Subjective ramblings about beer, pubs and associated topics

A visit to Moss

A small industrial town, 40 minutes by train from Oslo. And one of the bost brewpubs in the land. More soon!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted by: KnutAlbert at 22:56 | link | comments
beer, brewers, norway

One happy truck driver

From the Brickskeller (Washington DC) newsletter:

Posted by: KnutAlbert at 09:55 | link | comments (2)
beer, usa

A bottle opener...

..that sings Jailhouse rock. Just when you thought you had it all.

Next year you will have the wireless bottle opener, and you can download the whole Aloha from Hawaii via satellite album. Or something.

 

 

 

 

 

Posted by: KnutAlbert at 12:47 | link | comments

The Netherlands 4 - De Paas

De Paas is a beer cafe within walking distance of both the railway stations in the Hague. This is one of the most inviting beer bars/pubs I have ever been to. Match that with an outstanding selection of beers, and you are near nirvana.

For those who like open air drinking, there is a barge in the canal outside, but with winter approaching, I went for the long an narrow bar inside. The landlord was chatty without being intrusive on this quiet Wednesday afternoon, and fluent in English like all the Dutch. There are bar snacks, sandwiches etc, there is soft jazz and quiet conversations. And there is beer. The promise outside of  165 bottled beers could easily be doubled. Most of the beers available are shown on shelves on the wall of beer behind the counter, but there is a beer list as well, with even more details. And the beers are hand picked for quality, this is not for the train spotters of every Belgian variety - though I'm sure they'll be happy enough - these are beers they can vouch for. The emphasis is on beers as low in sweetness as possible - just as I like them.

Most of the beers are Dutch or Belgian, there are quite a few German beers, but only a few from the UK or the US. (But you don't really need them in a place like this anyway!)

I started with a draft Brand Urtyp pilsener, a very aromatic pils that really lets the hops run the show.

I also found time to sample a Duvel I haven't seen before - a filtered version with green letters on the label. Very similar to the standard Duvel, but with a cleaner taste, and the alcohol even more subtle. A blonde from the Brasserie Dupent was splendid, and I finished with a Tripel form Tangerlo.

The beer list states Westvleteren when available, but it seems the American market is snapping up everything on the market. Too bad, but there is no need to go thirsty in the Low Countries because of that!

I bought with me a few bottles home as well. The beer is not dirt cheap, but the overall price level in the Netherlands for beer is absolutely reasonable.

Posted by: KnutAlbert at 14:32 | link | comments
beer, belgium, netherlands

The Netherlands 3 - 't Arendsnest and a trip by train

The Eagle's nest was the final beer cafe I managed to squeeze into a few afternoon hours in Amsterdam. There are limits to how many beers you can sample in this country, as most of them have a high alcohol content. They are brewed for sipping.

't Arendsnest is special in that it only serves Dutch beers, there are no Belgian or German brews here. Ten year ago, this would probably meant a rather boring list, but there are currently more than 50 breweries in the Netherlands, with more than 700 beers being brewed if you include the seasonals. This cafe has 150 bottled beers and 21 on tap, so it was a matter of picking the right ones again. Some of these beers, like

A very friendly and polite barman, which knew the beers and could make recommendations when I told him what type of beers I like. The house beer is a blond brewed for them by de Snaterende Arend brewers. Brewed with cascade hops, the barman told me. Blonde, slightly cloudy, this would be a perfect beer for a warm day. Straw, flowers, dryness. This brew could be a hit on the international scene.

A favourite of the barman was a Saison from Brouwerij de Schans. A fruity, aromatic ale, well balanced. Rich and complex, and the hops are there to make sure the fruity sweetness does not ruin the balance.

A brown, strong beer before heading back to the station - A Maelstrøm from Stichting Noordhollandse Alternatieve Bierbrouwers. Full malt taste, on the edge of sweetness, but the grapefruity hoppy aroma makes it a complex, fine beer.

Some of the guests were obviously regulars, others probably turn up because of the reputation of the place. Some guests trying to order beers from one of the macro brewers were politely offered alternatives by smaller brewers. If you want good service, try the Netherlands.

I picked up my luggage and found my train for the Hague. I tried to persuade the ticket machine at the station to accept my credit card, but with no success. What the heck, I can always buy a ticket on the train! When the conductor arrived, he told me that there was a 35 euro fine if you don't have a ticket bought beforehand. I offered him a fifty euro bill. He scratched his head, told me that he unfortunately had no change - and gave me my money back! I didn't even pay the ordinary fare. That is public relations for you!

Posted by: KnutAlbert at 14:44 | link | comments
beer, netherlands

The old days

..one’s first thought – well, mine – is a twinge of sympathy for the strawberry-nosed old boys who used to drink in here in the old days, asleep with their faces against the windows, their features squashed against the glass, resembling plates of sausages.

From a restaurant review (sort of) by Giles Coren in the Times.

Posted by: KnutAlbert at 14:43 | link | comments
beer, england

More beer than you can carry

According to the International Herald Tribune, not usually acclaimed as a beery newspaper,  The European Commission wants to raise the duty-free allowance for goods like alcohol, perfume and coffee brought into the EU by travelers from outside the region from €175, or $222, per person to €220 for land travelers and from €175 to €500 for air traveler to take inflation into account.

Finland, which holds the rotating EU presidency, has proposed an allowance of €300 for all forms of travel.

Britain wants a much higher level but faces pressure to compromise or else see allowances continue at current levels.

When you additionally consider the new regulations on hand luggage, where you only can take five 10 cl units on board, there is every reason to beleive you will have to pay large sums for overweight if you want to fill your allowance with beer.

At the same time, beer drinkers may be pleased to know that the European Union finance ministers will probably fail to increase duties on beer.

The Commission has proposed a 31 percent increase in the minimum EU duty on beer and spirits to reflect inflation since the tax was last set 14 years ago.

The German finance minister, Peer Steinbrück said Friday that he would not back the commission's proposal, a position also supported by the Czech Republic.

The Czechs say that as wine is exempt from the duty, an increase in the beer duty would give wine a more favorable market position.

Posted by: KnutAlbert at 13:17 | link | comments
beer, england, german

Just to keep you updated

Young's of London (sadly no longer) has had a pasteurized/chilled/nitrogen dispensed ale for some years, the Triple A. Now Adnams of Southwold has done the same, they are marketing an ale that is not a real ale. Looks like they are aiming for the Guinness end of the market, if you ask me. Jonathan Adnam, chairman of the company, says that the spindrift ale is additional and complementary to their real ales. Let's hope so.

While I doubt this heralds the end of the world as we know it, I, for once, hope this product is not successful. Nice pump clip, though.

Meanwhile, the trusty old Beeb informs us that police officers in Staffordshire have been working in shifts to pour 2,500 cans of beer and hundreds of bottles of spirits and champagne down a toilet.

And here comes the interesting part: Severn Trent said it could not be poured into the drains so officers at Hanley police station will spend the next week flushing it away.

Where do they think the contents of the toilets end up then?

I hope some policemen have the sense of saving  a few bottles for the Christmas lunch!

 

Posted by: KnutAlbert at 10:37 | link | comments (1)
beer, england, brewers

More from Dublin

Shortly at A Good Beer Blog: A report from my visit to the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin.

 

Posted by: KnutAlbert at 15:22 | link | comments
beer, ireland, stout

Dragon brews

I think I will go to Cardiff in a few weeks. I am not sure what their motto means, though. If it's Death to all foreigners, you'll know where I met my fate! The dragon looks friendly, so I'll take my chance.

Posted by: KnutAlbert at 14:54 | link | comments (2)
beer, wales

The Netherlands 2 - De Bierkoning

After some refreshments in de Wildeman, I was ready for some beer shopping. I managed to bypass the main pedestrian streets, the royal palace and the red light district, and within a few minutes I was in front of De Bierkoning.

For once, there is no false advertising, this is indeed the beer king.

 I felt like a kid let loose in a candy store, with the limits being how much I could carry. Gift packs and chilled lagers by the entrance, lots of glassware, too. Up some stairs, and a display of the seasonal beers,  in October that means the bock beers. The proprietor clearly saw that I was lost, and helpfully pointed out half a dozen bocks which were on the dry rather than on the sweet side.

And then the main shelves. Hundreds of Dutch and Belgian beers, obviously, but also lots of German beers and lots of oddities from around the globe. I found two beers from Young's of London that I'd been looking for, and which are now being phased out with the closing down of the brewery.

I ended up with fifteen beers, but I will certainly stop by if I am ever in Amsterdam again!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted by: KnutAlbert at 10:44 | link | comments
beer, youngs, belgium, netherlands