Subjective ramblings about beer, pubs and associated topics

It's all thanks to beer

Because before beer was discovered, people used to wander around and follow goats from place to place. And then they realized that this grain [barley] could be grown and sprouted and made into a bread and crumbled and converted into a liquid which gave a nice, warm, cozy feeling. So gone were the days that they followed goats around. They stayed put while the grain grew and while the beer was brewed. And they made villages out of their tents. And those villages became towns, and those towns became cities. And so here we are in New York, thanks to beer.

From a lecture at the New York Academy of Sciences by Charlie Bamforth, which I have to confess I didn't attend. I just nicked it from the Scientific American.

The sign is from Vienna. Presumably founded on beer, too.

Posted by: KnutAlbert at 08:35 | link | comments
beer, austria

A place in the sun

The summer weather has been a bit erratic here in Oslo, with sunny periods alternating with heavy rain. Last evening was one of the better days, and it is a particular pleasure to find a watering hole where the sun still shines until late evening.

One such spot is an old ferry that used to do its work on the rugged coast of Northern Norway, now restored to its former self by a group of volunteer enthusiasts. No beatiful classic this, but more a symbol of the everyday vessels knitting the country together until a few years ago.

The Tjeldsund Ferry is used as a pub in the summer in a prime spot in front of Oslo City Hall. The location could not be better, with the warming rays in place far longer then the posh drinking spots of Aker Brygge on the other side of the harbour.

In addition to those charms, it has a hand picked selection of German beers from fairlly small breweries. The importer of those beers works closely with the guy running the pub, making sure there are new rarities available during the season.

So I had good reasons to invite some fellow beer lovers along for a few beers last night. There were nine of us in total, with some not being able to make a full evening of it. I've met most of those guys before, some of them have their own blogs, some are active on ratebeer and on other web forums. It was a very enjoyable evening, and we have agreed to meet up again after the holidays. The next event will probably be an excursion to Moss and the excellent brewpub there.

Posted by: KnutAlbert at 19:53 | link | comments
beer, german, norway, pubs, oslo

Next year in Copenhagen?

I have written about the yearly Copenhagen beer festival on the blog, not without a bit of envy. The timing in mid May has not been convenient, so I have missed out on them.

Next year they are planning on an even bigger event than usual, having a European Beer Festival. Carlsberg is moving out of their Copenhagen premises, and the Danish Beer Enthusiasts have been allowed to use some of the vacant buildings for the event.

Update: Maria says in a comment that ti will be 12-14 September.

See you around?

Posted by: KnutAlbert at 14:14 | link | comments (2)
beer, carlsberg, denmark

Retro beer

The Voice of America (which I thought had other things on their mind!) has an interesting webcast on the Dogfish Head brewery and their recreation of a 9000 year old beer, the Chateau Jiahu.

Not all the tasters at ratebeer enjoyed the experience - it depends on how much honey you want in your beer, I suppose. But it is certainly one of those beers I would like to try once.

Posted by: KnutAlbert at 10:40 | link | comments
beer, brewing history

On Japanese beer and drinking culture

Did I tell you that Lars Marius has blogged about beer and pubs in Japan? No? I didn't think so.

 Go read.

My European travels seem less exotic after this!

Posted by: KnutAlbert at 17:36 | link | comments
beer, brewers, japan

There'll always be an England!

Posted by: KnutAlbert at 08:38 | link | comments (1)
beer, england

Read my lips ....

For once I find myself in full agreement with the Norwegian Brewers Association. A committee set up by the Norwegian Government proposes a 10% increase in alcohol taxes, including beer. In addition they will abolish all duty free sales.

All bootleggers and smugglers will have cause for celebration if this goes through, and it will erode what remains of resepect for the legislation in this field.

Norwegian Brewers recommends to do the opposite - to adjust the Norwegian alcohol taxes to reflect the level in the neighbouring countries. They also call for a specially lowered level of taxes for micro breweries. (Hear, hear!)

Posted by: KnutAlbert at 15:01 | link | comments
beer, norway

A taste of Belgium in DC

The Washington Post has an enthusiastic review of Brasserie Beck, a Belgian restaurant with 80 beers on offer.

If you don't usually drink beer, chances are you'll be a convert when you leave. If you're a devotee, you'll be in brew heaven. Among the inspired food and suds pairings I've enjoyed here are oysters on the half shell with the pleasantly sour and effervescent Geuze, and peppery rabbit loin with the lush Binchoise Reserve, which smells of apricots and hints of caramel on the palate.

I think I'll cook some mussels during the weekend!

Posted by: KnutAlbert at 12:56 | link | comments
beer, usa , belgium

Online booze

The New York Times has an interesting article on online promotion of alcoholic drinks today. They do not have much to say directly about beer, though, except mentioning that bud.tv, a web site for Budweiser and Bud Light beers has fallen far short of expectations. Nothing about how craft beer brewers can communicate with their consumers through the web. So, that's another story.

Posted by: KnutAlbert at 10:49 | link | comments
beer, usa

Old-fashioned and stodgy

A new report, quoted in the Morning Advertiser, informs us that beer still dominates the alcoholic drinks market in volume terms, but it has been losing out to wine in many countries of Europe and is now perceived to be old-fashioned and stodgy.

I looked up their web page, and found that the bright young things who have written the report proclaim the following: The report provides insightful category and sub-category specific data highlighting the future direction of the alcoholic drinks market driven by consumer preferences, quantitative data highlighting the attitudes, values and behaviors of consumers segmented by various demographic factors, analysis of the emerging factors that will bring significant future changes in channel dynamics and detailed action points with practical strategies based on the trends and insights analyzed in the report.

Puh. Having learned so many clever words in Business School, he (or she) probably never had the time to pop into a pub for a pint.

For the record: I object to being called old-fashioned. Reactionary is my preferred label. Please.

 

Posted by: KnutAlbert at 14:30 | link | comments
beer, england

Birreria Underground

Sometimes you sit there with your mapfor hours  beforehand, you google and plan where to go. Sometimes you just stroll along, find a street that seems to lead in the right general direction and decide to take it.

That's how I found the Underground Birreria in Parma. A fairly small bar with extra seating in a back room. A few meters away from the main avenue, but you either need to know where it is or to stumble across it.

Coffee, bread with a large range of fillings, including salami, parma ham and cheeses. Hissing coffee machines. Locals and quite a few off duty - or on duty, what do I know? - policemen. A cool place to escape from the lunchtime heat.

It is not underground, despite the name, it is just off a narrow cobblestone street.

The beer range is not spectacular, but it is quite all right. Some fairly rare Italian brews, a number of Latin American lagers - Cuba, Venezuela - and some very nice German and Austrian pilsners and wheat beers.

No tourists apart from a lone beer ticker.

Posted by: KnutAlbert at 12:41 | link | comments
italy, beer, pubs, weisse

Too hot for blogging

I think I'll have a beer instead. Something wheaty.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted by: KnutAlbert at 17:54 | link | comments

An Italian barley wine

Posted by: KnutAlbert at 10:01 | link | comments (1)
italy, beer, microbreweries

It's those golden moments

When you have a few hours on your own before the agenda begins. When you can loose yourself in a foreign city with a decent climate.  When you have done a little research beforehand, so you know of some places where the chances are good of having a decent beer.  When you have a good book in your bag, but it tends to be forgotten as it is more pleasant watching the local girls walk by. And the rest of the Panil beers are in my hotel room, waiting for their bubble wrap.

Posted by: KnutAlbert at 12:26 | link | comments
italy, beer

Beer for a heat wave

It's well above 30 degrees Centigrades here in Oslo. Luckily my wife brought me some bottles form the Erdinger wheat range from Munich this week, so I know just what to drink tonight. For those who don't know how to treat a German Weisse with respect, Erdinger has a handbook showing how to store and serve their beers. It is in German, but you can always look at the pictures of the Bavarian Fräulein pouring the beer!

Posted by: KnutAlbert at 17:24 | link | comments
beer, weisse

A Korenwolf in the heat

Gulpener Korenwolf Witbier has an unassuming little hamster on the label, according to their web site this little creature lives wild in parts of the Netherlands. I suppose the wild mammals have to be small to survive in densely populated countries.

The beer is a soft and round Summer refreshment. It has banana, some coriander, a little citrus – though I would have liked more. But this is great stuff for cleansing your palate.

Wheat, spelt, barley and rye, even some elderflowers are put into this brew. One could always discuss if the spelt and the rye does much of a difference, but it adds up tp a smooth brew. If I had a few bottles of this beer, I would consider adding a slice of lemon on a hot day. So, here is to lots of hot days ahead. The bottle was 30 cl, I wish it was a litre.

The picture? On the ferry between Frederikshavn and Oslo. The right place for a wit, don't you think?

Posted by: KnutAlbert at 09:19 | link | comments (3)
beer, netherlands

Saved by Europe

The EU Court of Justice has made a ruling that is really good news for beer lovers in the Nordic countries. The ruling is connected to a case before the Swedish courts, but it has direct relevance in Norway, Finland and Iceland, too.

A disclaimer first: I am not a lawyer, so if you want to go into the more formal legal fine print, you should go directly to the web pages of the European Court of Justice, OK? And there are surely legal implications of this which are beyond the scope of my knowledge. But anyway.

A number of Swedish citizens contacted a wine wholesaler in Spain a few years ago, ordering some cases of wine each. When the cases arrived in Sweden, they were, not surprisingly, confiscated by the customs authorities. The reason was this was in contravention of the alkohollagen – the Alcohol law. This law states that private import of alcohol to Sweden is illegal, with the exception of what you bring with you when you are travelling. Apart from that, all alcohol is to be imported through the state monopoly – Systembolaget.
The brave citizens in question took the case to court, claiming that the Swedish law was in contradiction of  EU legislation. Free movement of goods is one of the cornerstones of the EU.
The case wound its way through the Swedish system, until the Swedish Supreme Court asked for a ruling from the European Court of Justice, which was published a few days ago.

A few quotes
Some quotes from the judgement before I get to the ruling:

It is not disputed that, when consumers use the services of Systembolaget to have alcoholic beverages imported, those concerned are confronted with a variety of inconveniences with which they would not be faced were they to import the beverages themselves.

One of the arguments being used for the monopoly is that they have check the age of young consumers. The Court is not convinced:
In particular, it is not disputed that Systembolaget accepts that age checks may be made by a great number of agents when alcoholic beverages are supplied, outside the monopoly’s shops, for example in food shops or service stations. Furthermore, the existence of such checks is itself not clearly established and verifiable in the event that the alcoholic beverages are supplied by Systembolaget, inter alia, as stated by the Swedish Government, ‘by post or by any other suitable means of transport to the nearest station or coach stop’.
In that regard, the Commission of the European Communities submits, without being contradicted on that point, that age check could be carried out by way of a declaration in which the purchaser of the imported beverages certifies, on a form accompanying the goods when they are imported, that he is more than 20 years of age. The information before the Court does not, on its own, permit the view to be taken that such a method, which attracts appropriate criminal penalties in the event of non-compliance, would necessarily be less effective than that implemented by Systembolaget.

The ruling:
1.      A national provision, such as that in the first subparagraph of Paragraph 2 of Chapter 4 of the Law on alcohol (alkohollagen) of 16 December 1994, under which private individuals are prohibited from importing alcoholic beverages must be assessed in the light of Article 28 EC and not in the light of Article 31 EC.
2.      A measure, such as that in the first subparagraph of Paragraph 2 of Chapter 4 of the Law on alcohol, under which private individuals are prohibited from importing alcoholic beverages amounts to a quantitative restriction on imports within the meaning of Article 28 EC, even though that law requires the holder of the retail sale monopoly, on request, to supply and therefore, if necessary, to import the beverages in question.
3.      A measure, such as that in the first subparagraph of Paragraph 2 of Chapter 4 of the Law on alcohol, under which private individuals are prohibited from importing alcoholic beverages,
–        as it is unsuitable for attaining the objective of limiting alcohol consumption generally, and
–        as it is not proportionate for attaining the objective of protecting young persons against the harmful effects of such consumption,
cannot be regarded as being justified under Article 30 EC on grounds of protection of the health and life of humans.

Implications for neighbouring countries
So, what does this mean? Sure, it means that Swedish consumers are free to import alcohol on a private basis, providing they pay the appropriate duties. But if you look closer at the papers form the proceedings, there were other actors in this than the Swedish government and the thirsty Swedish consumers. The Norwegian and Finnish governments were also taking parts in the proceedings, giving what is called observations to the court. The EFTA Surveillance Authority came along as well. For Finland there is a direct impact as they have a similar retail monopoly as Sweden. Norway and Iceland are affected because of the European Economic Area agreement, where these countries have adopted EU legislation in exchange for access to the internal market.
I think for most consumers this will mean next to nothing. Sure, you can order wine directly from that Tuscan vineyard, but you still have to pay the duty and taxes. It will be far more interesting for beer lovers here in Norway, and, I presume, in Iceland. It means that we can order beer for the Cracked Kettle in Amsterdam and other online shops; we can organize shipments directly from those elusive breweries across Europe (and beyond).
There have been few political comments here so far. I’ll keep you updated.

Posted by: KnutAlbert at 10:57 | link | comments (1)
beer, norway, finland

Carlsberg to sell clothes

According to the Danish media, Carlsberg is moving into the textile sector. No, we are not talking too small t-shirts for men in their prime here, but a range of sport and leasure wear. The test sales in Italy have gone well, and the range will be leaunched in Spain and Portugal later this year.

This means that Carlsberg will be one of the first brewers using its well known name in 'brand extension' - as previously seen by Marlboro, Camel, Nike og Ferrari.

This is not discount stuff, the prices will be on the level of brands such as Marlboro Classic.

Posted by: KnutAlbert at 13:00 | link | comments
beer, denmark

Tougher times ahead for Danish micros

An editorial in one of the Danish business papers, ErhvervsBladet, is predicting a drastic reduction in the number of micro brewers in the country in the near future. Although the growth has been amazing over the last few years, the shelf space allocated to craft/speciality beer in the supermarkets is now being restricted. It should come as a surprise to no one that the shops give priority to the beers they can actually sell.

There is a discussion on the Copenhagen forum on ratebeer on this topic which shows that the picture may be more complex than stated in the editorial. At the same time, I have stated earlier on this blog that the growth in the number of Danish breweries is not sustainable. There will be room for those who manage to combine quality with professional marketing and distribution, sure, but I don't think the banks will rush to give loans to any more hopefuls who want to produce another pilsener.

It is also a matter of combining brewing with other activities. The article mentions Svaneke and Fur Bryghus, who have respectively 80.000 and 30.000 visitors per year, and for a country with a sizable tourism industry, including thirsty Norwegian and German visitors, there is obviously more to be done.

There is also an international demand for quality beers, and I am sure we will see more Danish brews on that scene. But they can hardly charge 50+ Danish kroner per bottle in other markets.

I won't go into any exact predictions, but my advice is: If you haven't tried out the Danish beer scene yet, this summer is probably the time to go!

Posted by: KnutAlbert at 15:37 | link | comments (3)
beer, brewers, denmark