Subjective ramblings about beer, pubs and associated topics

They ain't making stouts like that any more!

Posted by: KnutAlbert at 17:38 | link | comments (2)
beer, england

On laziness. And an interview with Pete Brown

Just because I am not posting here every day does not necessarily mean that I'm lazy. (It does not rule out laziness either, but that's another story). I have obligations elsewhere, too, like job, family, corresponding with the insurance company about stolen bikes (twice in two months) etc.

And, on some occasions, I contribute to A Good Beer Blog. The latest contribution is actually a cooperative effort between Alan, the editor of AGBB and me, where we interview Pete Brown about his new book Three Sheets to the Wind. The book is splendid, and if the muses are with me, I plan to sit down during the weekend with a wee bottle of beer and review it. Until then I recommend the interview.

Posted by: KnutAlbert at 09:24 | link | comments
beer, england, german, brewers, denmark, belgium

Beer in space

An interesting article on experiments in beer brewing in space can be found at Firstscience.com.

It seems like the yeast is not behaving as expected in free fall, and there is the added challenge of bottling the brew while keeping the carbonation. On the other hand, there is a much more efficient fermentation process than on the ground, which means you get more alcohol out of the grain. An Interplanetary Barley Wine, then, perhaps?

Posted by: KnutAlbert at 16:24 | link | comments (1)
beer, brewers

Hop harvest ales

There is an article in the Washington Post  (might require registration) about hop harvest ales, with some additional comments about how various hops are used in various ales.

Yes, I'd be happy to try Sierra Nevada Harvest Ale; Hop Heaven from Rogue Ales in Newport, Ore and Fresh Hop Pale Ale from Great Divide Brewing Co.

And I want more daily newspapers to have educational articles about beer.

Posted by: KnutAlbert at 09:01 | link | comments
beer, hops, usa

Kwak

I have been holding back writing about Belgian beers on this blog, for several reasons. The most important is that there is so much information about Belgian beers on the web and in print, so I have focused on roads less travelled.

This does certainly not mean I don't like Belgian beers - some of the Trappist brews are among my all time favourites.

I used to travel to Brussels quite frequently, and Kwak was one of the first Belgian beers I tried. It stands out with its gimmicky glass, of course. There was even a ceremony where they took your shoe as a deposit for the glass and hoisted it in a net towards the ceiling until they got the empty one back. I have a vague recollection of a size 44 Ecco shoe still waiting to be claimed in one of the alleys off the Grand Place...

Well, this glass was bought legally in Brussels a few years ago, and the bottle came via Systembolaget in Sweden.

And the beer? It could actually have stood alone, without all the fuzz about the glass. Lovely glowing amber color. A lively carbonation gives a fine head and lacing on the glass. Rather sweet, with the typically belgian sweet & sour finish, much due to the yeast. Some alcohol in the aftertaste.

This is a fine beer, but not a great beer. But, on the other hand, if you want to introduce a friend to a beer beyond domestic lagers, perhaps the gimmicks around this can make it more fun. But, at the end of the day, the next time I'll go for something brewed by monks instead.

Posted by: KnutAlbert at 07:42 | link | comments
beer, belgium

John Young RIP

During the final days of brewing at the Rams brewery in Wandsworth, the news came that John Young, chairman of the brewery for a generation is dead, age 85.

I never met John Young, but thanks to his insistence of brewing real ale during the years when everyone turned to standardized and bland beers, the torch was kept burning until a mass movement was born. I drank my first pint of Special in 1979, and after that the Norwegian lagers have never tasted quite right.

Picture from the Times, where you can read his orbituary.

Let's raise a pint to John Youngs memory! 

Posted by: KnutAlbert at 09:42 | link | comments
london, beer, england, brewers, youngs

Sandal cleaning, anyone?

But some are less than pleased by the Good Beer Guide:

A Peterborough licensee is so angry at being left out of CAMRA’s Good Beer Guide he is offering free food and drink to anyone who bins their copy of the book, according to the Morning Advertiser.

Richard Cleaver, licensee of the Bull & Swan Inn in Stamford will give food and drink to the cover price of the guide - £12.99.

 

Cleaver cannot understand why his pub – which has Cask Marque accreditation and stocks a variety of real ales – is not in the list.

He said: “My wife Anne & I are at a complete loss to understand what could possibly cause us to be excluded, and feel that we are the victims of unfair treatment.

“We stock between five and six cask ales - four are regulars and we have carried ten different guest ales in the last twelve weeks alone.

“Our staff are instructed to allow customers freely to sample the cask ales before they purchase if they wish. Since we took over The Bull & Swan nearly three years ago the sales of cask ale have more than doubled – they now stand at 150 barrels - 5400 gallons - a year.

“If that is not proof that we serve good beer, I can’t think what is!

“Other than offering a free beard trimming and sandal cleaning service, I cannot possibly imagine what it is we have to do to please these people!”

Posted by: KnutAlbert at 12:49 | link | comments (1)
beer, england, pubs

Pubs worth a visit

CAMRA has published their annual Good Beer Guide, where they also include a list of the top 10 unspoilt pubs in tha UK:

1. Bridge Inn, Topsham, Devon - Untouched in generations, the beer is carried up by hand from the cellar. In the same family for over a century.
2. Crown, Belfast - Arguably the most sumptuously fitted pub in the entire UK. Tiny snugs, ceramic bar counter and fabulous decoration.
3. Dyffryn Arms, Pontfaen, Pembrokeshire - Unspoilt village local - llike thousands were and only a handful now are. Beer is served through a hatch from a ground-floor cellar.
4. Fleece, Bretforton, Worcestershire - A warren of different rooms and lovingly preserved by the National Trust. Lots of venerable woodwork which survived a major fire three years ago.
5. Garden Gate, Leeds - A magnificently fitted and decorated in Edwardian times. All-over mosaic floor in the public bar, ceramic bar counter and lots of lavish wood and glass.
6. Horseshoe Bar, Glasgow - A fine late Victorian interior in the heart of Glasgow. The circular bar counter is the longest in Scotland.
7. Red Lion, Snargate, Kent - A real timewarp on the edge of Romney Marsh. In the same family since 1911.
8. Salisbury, Harringay, London - Late Victorian pub fittings at their most glorious. Tiles, mosaics and superb mahogany fittings create the ambiance.
9. Trip to Jerusalem, Nottingham - Lots of characterful rooms, some of them hewn out of the rock under Nottingham Castle. Claimed more in hope than fact to be the oldest pub in England!
10. Victoria, Durham - Built 107 years ago and still with its original layout and fittings. Three separate rooms and a miniscule ‘family department' where people used to get their carry-outs before the days of Tesco and Calais.

I should get around a bit more when I am in Britain, but at least I have a photo of the Crown Liquor Saloon in Belfast.

Posted by: KnutAlbert at 09:55 | link | comments
beer, england, pubs, northern ireland

Beautiful despair

Beautiful despair is hearing Dylan when you're drunk at 3 am.

Knowing that the chances are no matter what you'll never write like him.

Rodney Crowell

Posted by: KnutAlbert at 09:08 | link | comments

If anyone else did this, they would call it blasphemy

According to the Daily Telegraph, an image of Jesus is to appear in pint glasses in British commercials this Christmas as part of a campaign to encourage young people back to the Church.

A poster will show his face emerging from the froth on the sides of an empty glass alongside the words “Where will you find him?”.

It is part of an advertising campaign that aims to provoke debate and boost numbers at a time when church attendance is in serious decline.

The Churches’ Advertising Network (CAN), an inter-denominational group of Christians which has previously depicted Jesus as a baby Santa Claus and the revolutionary, Che Guevara, said the new advert highlights the global trend for seeing religious figures in everyday objects (my italics).

One could always hope for a global trend in spotting stupidity in advertising campaigns, too, but don't hold your breath.

Posted by: KnutAlbert at 10:07 | link | comments
beer, england

Carnegie Porter

Today I advice you to read my recent contribution to a Good Beer Blog, where I give a (probably incorrect) potted history of the Carnegie Porter Brewery in Gothenburg.

Posted by: KnutAlbert at 09:11 | link | comments
beer, sweden, porter

A good idea

This wouldn't be legal in Norway, but in more liberal countries, it should come in useful. Foru pints of takeaway ale.CAMRA says it is perfect for beer festivals, I would say it is perfect for visiting micros who don't bottle their beers!

 

 

 

 

 

Posted by: KnutAlbert at 13:14 | link | comments
beer, england

You just got to see this..

Posted by: KnutAlbert at 08:59 | link | comments
australia, beer

New beers on the block

I was told there were some new British beers available in one of the few supermarkets with a decent selection, so I bicycled by on my way home yesterday afternoon. There they were on the bottom shelf, two Scots and three ales from Yorkshire, from Harviestoun and the Black Sheep brewery. The Black Sheep guys are actually asking for a Norwegian distributor on their web pages, so it looks like their prayers have been heard.

While I have tasted several of these before - the Black Sheep in both bottled and cask version if I remember correctly - they are a very welcome addition to the range of British beers available. It is good to see beers from smaller brewers who care more about their brews than fancy marketing, though you have to give them high scores for bottle and label design. The downside is that they were fairly expensive. Let's hope they prices come down if these are to be regularly available.

British ales are well suited for distribution in Norway, as many of them are below the magic threshold of 4,7%, which means they can be sold in supermarkets.

I'll see if I get around to tasting a few over the weekend, though I have other beers lined up, too!

Posted by: KnutAlbert at 07:36 | link | comments
beer, england, scotland

Dublin instead

But this is no mean substitute, either! And I'll be there in a month or so.

Posted by: KnutAlbert at 09:25 | link | comments
beer, brewers, ireland, microbreweries

Another Octoberfest

Actually, I'd rather go to this one than the one in Munich.

Posted by: KnutAlbert at 09:19 | link | comments
beer, brewers, usa

Time to freshen up your German

In a few days, it is Oktoberfest in Munich again. I have never attended one, but I am sure it can be great fun with a bunch of mates. I think I will stick to more quiet drinking, though.

But that also means I don't get to buy any of their more tacky souvenirs. Sure, there are beer mugs aplenty. Posters, t-shirts, little tin covers that fit beer bottles. There is even Oktoberfest - Der Film, which has English subtitles, too, if you are too loaded to follow the plot. (Sure, if anyone sends me a copy, I'll be happy to write a review!) But best of all - the hats. Have your pick - the beer stein hat or the felt hat with the official poster design. I think I'd go for the more hobbity felt hat, but I feel lucky I'm not forced to make a choice.

Sure, I could buy these by mail order. But, somehow, I have a feeling that some of this merchandise is difficult to sell to anyone unless they have downed half a dozen litre glasses of pilsner or weisse. Prosit!

Posted by: KnutAlbert at 09:57 | link | comments
beer, german

Beer travel and travel with beer

The New York Times writes glowingly about Galco's Soda Pop Stop in Los Angeles, where you can indulge yourself in 500 varieties of soda and 400+ of beer. Their beer list is not available online, but if it is anywhere near as impressive as the soda range, it is worth checking out.

I am not going to Los Angeles in the forseeable future, but I am certainly going to countries where the latest terrorist scare has change the rules for what you can take in your hand luggage. I usually take a small backpack, in which I cram about 15 beers. I now have to consider how to fit the beer in my check-in luggage, and some useful advice can be found over at Oxford Town Wines. The advice about wine bottles obviously goes for beer bottles, too. Now I just have to find a supplier of bubble wrap - I am not sure if I will go to the length of buying white socks.

Posted by: KnutAlbert at 12:34 | link | comments (2)
beer, usa

A Norwegian merger?

Hansa Borg brewery in Norway is feeling confident at the moment.  Their flagship Hansa pilsener is almost as big as Carlsberg-owned Ringnes in the retail trade. The total market share for Carlsberg is a lot bigger, but a large part of this is Tuborg, which they use as their discount brand in the Norwegian market.

Hansa Borg now calls for a merger with the two remaining medium-sized breweries, Aass in Drammen and Mack in Tromsø. Both politely decline the offer, and want to carry on as independents.

I doubt if the Norwegian Competition Authority would applaud a merger. As a beer drinker, I do not lie awake at night dreading the day when some of the bland pilseners are withdrawn from the market. If there was a strong quality difference between the brewers, that would be different.

Hansa now has 12,5% of the retail market. The Ringnes brand has declined from 18 to 15,8 %, while Tuborg has 23,1%.

Posted by: KnutAlbert at 12:38 | link | comments
beer, carlsberg, norway, ringnes

Quite a few bottles

It's not much of a news item outside Denmark that some workers at the Tuborg brewery in Fredericia are on strike. But the photo in Politiken shows that even macro breweries can create works of art, if there is a good photographer at hand!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted by: KnutAlbert at 09:51 | link | comments
beer, denmark

An end to border shopping?

The Norwegian Brewers Association has moved, and informs the world i an e-mail shot that they will continue the fight against beer taxes and border shopping.

Well. They are welcome to do this, of course, even if it's not in the interest of the consumers. But is it in the interest of the members of the association?

Carlsberg is Carlsberg, whether it is produced in Norway, Sweden (or Denmark), at least when we are talking company profits. So, either it should not make any difference to them whether Norwegians buy their pilsener in Norway or across the border. Unless, possibly, the profit margin in Norway is higher than in Sweden....

Nøgne ø is a newcomer in the association. This craft beer brewery do not wase their time brewing new pale lagers, but export a significant amount of their high quality beers to Denmark and Sweden. Some of the them are, in fact, unavailable in Norwegian shops, but you can find them in Copenhagen. One should think they would want more trade across borders, not less.

At the end of the day, if you have a good product you want to sell, you should lobby for easier market access, not for an end to border shopping. If you want a cosy and sheltered market for crap, it's another story!

Posted by: KnutAlbert at 07:41 | link | comments
beer, carlsberg, norway, nøgne ø

Dark times for the black stuff at home

I read in the Beverage Daily about a crisis on the Emerald Isle. The brewers of St James' Gate sold eight per cent less Guinness in Ireland in the year up to 30 June, compared to the year before. Sales were also down three per cent in Britain.

The Irish authorities have stepped up their campaign to tackle alcohol abuse, launching ads with the slogan ‘Think before you Drink – less is more', as well as banning happy hour promotions in pubs and promising fines for any bar selling alcohol to someone already drunk.

Diageo (Who owns Guiness) is set to combat the problem with a reduced alcohol Guinness. It said Guinness Mid-Strength began trials in 80 outlets during the second half of its financial year. Results of the trial have not been released.

While my experience as a participating observer of Irish drinking habits are somewhat limited, I dare to say that I doubt that the diluted stout will be a roaring success. I can understand that they want to sell under the strong brand name, but the term Mid-Strength in itself hardly encourages enthusiasm.

I think the time is ripe for the Irish drinkers to have more choice. To start brewing high quality ales of various kinds and give them a national distribution. How about a Guinness Plus? With more flavour, served at cellar temperature? 

But that will certainly not happen. It is much more likely that Diageo will roll out more of their boring lagers from across the globe. Plus some new alcopops and sweet ciders.

Posted by: KnutAlbert at 11:16 | link | comments
beer, ireland

Dugges - a brewery visit

A highlight of the beer gathering in Gothenburg the other week was a visit to Dugges ale & porterbryggeri, a micro out in the suburbs. This started as an idea four years ago: Is it possible to start a brewery in Sweden nowadays? Two and a half years ago, Dugge brewed up his first batch at home, and he is now installed in an industrial area. He brews a range of ales and porters, and the distribution is mainly to restaurants and pubs in the Gothenburg area.

The brewery is expanding, as yet this is something Dugge is doing besides his daytime job, but some time next year there are plans to do this full time. Included in the expansion plans is the installation of a bottling plant, which will make the brews more widely available.

 

Wallonia – a “Belgian Pale Ale” at 4,8% was the first beer tasted. Silky light brown colour, smooth beer with a firm head. Sweet and fruity. Hopped with Pioneer and Styrian Golding. Refreshing, but not outstanding IMHO.

 

Avenyn Ale, named after the main avenue in Gothenburg, is an American Pale Ale. Well hopped and well balanced. Fruity and with a fine dry finish. Light and crispy at 5,5%, as the brewer says himself: a summer beer.

 

Holy Cow, an India Pale Ale, is beautiful amber. Full flavour, the same fine hoppy finish as the Avenyn Ale. The dryness is lingering fine in the mouth. Great stuff!

 

Finally, the Poseidon Porter, which the brewer calls his “summer porter”. Smooth body with a lingering finish of liquorice, cinnamon and cocoa. Very fine for a porter at this end of the scale – 4,7%.

Posted by: KnutAlbert at 12:06 | link | comments (2)
beer, sweden, microbreweries, dugges

Two six packs and .. a phone?

As late as the nineteen eighties, the system for getting a telephone in your home in Greece was rather similar to the situation in Norway a decade earlier. You had to show that you were very needy berfore being allowed to wait for months or years to have a phone installed.

Not any more. The latest offer from the good peaople at the Mythos brewery is that if you buy two six packs of beer, you get a phone thrown in. Not any phone, but a Mythos phone. It might have a sligtly bubbly sound, but it's a great deal anyway! Make sure you dont open the can, though, or you might have to get another 12-pack!

Posted by: KnutAlbert at 21:56 | link | comments (1)
beer, greece