NanoBryg rss syndication » Items by knutalbert

Petroleum-refinery-external-enzymefacilitated- platform-high gravity-brewed beers

Posted: August 27th, 2010, 4:35pm CEST by knutalbert

I am not saying that ‘petroleum-refinery-external-enzymefacilitated- platform-high gravity-brewed beers’ are bad, nor that it is an unethical way to brew them. All I’m asking is: can you still sell them as something entirely different? And can we still, as the globally united community of beer professionals and beer lovers, in honesty tell our consumers that [...]

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Busy days at Ægir

Posted: August 25th, 2010, 4:25pm CEST by knutalbert

Lots of new stuff from the Norwegian micros now, particularly from Ægir. Seems like the contract brewing of some of their bottled beers has freed the capacity for a broader range of beers on keg and cask, which was just the intention of brewer Evan Lewis. Currently doing the rounds is the Ægir Saison, which used [...]

Domus Birrae, Rome

Posted: August 23rd, 2010, 4:55pm CEST by knutalbert

My last post about Italy was perhaps a bit pessimistic, but I think the comments show that it is an issue worth considering. Anyway, I have positive things to report as well. On my visit to Rome last year, I had the pleasure of visiting both branches of Johnny’s Off Licence and brought home all I [...]

Hotels in Bamberg?

Posted: August 23rd, 2010, 1:57pm CEST by knutalbert

Or Gasthäuser, inns, pubs with a few rooms to let. Any recommendations?

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Italian beers – basic commodity or luxury item?

Posted: August 20th, 2010, 4:39pm CEST by knutalbert

I promised you some reflections from Italy, didn’t I? So, there I was, in Terracina, midway between Rome and Naples, a place not picked for any beery connection. I had searched the web beforehand for Birra Artiginale and so on, without much success. I found a cafe/restaurant on Facebook which boasted of the ‘na birretta beers from [...]

50 new pale lagers and a Pepsi

Posted: August 19th, 2010, 4:07pm CEST by knutalbert

Ole Petter Wie, the manager of Carlsberg-owned Ringnes brewery, by far the biggest actor on the Norwegian beer market, has ambitions. Big ambitions. He wants the profits margins to increase from 10 per cent today to 15 per cent in a few years. He boldly proclaims in an interview with Dagens Næringsliv (not online) that he aims to [...]

Spinning replacing drinking?

Posted: August 18th, 2010, 1:29am CEST by knutalbert

There is no lack of articles about the decline and fall of the English pub, but there are changes in other countries, too. I have written about the positive developments in Oslo concerning the ability of craft beer, but at the same time, obviously, the volume of standard pale lager is declining. The Norwegian journalist trade [...]

Oslo Beer and Food Festival

Posted: August 17th, 2010, 4:29pm CEST by knutalbert

I assume most of my Norwegian readers know about this, but for the record: As last year, there is an open air beer festival in Oslo this week, Wednesday-Sunday. It takes place in Kubaparken, within walking distance from the city centre. A good seminar programme, put together by Gustav Jørgensen, though I find the pricing [...]

Oslo: Two new brewpubs on the same street

Posted: August 16th, 2010, 5:23pm CEST by knutalbert

I’ve been claiming for a long time that there is a market for at least two more brewpubs in Oslo. The current Oslo Mikrobryggeri is west of the city centre, I’d say it is more of a community pub for people who work or live in the area. It seems to be quite full every evening, the [...]

Vintage Americana

Posted: August 9th, 2010, 5:54pm CEST by knutalbert

Some splendid color photos from 1939-1943 showing the depression and preparation for war. They were taken by photographers of the Farm Security Administration and Office of War Information and belong to the Library of Congress. There are lots more, though few of the beer related, at the Denver Post’s photo blog.

Sometimes the timing is the problem

Posted: August 8th, 2010, 10:41am CEST by knutalbert

Particularly when you realise that you miss a beer festival or a similar event by just a week or so.

The Swedish beer scene

Posted: August 7th, 2010, 4:58am CEST by knutalbert

I tried, in the earlier days of blogging, to do some updates on the brewery and bar scene(s) in Sweden, but I found out it is beyond my capacity. The fact that there are several dozen beer bloggers in Sweden tells a lot. A most useful site for anyone with an interest is BeerSweden, which [...]

Olympen: A beer list to be proud of

Posted: August 6th, 2010, 4:14pm CEST by knutalbert

There is some healthy competition here in Oslo now. I’ve stated recently that Italy is the new California when it comes to beer. We’re not quite there, but we can soon say that Oslo is the new, well, Gothenburg. I’m off to meet a friend at Olympen this evening. Their beer list has exploded over [...]

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Beer souvenirs you didn’t know you needed

Posted: August 5th, 2010, 6:59pm CEST by knutalbert

It’s kitschy souvenir time again, folks. The web shop of the Octoberfest is open. I am old-fashioned enough to prefer young ladies in dirndl, but they offer eye candy for ladies clothes for men, too. Like this lederhosen-like swimming trunks. I somehow doubt that the model in the photo consumes many Steins and sausages per day. My waistline is [...]

Italy again

Posted: August 4th, 2010, 3:34pm CEST by knutalbert

Our vacation abroad this summer was once again in Italy – one week on the beach and three days in Rome. As I’ve told you, I don’t have much time for detailed analysis of anything at the moment, this includes the developments on the Italian beer scene. Still – some thoughts: We stayed in Terracina, [...]

New Oslo brew pub

Posted: August 3rd, 2010, 4:37pm CEST by knutalbert

The new Oslo brewpub – Schouskjelleren Mikrobryggeri – is a good example on how to use the social media to build interest months before the opening. It is not rocket science – just establish a facebook group and upload photos as the work progresses. I have mentioned this place before. It is an offshoot of [...]

Own a piece of beer blogging history

Posted: August 2nd, 2010, 4:45pm CEST by knutalbert

We have bought a new flat up the road, meaning we are selling the old one. This means no time for blogging, as I am busy putting things into boxes, throwing away stuff I once thought would come in useful, adding some paint here and there - you know the drill. I’ll get back to more [...]

Strangford Lough

Posted: July 20th, 2010, 9:48am CEST by knutalbert

This is getting back to the promotional activities of a lot of folk in the beer industry (and beyond). Hi. I have a new mystery novel, where someone is killed in a brewery. Would you like to plug it? Our brewery has a new design profile, and we have just made some lovely t-shirts. Would [...]

Oslo brewery history

Posted: July 15th, 2010, 12:00pm CEST by knutalbert

I had to deliver a few books at the Oslo municipal library today, and a magazine caught my eye. It is the periodical of the Oslo Municipal Archive, which has Food and drink as the theme of its latest issue. Of particular interest is an article about brewery history. Bård Alsvik chronicles the developement from the first [...]

Summer sipping

Posted: July 10th, 2010, 4:52am CEST by knutalbert

Sure, a crisp pilsener or a clean IPA is usually what you want when the summer really sets in. A hefeweissen, perhaps. No smoked bocks or chocolate overdosesAn alternative is to go for one of the classics. It does not come in champagne bottles like its upmarket siblings. You don’t have to go to a dingy [...]

Villaggio della Birra 2010

Posted: July 5th, 2010, 1:40pm CEST by knutalbert

The follwing description of the Villaggio della Birra 2010 beer festival sounds like just the thing if you are in the area: It takes place on 11 and 12 September at Bibbiano, Buonconvento, Siena. Amongst the sweet rolling hills of the Siennese countryside, rises the village of Bibbiano – not more than a couple of houses. [...]

White Horse

Posted: July 2nd, 2010, 12:30pm CEST by knutalbert

I should go to London more often. I should have been there today.

The New Dogs

Posted: July 1st, 2010, 6:19pm CEST by knutalbert

I told you about the package from BrewDog that arrived the other week – but how were the beers? First of all, there were two bottles of the 5 A.M Saint. It was interesting to compare this with the locally available Alpha Dog, the profile is very similar with lots of fresh hops. On to [...]

Beer Traveller

Posted: June 29th, 2010, 3:09am CEST by knutalbert

Just to let you know that the latest issue of All About Beer Magazine has a special supplement – Beer Traveler. Focus is on the US, but there are articles about Germany and Belgium, too. A list of 150 Perfect Places to have a beer will surely lead to discussions. Nice to see Olympen in [...]

… where everybody know your name

Posted: June 28th, 2010, 2:09pm CEST by knutalbert

I had other plans last Saturday. The morning was spent trying to tidy the apartment recently well, as there will be a photographer coming in today. I had planned an overnight trip with my eldest from Saturday to Sunday. But then I suddenly had something else to squeeze in. I opened my e-mail to [...]

Irregular service

Posted: June 23rd, 2010, 9:32am CEST by knutalbert

I had a number of ideas for blog posts lined up, but sometimes you get too busy doing other things. We bought a new flat last week, which means we have to get rid of the old one. Before that, my handyman capabilities are stretched to the limit whne I’m not tutting stuff into boxes [...]

Look what the postman brought–

Posted: June 17th, 2010, 4:50pm CEST by knutalbert

Actually, he didn’t bring it. I had to go to the post office to pick it up. Buit it was well worth the trip!

Quite a beer bill

Posted: June 16th, 2010, 4:25pm CEST by knutalbert

If you are under the impression that I buy a lot of beer, you are seriously mistaken. This guy, however, has done some serious shopping. I was told an anecdote on one of my visits to Øbutikken about a Swiss customer who got up at 2 in the morning, drove all the way to copenhagen [...]

DC Brews

Posted: June 15th, 2010, 4:54pm CEST by knutalbert

According to the Washington Post All We Can Eat blog, there will be a number of new breweries opening up over the next year or two, offering beer in kegs, bottles and cans. I haven’t been there for decades, but I still have fond memories of the Brickskeller, one of the pioneers among the beer [...]

The Scandinavian Way

Posted: June 14th, 2010, 5:25pm CEST by knutalbert

Swedish Moderate MP Hans Wallmark has visited small scale producers of beer and wine in southern Sweden, and his recommendations on his blog are clear. It should be possible to tweak the system to open for direct sales of alcohol from producers to consumers. The absurdities of the system are illustrated by the story of the sparkling [...]

Cask Ale Festival, Oslo

Posted: June 12th, 2010, 12:05pm CEST by knutalbert

Now it’s public. At Håndverkerstuene. Ægir, Haandbryggeriet and Nøgne Ø. Plus our friends from Scotland, BrewDog. 10-11 September Beermakers dinner as well. See you there!

All breweries great and small

Posted: June 10th, 2010, 5:43pm CEST by knutalbert

The most promising about the revival of Norwegian Brewers is not their predictable views on government policies, taxes and such. It is the change from being an organ for the big and medium sized breweries to the inclusion of everyone from giant Ringnes to the smallest farm breweries brewing a few hundred liters at a [...]

World Cup beers

Posted: June 10th, 2010, 4:28pm CEST by knutalbert

For the tickers who want to drink beers from all participating countries, the good people at BierPost in Germany have made a box containing beers from 18 of the participating countries. No luck if you’re looking for refreshments from Algiers, Chile, Ivory Coast, Honduras, Cameroon, North Korea, Nigeria, Paraguay, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia or Uruguay, though.

Back in the ring

Posted: June 9th, 2010, 4:46pm CEST by knutalbert

The organisation Norwegian Brewers has a long history, going back to the time when there were independent breweries in most towns. It used to be a profiled spokesman for the industry, fighting battles against new limits and regulations. Some of the battles have been successful – keeping the standard strength beers in supermarkets, some less [...]

An oasis in Africa

Posted: June 8th, 2010, 6:02pm CEST by knutalbert

The English language edition of Der Spiegel tells the story of a German beer hall in Addis Ababa of all places. The brewer is a local, but his brewing education is impeccable – from Weihenstephan, no less. Two beers, brewed on the premises: A light ale called Blondy and a darker one named Ebony.

Beer personality of the year

Posted: June 7th, 2010, 8:53pm CEST by knutalbert

The Norwegian Brewers had, amid some controversy, a launch of their new web site this afternoon, focusing on both beer, water and soft drinks. Norwegian authorities, namely the Directorate of Health, claim that such a web site is in violation on the ban of promoting alcohol. Norwegian Brewers dispute this, saying that they have the [...]

Overdue return to Olympen

Posted: June 7th, 2010, 5:21pm CEST by knutalbert

It’s very convenient to have a decent beer bar just a few minutes’ walk from where I work, it means that I have mostly, well, to the extent I hang out in beer bars, been visiting Håndverkerstuene here in Oslo. But there is still a great restaurant/beer bar, the one that really kicked the Oslo [...]

Not for the thirsty

Posted: June 4th, 2010, 3:57pm CEST by knutalbert

I thought the days of trying to gather large crowds to set new Guinness world records was very, well 1980ish. But the spirit seems to be alive, at least in London. The plan is to set a new pub crawl record. On 9 October. In London. Our aim is to organise 3,500 people, split into 35 [...]

Swedish beer news

Posted: June 3rd, 2010, 4:43pm CEST by knutalbert

The Swedish Beer Consumers’ Organisation has a list of all Swedish breweries on their web site. There is a map as well, and you can even find out about the local distribution of some hard to find beer. Handy if you plan a visit during the Summer holidays. Dempabeer has excellent coverage beers to be [...]

Mikkeller Bar, Copenhagen

Posted: June 1st, 2010, 4:57pm CEST by knutalbert

Still a few odds and ends from my Copenhagen weekend. I did not spend every waking moment at the beer festival – they did, after all, have limited opening hours. The other main event of the week was, of course, the opening of the new Mikkeller bar on Vesterbro. The location is fairly central, [...]

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Tour de Biére

Posted: May 28th, 2010, 4:47pm CEST by knutalbert

If you want to combine your beer interest with some exercise, the Danish Beer Enthusiasts might have the solution. They have put together a 10 day bike tour, covering 550 kilometers and 20 breweries in 10 days. The show starts on 3 July, and there are still places available. This is a low-budget affair, using [...]

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Íslenski barinn – a remarkable place

Posted: May 25th, 2010, 6:01pm CEST by knutalbert

One place I had picked out before leaving for Iceland, with good help from Haukur, was Íslenski barinn or Icelandic Bar. Though this opened last year, the theme is unashamed nostalgia. This is your grandparents home, ca. 1950. Assorted furniture, old photos and memorabilia. Souvenirs from the sailors of the family. If you’ve been to plan b in [...]

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Cask beer festival …. in Oslo ??!

Posted: May 24th, 2010, 10:47pm CEST by knutalbert

Yes, I’ll get back to my visit to Iceland, but I had to share this with you. I was told by the organiser, who did not want too much publicity until the details are finalized. But I am leaking like a sieve. So. A mini cask ale festival in Oslo.10-11 September. A grand dinner on Saturday night [...]

Beer shopping, Icelandic style

Posted: May 22nd, 2010, 3:52am CEST by knutalbert

The alcohol retail system in Iceland is quite similar to what you find in Sweden, Finland and Norway, with a state monopoly running the shops. Iceland and Sweden are the strictest, where what you would call everyday beers also have to be sold through these shops. This is obviously a hassle for the Icelandic beer [...]

Beer al fresco in Lillehammer

Posted: May 21st, 2010, 4:11pm CEST by knutalbert

The terrace at Lillehammer Bryggeri will open tomorrow at 17.00 for refreshments, a sure sign that the winter is finally over. Until proven otherwise, they have the best pilsner in the country. Check their web site for opening hours this summer.

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Australian gold medal for Nøgne Ø

Posted: May 21st, 2010, 10:32am CEST by knutalbert

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Norwegian micro (they call it boutique brewery down under) Nøgne Ø was awarded the Champion Exhibitor trophy, as well as the Champion Small Brewery award at a dinner in Melbourne on Thursday. No details about which beers they entered in the competition. Nice to conquer new continents.

A friendly trade

Posted: May 20th, 2010, 8:35pm CEST by knutalbert

There are many ways of finding rare beers when you travel. You can brows the shops, you can do a pub crawl, you can visit a brewery. Or you can trade with a local beer hound. Haukur is active on ratebeer as well as a beer blogger, so, naturally, I got in touch with him [...]

So, you want me to plug your t-shirt?

Posted: May 20th, 2010, 11:26am CEST by knutalbert

Or your beer, your DVD, your book or some other more or less beer related product? If you want a review, at least send me a sample. If not, please go away. And don’t be surprised if you don’t get a personal reply. But, if you are patient, there might be a blog post during the summer: [...]

Arrival in Iceland

Posted: May 19th, 2010, 10:29am CEST by knutalbert

A short family vacation in Iceland was planned long before the volcano started messing up European air space, and our tickets were booked at a time when planes tended to leave on schedule. Our tickets were for Friday afternoon, but early in the morning I received a text message saying the flight was cancelled. To [...]

The most unlikely place

Posted: May 18th, 2010, 7:25pm CEST by knutalbert

I did not know this before I went. But the most interesting place in Europe to go for truly exotic food, prepared and presented professionally and with a smile must be Reykjavik. I’m serious. And there are pale lagers aplenty and mock Oirish pubs, but there are truly fine beers, too. If you know where [...]

Coming up

Posted: May 18th, 2010, 5:50am CEST by knutalbert

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Copenhagen beer festival 4 – good and bad

Posted: May 17th, 2010, 7:50am CEST by knutalbert

The major improvement from last year was that there was enough oxygen for people to feel well. At some stage it was almost windy inside, but it is far better to put on a jacket than having to venture outside at regular intervals to avoid a headache. I am pleased that they have a contract [...]

Iron lady

Posted: May 16th, 2010, 1:01pm CEST by knutalbert

Trying to analyze the British election in the context of beer and pubs is beyond my abilities. Or I’ m too lazy busy. Almost on topic is this pump clip, which sparked some reactions in CAMRA circles, which should surprise no one. Sheep shagger is all right, but not a beer in honor of Mrs. [...]

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An extra tasting at Ølbutikken

Posted: May 15th, 2010, 11:50am CEST by knutalbert

What do you do when you run a beer shop when ther’s a beer festival in town? Have an exclusive beer on tap for a few hours to get the tickers into your shop, of course. So, that’s what Ølbutikken did. As it’s run by the brother of Mikkel of Mikkeller fame, it was hardly [...]

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Damn you, Eyjafjallajökull!

Posted: May 14th, 2010, 11:38am CEST by knutalbert

Got an SMS this morning. Your 15:15 flight to Reykjavik is cancelled. Regards. All flights to Iceland are cancelled today. All flights tomorrow are full. Gotta find a plan b. Soon.

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Copenhagen beer festival part 3 – beery highlights

Posted: May 13th, 2010, 10:24am CEST by knutalbert

As I said, there was no clear trend at the festival. Sometimes everyone rushes to brew, say, smoked beers, but not this time around. Among my personal favourites were a saison variety from Brooklyn Brewery, Sorhathi, and a series of lambic beers brewed with a variety of hops from Revelation Cat. Eklipse, a splendid pale ale from Djævlebryg at [...]

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Copenhagen festival report, part 2 – the heroes

Posted: May 12th, 2010, 4:44pm CEST by knutalbert

Of course beer festivals are about beer. But they are also very social events, and they are very pleasant opportunities to catch up with people you seldom meet outside of cyberspace. A very friendly and generous bunch. Two years ago there were lots of bloggers present, this year I think the Beer Nut and I [...]

Copenhagen festival report, part 1

Posted: May 11th, 2010, 5:30pm CEST by knutalbert

I’m not sure how to dispence the impressions over a series of blog posts. Luckily there weren’t that many of the English language bloggers around, meaning there is a rush to post first. I had great expectations for this. Ther organizers had kindly provided the more desparate among us with an pdf of the programme, [...]

Sunday morning

Posted: May 9th, 2010, 9:54am CEST by knutalbert

Lots of stuff to blog about in the days to come. The Copenhagen Beer Festival is over, and it looked like a success to me. More when I get home, have a chance to go through all the photos and make attempts to read my notes. A lazy day in chilly weather before I catch [...]

Research

Posted: May 8th, 2010, 11:11am CEST by knutalbert

Currently chuckling my way through this, preparing for my next expedition.

A dream

Posted: May 7th, 2010, 12:34pm CEST by knutalbert

One of the top three micro breweries in Norway has sent an e-mail to Vinmonopolet, the state alcohol monopoly, with a modest proposal. They ask if they could pick 10 of the biggest stores across Norway and give them the permission to order special products in small quantities, giving those particularly interesed in beer the opportunity [...]

Beer envy. Again.

Posted: May 5th, 2010, 9:04am CEST by knutalbert

I should have know. Really. That there would be beer events in the days leading up to the beer festival. But there are minor disturbances. Like a day job, family, plane tickets that have to be booked long in advance. So I am stuck in Oslo while they open the Mikkeller bar in Copenhagen tonight. [...]

Copenhagen Beer Festival Programme

Posted: May 3rd, 2010, 2:55pm CEST by knutalbert

It is available online now. Thanks, once again, to beerticker.dk for informing about this. Every country should have one.

Drunk by noon

Posted: April 30th, 2010, 7:46am CEST by knutalbert

Great title. Great cover. Check out her web site (though I cannot see any beer there!)

A rock star hits town

Posted: April 29th, 2010, 5:50pm CEST by knutalbert

I first saw James Watt just a few months after they had started BrewDog. They brought along some unlabeled bottles to a ratebeer gathering in Glasgow, and, thanks to their present London sales rep Tom, they had some of their beers on cask at the Blackfriars for the event. The rest is, of course, history. [...]

Beer or chocolate?

Posted: April 26th, 2010, 5:32pm CEST by knutalbert

Or both?

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It’s getting better all the time

Posted: April 24th, 2010, 8:21am CEST by knutalbert

Arriving in Norway next week: Southern Tier IPA, Gemini Captain Lawrence Captain’s Reserve Imperial IPA Jolly Pumpkin Bam Biere, Bam Noire, La Roja, Oro de Calabaza The Bruery Saison de Lente Lost Abbey Angels’ Share Ale Smith Horney Devil, Yule Smith Shortly arriving from Italy: Birrificio Italiano Bik Bok, Amber shok, Cassissona, Vudu

25 new Mikkeller beers

Posted: April 23rd, 2010, 5:55pm CEST by knutalbert

During the week of the Copenhagen Beer Festival, which is also the opening week of the Mikkeller beer bar, Mikkel will release 25 new beers. I hope some of them will be in small bottles suitable for suitcases!

More to look forward to

Posted: April 23rd, 2010, 2:13am CEST by knutalbert

According to beerticker.dk, there will be seven new beers from Hornbeer at the Copenhagen Beer Festival. I am particularly looking forward to their Biting Horse, a Flemish Red Ale. I should have planned for three days at the festival instead of two…

Not the brewer, but a least a few beers

Posted: April 22nd, 2010, 5:40pm CEST by knutalbert

Unfortunate events led to a visit to Trondheim earlier this week, which meant a 1000 kilometer drive. I managed, however, to find a little time to pop in at Den Gode Nabo, by far the best beer pub in that part of the country. Located in one of the old riverside warehouses, it seems to [...]

New dog in town

Posted: April 20th, 2010, 7:24pm CEST by knutalbert

Who would have thought, just a year or two ago, that we would have a BrewDog beer on Norwegian supermarket shelves? Specially brewed for Norway? And I’m not talking about any exclusive shop with deli and manned fish and cheese departments, but you basic no frills discount chain. I think their Scandinavian importer has done [...]

Collaborations

Posted: April 19th, 2010, 5:22pm CEST by knutalbert

It is very encouraging to see that the same spirit of cooperation and community I have observed amoung the beer geeks also to a large extent applies to the craft brewers. I don’t follow the North American scene enough to give any intelligent observations, but here in Northern Europe there are new projects all the time. The [...]

Lunch, Bruges style

Posted: April 18th, 2010, 3:22am CEST by knutalbert

And a beer, please!

The rocky road towards more liberal legislation

Posted: April 16th, 2010, 4:48am CEST by knutalbert

Swedish Member of Parliament Hans Wallmark has an update on his blog about the revisions in Swedish alcohol legislation. Anyone being able to read Swedish (or able to use Google translator) should read it, it contains a coherent line of reasoning I won’t try to summarize here, except one point. Hans feels that the government [...]

The End

Posted: April 15th, 2010, 9:47pm CEST by knutalbert

There is a distinct smell of sulphur in the air, so the end is probably approaching fast. I should probably drink the beers I have stashed away. Just in case.

In the shadow of the volcano

Posted: April 15th, 2010, 12:06pm CEST by knutalbert

Lots of people are stranded in airports today, and I read a cheery statement from a geologist that the last time this volcano erupted it lasted for two years… If I could pick an airport to be stuck in, I think I’d choose Munich. They have a brewpub.

Brussels temptations

Posted: April 14th, 2010, 5:15am CEST by knutalbert

Even if I had bought some bottles in Amsterdam and Bruges, I had to look in at the Bier Tempel in Brussels. I mean, it was on the way from the Gare Centrale to the hotel! I almost bought an extra suitcase.

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Copenhagen Beer Festival 2010 – are you coming along?

Posted: April 13th, 2010, 8:59pm CEST by knutalbert

The beer festival in Copenhagen is fast approaching, and a lot of us are really looking forward to meeting up. Let’s hope for good spring weather, but even if it pours, there will be good company and good beer. A few of the exhibitors of the festival will be show off their medals from the recent World [...]

De Halve Maan, Bruges

Posted: April 13th, 2010, 6:46am CEST by knutalbert

When I was planning for out Easter break, I thought I had it all covered by making Google maps of the relevant areas in Amsterdam and Brussels, as we were spending a few days in each city. Just before we left, Bruges was added as a day trip from Brussels. I did not have the [...]

Bored of the mild

Posted: April 12th, 2010, 8:14pm CEST by knutalbert

I don’t read many brewer’s blogs, I mostly try to follow the beer fans perspectives, mostly from this side of the Atlantic. But I really enjoy Eddie Gadd’s blog. He’s the head brewer at Ramsgate brewery. Eddie has views on the traditional British mild which are very similar to mine: To properly enjoy mild of olde one [...]

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Amsterdam – De Bierkoning

Posted: April 9th, 2010, 6:46am CEST by knutalbert

Family trips are successful if you make compromises. Ice cream for the kids, the right amount of food, drink, shopping and entertainment. In Amsterdam I can warmly recommend a shoe shop that is just a few blocks away from the Bierkoning. That buys you the ten minutes you need to catch up with the latest stuff [...]

‘Probably The Worst Ban In The World’

Posted: April 8th, 2010, 9:41pm CEST by knutalbert

I should have made some fun about the Carlsberg strike. I really should. You can read the story on Sky News. And then you may wonder why a global brand let things slide until they get bad publicity – globally. My sister worked for a brewery in our home town about three decades ago. They solved [...]

Low-tech but inventive

Posted: April 8th, 2010, 5:12pm CEST by knutalbert

I don’t really buy many gadgets. I enjoy the iPod I got for my birthday, but that is mostly for storing music and podcasts. I rely on fairly standard phones and pc’s. I don’t use any devices to measure my progress when I walk or bicycle, either. When it comes to beery gadgets, it’s mostly bottle openers and [...]

Maybe next year

Posted: April 6th, 2010, 10:14pm CEST by knutalbert

Just when the travel arrangements for the rest of the year are more or less wrapped up, BA e-mails me with bargain prices to New York. Oh well. there are fine brews where I’ll be going, too. But still. 3900 Norwegian kroner return isn’t half bad.

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Gollem’s Proeflokal, Amsterdam

Posted: April 6th, 2010, 6:28pm CEST by knutalbert

As I said, the Easter break was not a beer trip, but, knowing me, you’ll not be surprised that I found a few opportunities to sample some brews. Our hotel was conveniently located close to the Van Gogh museum and the lovely Vondelpark (btw, can anyone tell me where all the parakeets in the park come [...]

Back to the blog

Posted: April 5th, 2010, 3:09pm CEST by knutalbert

I’ve been busy during the Easter break, which amounts to a week around here. A family holiday, but I managed to fit in some beer as well. Amsterdam, Brussels, Bruges – and even a few days in the Norwegian mountains. Stay tuned for details!

Spot on!

Posted: March 30th, 2010, 11:17am CEST by knutalbert

Today I just want to applaud the following paragraph from The Pub Curmudgeon: And I continue to believe that if a beer is to be produced and sold in bottle-conditioned form, it needs to show evidence of having actually enjoyed a secondary fermentation in the bottle. It should have a dense head and obvious natural carbonation, [...]

Vintage beer commercial

Posted: March 27th, 2010, 11:56am CET by knutalbert

From the breweries in Oslo. 1936.

A breakthrough in Norway?

Posted: March 23rd, 2010, 4:40pm CET by knutalbert

Recent Norwegian figure show that the attitude of the Norwegian alcohol monopoly Vinmonopolet towards beer is of vital importance. In January this year they has a special focus on beer, adding a fine range of domestic and imported beers to their range, giving them prominent shelf space and even a writeup in their in store magazine. With a ban on [...]

The Old Brewery, Greenwich

Posted: March 23rd, 2010, 3:15pm CET by knutalbert

Funny name for a new brewery, a micro run by the Meantime brewery. But it’s certainly in a historic location. The Royal Naval College, Greenwich. londonist has photos. And the Old Brewery has a web site of its own, too. There is no longer a Queen Mother to pour the first pint, but they seemed to be [...]

Guest blogger: The Scots-Irish Tippler visits Blairgowrie

Posted: March 19th, 2010, 5:36pm CET by knutalbert

An old freind of mine, who’d like to be known as The Scots-Irish tippler, har promised to do the occational post for my blog. Here is the first contribution: The Royal Hotel in Blairgowrie, just north of Perth, has a guest beer policy with a regular change of one tap to a smaller Scottish beer. No [...]

The Icelandic beer scene

Posted: March 19th, 2010, 10:29am CET by knutalbert

Haukur has a comprehensive post. And I have booked tickets.

CAMRA and keg (again)

Posted: March 17th, 2010, 7:06pm CET by knutalbert

Adrian Tierney-Jones writes about CAMRA’s dilemma at his Called to the Bar blog. He sums up the present British beer scene brilliantly: Keg isn’t the devil, it’s bad keg that’s the frightener. Go over there and read!

The Mikkeller bar

Posted: March 17th, 2010, 3:33pm CET by knutalbert

The address is public now, it’s in Viktoriagade 8. Halfway between the Central Station and Hotel Sct Thomas. 15 beers on tap. Closed for renovation, opening 29 April, in time for the festival. Beerticker.dk even has the Google Street view.

A brewpub in Svalbard?

Posted: March 16th, 2010, 5:49pm CET by knutalbert

There are brewpubs popping up in various parts of Norway now, some in quite small communities, and I suppose there is more passion than profit involved in most of these places. If you just what to brew to sell for consumption on the premises, the paperwork is not too much of a hassle. There is, however, a [...]

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Brussels: Don’t forget gloves!

Posted: March 15th, 2010, 4:30pm CET by knutalbert

I’m usually busy with meetings of the European kind plus beer when I happen to be in Brussels. Next time, though, I intend to visit the new Magritte Museum. From their web site: As well as imaginative sandwiches for those most pressed for time, visitors can also choose from a range of soups, Belgian chips served in [...]

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Hops – read all about it!

Posted: March 13th, 2010, 1:23pm CET by knutalbert

While I am lazy busy doing other things doing whatever I might be doing instead of blogging, there are other places to go. the reluctant Scooper has started a Hops A-Z series on his blog. Or you could go have a beer. The sun is back.

Copenhagen beer festival

Posted: March 12th, 2010, 9:11am CET by knutalbert

A lovely poster this year, isn’t it? You can order copies to promote the event in your home town -probably limited to Scandinavia.

Norwegian beer scene coming of age 2

Posted: March 10th, 2010, 9:27pm CET by knutalbert

The other story about beer in Norway is connected to Hurtigruten, what used to be the coastal steamer along the Western coast of Norway, now a fleet of cruise ships doing the Bergen-Kirkenes round trip in two weeks. These ships are filled with well heeled tourists during the summer season, enjoying the fjords, the coastline and [...]

Announcing the Mikkeller beer bar

Posted: March 9th, 2010, 2:07pm CET by knutalbert

Going to the beer festival in Copenhagen? So you thought the rather short opening hours of the festival meant you had some time to stroll along in the city, visit the Little Mermaid, visit the National Museum of Arts…. Nope. Mikkel Borg Bjergsø, yes, that’s the Mikkel of Mikkeller fame, will open a beer bar. In Copenhagen. [...]