Subjective ramblings about beer, pubs and associated topics

Another Italian

My collegue Thierry works in Parma, Italy, so when I knew he was coming to Oslo for a meeting, I asked him to bring along a few bottles of Italian beer from the Baladin brewery.

The Elixir has a lively carbonation and a long lasting rocky head over a cloudy golden beer. It smells of Belgian style yeast. There a whiff of barnyard - not stable, but more understated.

This is a rich, malty brew and it is quite spicy. There is ginger and cinnamon, and a pepper and mustard flavour similar to the one you get from a salad with watercress or rocket (ruccola). There is a bitterness, too, mostly of the burned sugar variety, and the beer does not come across as too sweet.

Port-like overtones as there often are in a beer of this strength, and a warming alcohol finish. This is a seriously good beer!

Posted by: KnutAlbert at 10:03 | link | comments
italy, beer

Just what we needed?

The state monopoly stores here in Norway claim to be short of shelf space for premium beers, so the selection in most shops is pitiful. Funny then that they manage to find space for three liter bottles of Heineken, a silly product if there ever was one!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted by: KnutAlbert at 10:36 | link | comments (2)
beer, norway

...noted for their comeliness

The New York Times has almost given us a time machine when they have opened up thir archives, giving free access to their articles through the years. Whatever your interests are, you can have snapshots of how a given topic is covered through the years.

Not surprisingly I did a little search for beer, and one of the articles that came up was from October 1851 -

MUNICH.; Characteristics of the City--Theatres--Art-Beer--Manners of the People, &c.

A few paragraphs:

Posted by: KnutAlbert at 13:31 | link | comments
beer, german

The pint is saved

EU Commisioner for Enterprise and Industry, Günter Verheugen, has stepped forwards to put to rest all stories about banning the British pint and other measurements.

We at the EU have decided the time has come to nail these myths once and for all by setting out in black and white what has always been our view: that Britain should continue to use imperial measures for as long as it likes.

Brits like to get milk and beer in pints and truth be told, so do the thousands of Europeans who live in or visit the UK and love those traditions that make it so unique. Brits also like the signposts to say how many miles it is to London, Cardiff, Edinburgh or Belfast.

According to the BBC, it is not quite as easy as that, the EU has in fact backed down.

The commission has kept extending the deadline for the UK to complete the full transition to the metric system, with the most recent deadline being 2010.

This would have meant setting a deadline for ending the traditional delivery of pints of milk - and the sale of pints of beer in the UK's pubs.

Good news for all beer lovers. I find the term we at the EU sligthly patronizing, but I'll let that pass right now. We are toasting Günter tonight, and a half will not do!

Posted by: KnutAlbert at 18:43 | link | comments
beer, england, ireland, eu , scotland, wales, britain

The Rake is the winner

The Rake in Borough Market has won the Time Out Best Bar Award. I bet the Morning Advertiser was happy to snub the news online. I predict it's going to be crowded, as it is also one of the smallest pubs in London. The Rake seats 44 people and the bar is only 13x7 feet.

(There is more seating outside, though)

Posted by: KnutAlbert at 15:57 | link | comments
london, beer, pubs

Viking heritage

It's usually the Scandinavians who boast about the Viking heritage when we want to make boasts about the ancient traditions connected with food, drink or whatever. Well, this is a beer that can claim the same, Old Scatness comes from the Northernmost of the British Isles - Unst in Shetland. If you sail straight ahead from Western Norway, this is where you'll end up. (Well, if you miss, you are in trouble. Particularly if you are dependent on sail and oars!)

The brewery is even called Valhalla in honour of the old heritage, but the beer even has origins before that time. It is brewed with bere malt, bere being an ancient type of barley. At least that is what the back label says.

The result? A golden ale with large bubbles, full of tasty malt. There are elements of ripe fruit - apples and dried apricots - and it is a little spicy, too.

There is a restrained bitterness here, too restrained for this hop addict. But it certainly makes me want to try out more beers from Valhalla. Maybe this even could be of interest for an importer her in Norway? At 4.0% ABV, it could be sold in supermarkets. And the full taste of a beer at this strength is British brewing at its best.

 

Posted by: KnutAlbert at 14:06 | link | comments
beer, bitter, scotland

Too cold for comfort

Some of the gadget web sites are completely uncritical. They go starry eyed with any new toy, however silly it might be. Gizmodo describe theselves neatly:

Gizmodo, the gadget guide. So much in love with shiny new toys, it's unnatural.

Not excactly Luddite....

At the same time, they have a review of a new "beer froster" hedlined Cold Cavern Beer Froster will Ruin Any Beer You Put Into It, which is rather clear and to the point.

To quote their article:

This beer freezer is designed to keep your beer chilled to the optimal temperature, which is apparently 24 degrees Fahrenheit. It's below freezing, so you'll have a frosted bottle waiting for you at all times if you get one. It all sounds well and good, but if you serve a beer too cold you won't be able to taste it. If you're the type of dude who drinks "American-style light lagers" (i.e. Bud Light, Miller Light, Coors Light), and you like your beer to be almost painfully cold, this will be just great for you. But if you like, you know, good beers served properly, you'll want to stick with a standard fridge.

In fact, the coldest a beer should be served is 40-45 degrees for lagers such as pilsners. That's about standard fridge temp, for you folks keeping track at home. Darker lagers and wheat beers should be served at around 48 degrees, and ales should be served at about 50-55 degrees, which means you should take those out of the fridge and let them sit for a few minutes before drinking. Belgian beers, the granddaddies of delicious brews, should be served closer to room temperature. As someone who's been served a freezing-cold Belgian ale at a restaurant before, I can attest to the fact that nothing ruins a good $9 beer like over-chilling.

So yeah, the Cold Cavern Beer Froster might seem like the way a Coors Light ad would want you to drink your beer, but in actuality it'll freeze the flavor right out of any type of beer you put into it, not to mention making you look like a freewheeling drunkard to anyone who comes over to your place. The functional alcoholicsbeer experts here at Gizmodo implore you: stay away from this thing.

Posted by: KnutAlbert at 12:38 | link | comments
beer, ireland

There is a book about us! (Odd poetry dept)

From the NYT Book Review:

The antihero of Sebastian Faulks’s new novel is a pub-crawling, aesthetically sensitive sociopath.

Antihero?

Let's hope the novel in question has a slightly more clear language than the reviewer:

This turn of events also has the welcome consequence of allowing new voices into the novel’s otherwise claustrophobic world: there are passages from Jennifer’s diary, interrogations conducted by nicely skeptical policemen and, near the end, a couple of psychiatric evaluations that reproduce with surprising precision the odd poetry clinical language can sometimes achieve.

Posted by: KnutAlbert at 09:36 | link | comments
beer, england, pubs

You never had it so good...

CAMRA has conducted a survey that show that 60% of the British drinkers feel that the pubs are better now than in the 1970s. On the other hand, only 53% of the poll that were aged 51 years old or over, who could legally drink in 1974, thought that today’s pubs were better.

Other highlights of the poll:

45% of those that preferred pubs in the 1970’s believe the pub felt ‘More of a local’ in those days with 16% believing it offered a ‘Better Atmosphere’.

31% of those that prefer today’s pubs do so because you can no longer smoke in pubs. The smoking issue seems to be of more concern to women, with 47% of women in the poll agreeing with this statement and 53% of the women aged 51 years old or more. Only 27% of all men polled and 30% of those aged 51 years old gave smoking as the reason for choosing present day pubs as their favourite.

The improved ‘Choice of Drinks’ was the most popular reason for men preferring present day pubs. 33% agreed with this statement.

Almost 1 in 3 people feel that the ‘Smoking’ ban has been the most significant change to pubs in the last 35 years, although those aged over 51 feel the ‘Improved Beer Selection’ to be more significant.

As for me, I find both the impressive range of cask ales available and the smoking ban improvements. And while there is always the rosy edge of nostaliga for the idyllic village pub, there were certainly a fair share of run down boozers with little or no charm in days gone by, too.

It must be a dilemma for an organisation like CAMRA when they try to formulate their strategy that almost half of their membership looks more backwards than to the future. And it is puzzling that CAMRA members actually yearn for a time when cask ale had almost died out!

Posted by: KnutAlbert at 12:30 | link | comments
beer, england, pubs

I pledge allegiance to the highest bidder

I get quite a few e-mails related to the blog. Some want me to make a marketing plan for yet another pale lager, some give valuable feedback and corrections, quite a few have questions about Norwegian food and drink. Some are journalists who find me on google and follow up with questions.

 A guy in North Carolina is trying to auction off his beer loyalty for life. He is willing to give his allegiance to one beer brand for the rest of his life, only drinking their beers and only serving their beers to his friends.

You know what? Time is running out, and he has zero bids. So he is free to drink his Bxx.

I would rather abstain from beer drinking than sticking to one brand for eternity.

Update: The auction is over. Still zero bids.

Posted by: KnutAlbert at 20:16 | link | comments

A toast for Michael

There will be toasts all over the world at the end of the month in honour of the late Michael Jackson. The event is being held as a fund raiser for the US National Parkinson Foundation, a research foundation fighting the condition which he had and about which he was planning to write more.

I will not be in Oslo that day, but I encourage other beer enthusiasts to get together and toast Michael and support the good cause on September 30. If you do, please announce it on the Beer Hunter web site as well.

And if you want to support Norges Parkinsonforbund, their details can be found here.

Posted by: KnutAlbert at 18:27 | link | comments
beer, norway

Beer back on planes?

The European Parliament has adopted a resolution called for repealing the current regulation banning liquids in carry on baggage on planes. They are not convinced that the gains from this legislation are bigger than the disadvantages.

With regard to the liquids regulation, MEPs argue that it causes increased costs to airports and operators as well as to passengers resulting from the confiscation of private property. MEPs also recognise the "substantial inconvenience and disruption" caused to passengers, especially transit passengers. Hear, hear!

The resolution is not on the web yet, but a press release can be fount on the European Parliament's web site. 

IMHO standing up for citizens' rights in this way is the best method for increasing the public support for the European institutions.

The picture has nothing to do with the story. It's just there to make you thirsty.

Posted by: KnutAlbert at 11:31 | link | comments (1)
beer

Awards for Brew Dog

James Watt from Scottland tells me (no, not that James Watt from Scotland, this James Watt from Scotland. The one from Brew Dog. (With a name like that you should name your company the Steam Engine Brewery!)) that they just got two prizes in the World Beer Awards - World's best strong pale ale for their The Physics and World's Best Imperial Stout for Rip Tide.

I think these awards are given by Beers of the World magazine. It is good to see that the two young and ambitious brewers from a rather remote area of Scotland manage to stand out among the competition. Congratulations!

And you readers know what to do. You should, as ususal,  start harassing your local wholesaler/importer/ beer pusher to get these brews for you..

Posted by: KnutAlbert at 07:48 | link | comments
beer, brewers, scotland

More travel

The plans for the rest of the year are taking form. I'll be going to London with my family in a few weeks, which means more museums and stuff than pubs, though I should be able to squeeze in a few pints, too. I had tentative plans for us to stay in a pub, but they were fully booked.

Then it is Italy in late October. I had an idea about fitting in a visit to Milan, but it seems unlikely at this point.

Brussels for meetings in November. Not much spare time, but at least I should be able to fill my suitcase.

And London again in December for a conference. There seems to be a beer festival going on. I was considering combining this with a return to Cardiff, but the Welsh beer festival is moved forward.

Next year? Seems like there will be a meeting in Aberdeen in June, which could be combined with a weekend off, I'd say.

Posted by: KnutAlbert at 12:43 | link | comments
italy, beer, england, belgium

I'm not convinced

The Moscow Times covers a city which is beyond the scope of my travels, and from their review of a recently opened beer place, I'm not sure if I miss that much. The journalist tries so hard to write a positive piece, but it shines through that he does not really feel that this is up to much.

The new restaurant, the name of which is a cute play on the Russian word for alehouse -- "Pivnoi" -- does a lot of things right. While not breaking any new ground conceptually, it manages to mix proven culinary and design elements to good effect.

I understand this mumbling to mean there is nothing new here.

He goes on:

The large interior features such rustic elements as heavyset wooden furniture upholstered in dark leather with some more modern touches such comfortable leather sofas and recessed lighting. A large screen shows retro Soviet films with the sound off but with Russian subtitles. The restaurant is divided into smoking and nonsmoking sections, and the division is strictly enforced. Fresh air might also be found on its covered veranda, although it is set back from a fairly busy street.

Fresh air on a veranda overlooking a busy street? Must be nice in February!

An extra problem is that the photo shows a room which could be used in CSI Moscow as the place where they examine the evidence.

Well, at least the beer must be good?

The beer selection is good, better than is often found in Moscow's pubs. Besides its own light, house beer (100 rubles a half-liter), there are two unfiltered beers (Franziskaner -- 160 rubles a half-liter, Hoegaarden -- 170 rubles a half-liter), various Czech, Dutch and German beers plus the British beers Tennent's (175 rubles a half-liter) and Boddingtons (175 rubles a half-liter).

You call that a good selection?

I am convinced there are numerous pubs in Moscow which are more interesting than this one!

Posted by: KnutAlbert at 09:57 | link | comments (2)
beer, pubs, russia

Changing times in Germany

An interesting article in the International Herald Tribune on the changes ahead for German brewers, who have to face increased competition. The Germans have traditionally shunned beers from national and foreign brewers - they have hardly touched beer from the next town. Those days will soon be over.

Posted by: KnutAlbert at 20:40 | link | comments
beer, german, brewers

Black Lion - The best deal in town

The session is a loose network of beer bloggers where they focus on a common theme. Rick Lyke has handed out this task for today:

Your assignment for The Session #7 is to go on a beer safari and help stock our Brew Zoo with animals large and small. This is one hunt that even PETA should not protest.

My contribution is not a beer nor a brewery, but a pub. The Black Lion in Kilburn, London. It is a so called gastropub, which means that it has an empasis on food. I can heartily recommend their Cumberland sausages, but check out the rest of their menu as well. 

Their beer range is not too inventive, though the Adnams Broadside is well kept, and you can have a Bombardier as well.

The interior is stunningly restored, it must be one of the most beautiful pubs in London.

But the real secret I can reveal is that it is the best value accommodation for single travellers I have managed to find in London. £ 33 per night in a big, airy room. Including breakfast and wi-fi.

It is a little out of the way, but there are a number of underground and rail stations within walking distance.

But please do not book all the rooms during the first week of December, OK?

Posted by: KnutAlbert at 12:40 | link | comments
london, beer, england, pubs, bitter

Young's Ruby Star

This beer was launched last year by one of the major British supermarket chains after it had won a "challenge" which presumably involved more competitors. The beer is brewed by the new Wells & Young's company; there are no pretensions about anything else. (The Special London Ale still pretends to be brewed at the Ram brewery in Wandsworth!) Thanks to Ian to holding on to this bottle for me since last year!

This is a seriously fruity ale, easy-drinking, but full of flavour. Sour cherries can be detected as well as blackcurrants and prunes. It was splendid with my home baked pizza rolls, though I am sure this would have been fine with a berry pie as well.

Some echoes of other Young’s ales show that the yeast strain is the same. Let us hope that the new brewery comes up with more beers like this. Maybe even a little more bitterness next time, OK?

 

Posted by: KnutAlbert at 13:50 | link | comments
london, beer, england, youngs

More from Scotland

The rest of my Glasgow story can be found over at the Good Beer Blog now.

I forgot to tell that the ladies at the check in counter at Prestwick were a bit more lax about enforcing the no bag over 15 kilos rule than their collegues in Norway.  Which is a good thing.

And the security people did not confiscate my haggis, either.

Posted by: KnutAlbert at 14:42 | link | comments
beer, scotland

Silly hat season

It's that event in Munich again. And I think they have managed to come up with the tackiest beer souvernir ever. A hat shaped like a beer barrel. I shudder when I imagine a man my size with one of these. And lederhosen.Have mercy!

Posted by: KnutAlbert at 20:54 | link | comments
beer, german