THE SALE OF BEER, WINE AND SPIRITS Beer has been the «national drink» in Norway from ancient times down to the present day. In early days the consumer brewed his own ale, and can still do so, but under present-day conditions his wants are supplied by large up-to-date brew- eries. Spirits are probably of far more recent origin than beer. They were at first produced from corn, but when the potato came into general use the Norwegian spirituous liquor, aqua vilae, was distilled from potatoes. Other alcoholic drinks, strong and light wines, liqueurs, brandy, and whisky have at all times been imported into Norway as they gradually became known. About the middle of the nineteenth century an act was passed which effectively regulated and restricted the production and sale of spirituous liquor. This was the first result of a determined temperance movement, initiated in Norway in 1836. As time went on many laws were passed re- lating to the production and sale of intoxicants (all beverages of an alcoholic strength exceeding 126