Kilju is a Finnish term for a homemade alcoholic beverage similar to mead. It is produced by fermenting a source of carbohydrates, yeast, and water, which makes the drink both affordable and inexpensive to manufacture.
The alcohol by volume (ABV) of Kilju depends on the specific yeast used during production. Because it does not contain a sweet reserve, the beverage is completely dry. While the crude product can be distilled into moonshine, versions intended for direct consumption are typically clarified and stabilized to prevent wine faults.
Kilju is characterized by its flax color and lacks any discernible taste other than that of ethanol. Due to these properties, it is commonly utilized as an ethanol base for various drink mixers.