About Stobirk
Where history lives in every drop
An old gunpowder factory stands in the small town of Åkers Styckebruk, in the northeastern corner of Södermanland. If you passed by, you might at first glance perceive the old buildings as forgotten and abandoned—a place that has outlived its purpose and been consigned to history. Something that "once was, but no longer is…" as many writers have put it.
But let us take you back a few hundred years in time.
Step through the gates into the scenic area, and you can feel the echoes of Swedish history. Listen closely, and you might hear the sounds of past industries—the calls between workers, the clatter of horses' hooves on the gravel as they transport another delivery of filled barrels.
The history of Åkers Gunpowder Works began in 1552 when Gustav Vasa decreed that black powder should be produced in Sweden. Åker was chosen because of its accessible waterways to Stockholm via Lake Mälaren.
In 1641, Queen Christina transferred the gunpowder production to a German powder maker named Heinrich Leschorn, who was given responsibility for its manufacture. The gunpowder works became a royal supplier, providing the Swedish army and navy with gunpowder—including the ship Röde Hanen, which sailed in 1669 with 19 tonnes of black powder onboard for Stockholm Castle. The exceptional Swedish gunpowder even won awards at the 1855 World's Fair in Paris, and its high demand and quality kept production running at Åkers Gunpowder Works until its closure in 1993.
But those who think the site's history ended there are sorely mistaken.
In this historic environment, a new future is emerging—one built on its past, now with renewed ambition from all the businesses in the area. Most importantly, it is a place to create a new rum, which is produced in the Swedish way.
With Sweden's pure water and fresh air as a foundation and our dramatically shifting seasons as a flavor enhancer, Stobirk Premium Rum offers a unique taste experience for rum lovers worldwide. It is a rum distilled through Swedish traditions and solid craftsmanship and seasoned with our passion.
Stobirk's journey has had a purpose from the very beginning. It is filled with stories and coincidences that might be more than just that. For example, the year of the great black powder shipment—1669—is the same as the last four digits of our assigned company registration number. Or the legendary seahorse (which adorns our logo) was spotted in Swedish waters for the first time in 2023, the same year we were founded.
Welcome to the world of Stobirk, where every sip of our rum carries centuries of adventure and mystery. From distant islands to Swedish shores, history lives in every drop.
