Exhibition in Tartu marks 90 years of Limpa lemonade

An exhibition dedicated to the 90th anniversary of Limpa lemonade has opened at the A. Le Coq beer museum in Tartu. The display takes visitors on a journey through time, covering nine decades of production and countless design updates.

According to Annika Teder, head of programs at the A. Le Coq beer museum, the lemonade has always been a popular product. It often appeared on festive tables and was a traditional drink for children and families after the sauna. Over the years, the labels on the bottles reflected the political system and society: during the Soviet era, they featured Russian text, and the drink was issued in special designs for events like Song Festivals and sports competitions.

Initially, most of the factory work was done manually by women—from labeling and capping to washing bottles. However, from the 1960s onward, many processes were mechanized, and today production is fully automated. The secret blend of aromatic components is now sourced from Europe instead of Russia, but the basic recipe and taste have remained unchanged.

The most significant change came at the start of the new millennium, when the yellow character Limpa appeared on the label. For the younger generation, this traditional lemonade is now known as Limpa. Exhibition visitor Rossi said he especially likes the metal cans with the new design, which he finds more youthful than the classic bottle. He was also intrigued by various unusual Limpa-branded items on display, such as telephones.

The exhibition at the A. Le Coq beer museum will run until the end of October.