Walking over damp ground next to rivers and lakes you might be surprised by a resinous aroma as you brush against an otherwise nondescript shrub. Bog myrtle (Myrica gale) has grey-green leaves with rounded tips, which release a cocktail of aromatic chemicals including α-pinene. Over the past twenty years bog myrtle has attracted attention for its potential as an insect repellent. It takes distillation to create a concentrated extract that is convenient for repelling insects. For the happenstance forager a handful of bog myrtle leaves can easily be used to turn a bottle of vodka into a taste of Denmark and a hint of ancient beer. Within Scandinavia’s repertoire of schnapps, Danish porse schnapps uses bog myrtle as a flavouring agent. In Britain and Ireland before the introduction of hops, beer was made using bog myrtle as an aromatising and bittering agent. If you try making porse at home check with a flower guide that you correctly identified bog myrtle, or collect some with a friend who already knows this plant. Add a handful of leaves to a bottle of vodka and leave them to infuse the liquid to a golden-brown colour. Then remove the leaves and serve porse as shots.