juice instead.
• Use real sockerdricka
  If you’re in Sweden, “sockerdricka” is readily available, but outside of Sweden, it might be harder to find. The original Ragnar was crafted with “sockerdricka,” which translates to “sugar drink.”

  This clear, sweet, citrus-flavored soda dates back to the 19th century and is essentially sweet, fizzy lemonade. To recreate the Ragnar as it was meant to taste in the ’90s, sockerdricka is a must. If you can’t find it, substitute with another lemon-lime soda.

• Ragnar 2.1
  In the video, you’ll see Anders makes a variation of the Ragnar 2.0 to create the Ragnar 2.1. Here’s how to make it:

  1. Chop up a lime into small wedges and add 3-4 pieces into a cocktail shaker.
  2. Add a handful of fresh raspberries (approx. 10) into the shaker.
  3. Add approx. 2-3 teaspoons of powdered sugar. Alternatively, use simple syrup.
  4. Use a muddler to muddle the ingredients to mix all the flavors and release the juices.
  5. Add 40 ml Absolut Wild Berri.
  6. Fill the shaker with ice cubes.
  7. Seal the shaker and shake just enough to blend the ingredients.
  8. Empty the contents directly into a highball glass – no straining required!
  9. Give it a good stir with a bar spoon. Sip and enjoy!

• Swap Absolut Wild Berri for Absolut Raspberri
  Just as the original Ragnar used a different flavored vodka, you can swap out Absolut Wild Berri in the Ragnar 2.0 for Absolut Raspberri to create an entirely new drink—a Ragnar 3.0, perhaps?

  With this drink, you’ll lose the taste of darker berries from the Ragnar and Ragnar 2.0 and instead get a sweeter, raspberry flavor.

• Lemon-lime soda
  As mentioned in the ‘Tips for Making the Perfect Ragnar 2.0’ above, if you can’t find “Sockerdricka”, simply use lemon-lime soda. Experiment with different sodas, including both sugar and sugar-free sodas until you find the taste you like!

• We recommend serving the Ragnar 2.0 in a highball glass with ice cubes. It’s the perfect classic for all that liquid and ice.
• To garnish your drink, add a lemon half-moon or two directly into the glass, just like they did in the 90s.
• If you want to accentuate those berry flavors, garnish with some berries of your choice. For example, add a couple of fresh raspberries and/or a couple of fresh blackberries. The choice is yours!