Ambijus

Ambijus is a Norwegian producer operating under the company name Nolo Nordic AS, headquartered just outside of Oslo in Sollihøgda. It was founded by brothers Christian Stray-Jansen and Alexander Jansen, who eliminated alcohol from their lives but wanted to retain the nuance and depth of good wine. That intent led them to create Ambijus as its own category of no & low ABV specialty beverages, developed to rival wine in depth and experience.^[1],[2]

The brothers, inspired by the nature of their native Norway, began by experimenting with fermented spruce needles in their garage. According to Ambijus, this first experiment involved fermenting spruce needles; the World of NIX profiles describe the same starting point using both spruce and pine needles. The garage hobby developed into a full-time business with the help of food scientists and a dedicated, specially equipped laboratory.^{[2],[3],[4],[5]}

The brand name combines 'ambiguous' — meaning open to more than one interpretation — with 'jus,' a term commonly used to describe natural wines. Ambijus's laboratory in Sollihøgda is described by the founders as their own 'terroir,' a notion echoed in the company motto, variously rendered as 'The lab is our terroir' and 'The Lab is Our Terror,' referencing its experimental fermentation process. Ambijus draws inspiration from Nordic nature and was developed through experimentation, research, and engagement with Nordic chefs and sommeliers.^[6],[7]

Ambijus was founded by brothers Christian Stray-Jansen and Alexander Jansen, who lead the company. Sources render the surnames variously as Jansen and Stray-Jansen. Christian Stray-Jansen chose to eliminate alcohol from his life, a decision that motivated the creation of Ambijus, and neither brother drinks alcohol. The founding pair grew the project from a garage hobby into a serious business by bringing in food scientists and building a dedicated laboratory.^[7]

Ambijus positions itself as its own beverage category, distinct from wine, designed to pair with food through acidity, structure, tannins, and balance. The DIELINE feature frames it as a producer aiming to define a new category as an alternative to wine and exploring the NOLO (No or Low Alcohol) space. Ambijus works with complex flavors, mouthfeel, and tannins typically associated with wine, differentiating itself from typical no & low drinks like juice or soda.^[1],[8]

Ambijus's products are inspired by the rich nature of Norway and modern Scandinavian cuisine. The company focuses on sustainable raw materials and a low sugar profile. Its product names — Act Naturally, Clearly Confused, and Real Fantasy — are all oxymorons, and the products are numbered in the order in which they were created.^[8],[9]

Ambijus produces no & low ABV wine alternatives, all under 0.5% ABV and therefore classified as alcohol-free. The lineup consists of three drinks: Act Naturally, a sparkling wine alternative inspired by the Norwegian coastline; Clearly Confused, a sparkling wine alternative inspired by the Norwegian forest and described as reminiscent of aromatic cider; and Real Fantasy, presented as the company's interpretation of a rich and spicy red wine in a still style, inspired by the Norwegian mountains. As of October 2024, Ambijus planned to release new products, especially within the sparkling category.^[1],[8]

Ambijus builds its drinks from ingredients native to Norway, combining innovative fermentation techniques with foraging drawn from modern Scandinavian cuisine. Its production draws on fermentation, infusions, cold brewing, extraction, and distillation, with the Sollihøgda laboratory serving as the site of this experimental work.^[1],[3]

Fermentation & kombucha. Fermentation is central across the range, beginning with the founders' first spruce-needle experiment. Fermented tea and kombucha recur as base components in two of the three drinks.

• Act Naturally — built on fermented oolong tea and kombucha
• Real Fantasy — built on fermented tea (kombucha)
• Clearly Confused — built on fermented apple juice

Infusion & extraction of botanicals. Natural plant extracts and infusions are used across the drinks to build aromatic and structural complexity, alongside oak contact for tannin and toast.

• Clearly Confused — natural extracts of juniper berry, oakwood, angelica root, elderflower, cinchona bark, and pine needles; quinine derived from cinchona bark is listed as an allergen
• Real Fantasy — natural botanical extracts and infusions with toasted oak and black peppercorns
• Act Naturally — natural plant extracts and infusions

Berry & fruit bases. Wild berries and orchard fruit form the fruit backbone of the range, with Hardanger apples appearing repeatedly.

• Real Fantasy — elderberry, red grape, cherry, raspberry, blueberry (wild blueberries), and lingonberry, including lingonberry juice
• Act Naturally — juice from concentrate of apple, pear, peach, gooseberry, and lemon, plus sea buckthorn juice and Hardanger apples
• Clearly Confused — Hardanger apples

Foraged & coastal botanicals. Ambijus draws foraged and provenance-specific Norwegian ingredients from spruce forests and fjords into its blends.^[7]

• Clearly Confused — spruce, juniper berries, angelica root, and pine needles
• Act Naturally — elderflower and sea salt from the Møre coast
• Clearly Confused — elderflower

Acidity & finishing. Acid adjustment features across the line, contributing to the food-pairing structure Ambijus emphasizes.

• Act Naturally — tartaric acid and sea salt
• Real Fantasy — apple cider vinegar and tartaric acid
• Clearly Confused — apple cider vinegar, malic acid, and sugar

Production standards. Ambijus bottles are pasteurized, which the producer states makes them safe for pregnant individuals. All drinks are vegan and gluten-free.^[1]

Across the range the drinks share a fruity, tangy profile with acidity and structure oriented toward the table. Act Naturally is a light, mineral drink with flavors of gooseberry, oolong tea, elderflower, and sea buckthorn, and a touch of sea salt on the finish; its acid structure is often the most noted characteristic, and it pairs with seafood, chicken, vegetables, herb-based sauces such as pesto, chimichurri, and mojo, cheese, and salty snacks.

Clearly Confused has a fruity, tangy, herbal taste with a touch of spruce on the finish and aromas of fermented apple, spruce needles, oak, and juniper rounded off with elderflower; it carries an oaked character with subtle fruitiness, deep earthy aromas, and body, and is positioned as an alternative to sparkling wine without the overwhelming sweetness often found in alcohol-free drinks. It pairs with cured meats, game, mushrooms, roasted vegetables, creamy soups, cheeses, and salty snacks.

Real Fantasy has a fruity, tangy, spicy taste with a touch of lingonberry and oak on the finish, a full, rounded style with ripe fruitiness and gentle bitterness, opening with gentle sweetness and closing with a palate-cleansing freshness; it is noted for its tannins, warmth of pepper, and fullness. It pairs with beef, stews, cured meats, pasta and pizza with red sauce, cheese, chocolate, and snacks. Per the producer, Real Fantasy contains approximately 32 kcal and 6g of sugar per serving.^[4]

Ambijus's drinks have been used in restaurant food pairings by Norwegian venues. Act Naturally is described as having good structure, a vinous and grape-forward character, and being fresh and still, and pairs it with tomato and blue cheese. Kolonihagen Frogner's sommelier described Clearly Confused as having a sharp acidity that brings perfect balance, and pairs it with smoked and salt-baked beet tartare with feta-style cheese, horseradish, and sage. Real Fantasy is paired with a duck pie served with rum and rhubarb jus, oyster mushrooms, and chanterelles.

As of December 2024, Ambijus's products reach 15 countries.^[10]

Clearly Confused won a Gold Medal at the 2025 World Alcohol-Free Awards (WAFA).