Top Beer & Whisky Jan 12

TOP BEER & WHISKY

Nยบ 01 2012

This magazine is for people who enjoy Top Beer & Whisky.

Jan-Erik Svensson Brewer Vaclav Berka Jan-Erik Svensson

Californian Beers!

Jim Murray & Whisky Jessica Heidrich S:t Eriks

BrewDog!

topbeer.se & topwhisky.se

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TOP BEER

ISSUE Nº1 2012

& WHISKY

Produced by: Ace Publications Gullmarsvägen 9 121 40 Johanneshov Stockholm Sweden Website: www.acepublications.se E-mail: info@acepublicatons.se Contributors: Stuart Crosby David Devroe Layout and design: Corina Bermúdez Casas

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4 Craft Brewing with Jan-Erik Svensson 8 The Woman Behind S:t Eriks-Brewer, Jessica Heidrich 12 Gothenburg´s Micro brewers 14 Chimay of Belgium 16 The Brewmaster Vaclav Berka of Pilsner Urquell

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19 “Watts” Up At BrewDog? 20 Brewery manager Tomas Kosmak of Krušovice 22 Meet Adnams Brewer Belinda!

24 Meet the Man In The Moon 26 Östgötakällaren´s boss Ragnar!

29 Californian Beers

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32 Swedish Whisky 33 Master Distiller Barry Crockett 38 Whisky Jim Murray 42 Scotch whisky Editor: Noel Sheehy Welcome Readers, Here is our fourth issue of the Top Beer & Whisky.

We hope you enjoyed the 2011. Since the last edition we found ourselves at various Beer & Whisky festivals, plus breweries and distilleries! We even managed a trip to Gothenburg which is blossoming with Breweries and dedicated Beer pubs. The best thing about this trade is meeting Beer & Whisky people, they are great!

We continue to offer you an insight to Top Beer & Whisky, How? I hear you ask, By meeting the people that matter!! We cornered as many Beer and Whisky people as we could, and then we fired questions at them. The amicable Jim Murray was very open to our questions, and not afraid to share his valuable opinions.

Here we look at beer from all over the world, but we won’t torture you by telling you about a great beer unless you can get it in Sweden.

We decided to expand our editorial team, so now we added, beer Connoisseur Jan Erik Svensson, Bjorn our Beer critic,

Gothenburg Beerman Micky G, plus a mystery writer, and last but not least Marc our man from California. We are always looking for talented writers We also continue to look at some Top Pubs/ Bars here in Stockholm; we meet the owners to hear their thoughts. We hope you enjoy reading this magazine as much as we did researching and preparing it. Remember to keep sending in your words of encouragement and suggestions. We might not be able to cover topics in the immediate issue but we will endeavor to get to them ASAP. When choosing the Pubs for distribution of this magazine we decided to focus on the pubs with the Top Beer & Whisky.

If you know of a pub in Stockholm without this magazine, that has interesting Beer or Whisky mail us at info@acepublications.se

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Enjoy the read, and instead of your usual choice try something new. 80% of us make our selection choice at the bar.

Remember to always drink sensibly.

Cheers Noel TOP BEER & WHISKY Nº 1 2012 3

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Craft Brewing in Sweden - JAN Text: Jan-Erik Svensson Most of the 20th century was bad for beer in Sweden. At the beginning of the century, there were around 225 tax paying breweries around the country. A strong temperance movement in the first quarter of the century led to the prohibition of beers stronger than 4,0% ABV. Stronger beer was possible to obtain in pharmacies, but only if you had a prescription from a physician. The shortage of brewing malt during the second world war led to even weaker beer with a maximum alcohol content of 3,25% ABV. After the war, the limit rose to 3,5% ABV. At that time, there were about 120 breweries left. Types were limited to bland interpretations of pilseners and adjunct lagers plus the odd porter.

Additionally, a sort of non taxed, saccharine sweetened and often artificially coloured top fermented table beer called svagdricka (“weak brew”) with less than 2,25% ABV was brewed by a number of very small local producers, mostly in rural areas.

In 1955, it was decided that normal strength beer up to 5,6% ABV was permitted to sell in the state-owned Systembolaget alcohol shops, but the range of types and brands was very limited. Only in a dozen years from 1965, when beer with a strength up to 4,5% ABV (mellanöl) was sold in normal grocery shops, the consumption rose rapidly and beer began to be used more like an everyday drink. But the authorities wanted to protect the youth from the negative effects of excessive consumption, and in 1977 mellanöl disappeared from the Swedish market – in countries like Finland and Norway you still can find this beer category in normal shops.

The years following were among the darkest in the Swedish brewing history. In 1960, there were 85 brewing plants in Sweden, mostly producing low alcohol beer on a regional basis. In 1970, there were 46, many of them promoting new brands and marketing their products outside the immediate home area. In 1977, the number of surviving breweries were 24. In 1984, there were only 16 left. This year, the consumption hit the bottom and the selection of brands was no more than a couple of dozen – with a handful mostly imported exceptions like Guinness Extra Stout and Bass Pale Ale all were light-coloured lagers. But at this particular time, something began to brew among Sweden’s beer Among the main influences were the british Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), struggling to retain the traditional beer culture, and the slowly developing US craft brewing scene with an iconic brand like Sierra Nevada Pale Ale brewed since 1981. The Michael Jackson World Guide to Beer and Pocket Beer Guide showed up in the book stores and inspired dozens of beer enthusiasts.

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In 1985, finally, the Swedish Beer Consumers Union (Svenska Ölfrämjandet) was founded by Håkan Lundgren, Mikk Noodapera and Peter Vikström. The activity of Svenska Ölfrämjandet was similar to CAMRA’s, but the focus developed more and more into the direction of home brewing. The main inspiration was Lars Holm, the nestor of modern Swedish home brewing. In 1989, the first Swedish championships were held in Stockholm with 15 entries.

Five years later, the Swedish Homebrewers Association became independent.

The year 1989 marked another interesting event – Sven-Olle Svensson in the town of Laholm found the first new Swedish brewery in decades. He already owned Sofiero, a company making soft drinks and svagdricka, but had studied brewing in Germany and eventually bought brewing equipment from a closed German brewery. The beer he created was called 1888 Tradition Pils, a tasty all-malt lager. Today, the Sofiero brand is owned by a much larger brewery and is one of Swedens best selling beers. But it has nothing to do with Sven-Olle Svensson’s pioneering brew. He remains an iconic figure in the history of Swedish craft brewing and is still active in the business.

In 1990, the entrepreneur Anders Thool implemented the Stockholm restaurant Norra Brunn as the first modern beer house in Sweden. He had a wide selection of beers including the cask conditioned Ind Coope Burton Ale – at that time a rarity outside Britain. In 1992, Marianne Wallberg created the Stockholm Beer Festival. Today it is one of the major beer events in the world. That same year, the gastronomic academy of Grythyttan – today part of the University of Örebro – started with lectures on beer.

NKO It was later followed by the University of Umeå. The homebrewing scene developed, influenced by US competitions. Some new breweries – Källefall in Tidaholm, Thimsfors in Markaryd, Gamlestaden in Gothenburg and a couple of others – were established, but they were all relatively short-lived. Some of the breweries, like Källefall, employed former home brewers. The beers brewed were often copying mainstream European lagers and ales.

In 1993, the pub scene in Stockholm really took off when Rune Bohlin started a new pub in Stockholm called Oliver Twist.

He had a unique ability to tie devoted people to his staff, many of whom later became independent publicans. Jörgen Hasselquist (Oliver Twist) and Sten Isacsson (Akkurat) have had an enormous impact providing beer lovers with quality beers from all over the world. Some very active importers, like John Higson, persistently pushed interesting beers into the Swedish market.

And – finally – 1995 beer of all types, regardless of alcohol content, was legalized in Sweden when the country joined the European union. It is still to be sold only at Systembolaget, but the consumer can choose from more than a thousand different brands in most classic beer styles.

In the following years, a number of craft breweries with a more pronounced quality profile were established. Most of them have survived and they constitute the first generation of Swedish craft brewing. From it’s foundation in 1995, Jämtlands Bryggeri in the north dominated the craft brewing scene for many years.

The English brewer David Jones created a number of tasty beers in both traditional and more innovative styles, and so did the former home brewer Anders Wikström. In 1996, Håkan Lundgren and some other home brewing enthusiasts got financial help to start Kungsholmens Kvartersbryggeri in Stockholm. The principal brand was Lundgrens Lager with a rich character of American hops. The brewery was later overtaken by industrialist Karl-David Sundberg, who renamed the brewery Nils Oscar and moved it to Nyköping about 100 km southwest of Stockholm. The company also has a malting plant nearby. In the staff, there are many former home brewers and gold-awarded Patrick Holmqvist, who used to work at Källefall earlier, is perhaps the most well known. Today, Nils Oscar has a wide range of tasty beers in different styles, both modern and more traditional.

Lars Ericsson, Christer Johansson and Tony Magnusson created a beer club as early as 1988 in Nynäshamn 60 km south of Stockholm.

Later, they began with home brewing, and in 1997 they obtained the right to brew commercially from the town hall. At this time, the slogan “klart grabbarna ska ha ett bryggeri” (of course the lads shall have a brewery) was created. Nynäshamns Ångbryggeri started with ales in a hybrid English-American style but now brews a selection of different styles including some delicate lagers. The last surviver among the classic four is Slottskällan in Uppsala from 1998, where brewer Urban Nilsson takes a special pride in the really dark beers. But the selection is wide with some examples of modern hopping . A fifth brewey with much less of a buzz but still making excellent beer is the traditional German-style lager brewery att Grebbestad on the west coast. It was established in 1995. Former brewer Robert Bush created the classic double bock Lunator in 1999, and the beer has since then been brewed in the night of the first full moon every year.

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Among other breweries founded in this period, the spectacular Gamla Stans Bryggeri in a waterfront location of Stockholm’s old town was closed in 2003. In 1995, the old established Spendrups brewing group built a small plant in Visby called Gotlands Bryggeri.

Today, the brewmaster Johan Spendrups has developed into one of the most interesting Swedish brewers with the Germanic Wisby brand (Pils, Weisse etc) and the modern Bulldog brand (Pale Ale, IPA etc) among other beers. The existence of Gotlands Bryggeri is evidence that also large breweries need specialized brands today.

The 1990ies also saw the first brew pubs – originally the authorities did not like the priciple of brewing and selling beer on the same premises. Lasse Schweitz started Bredaryds Wärdshus in the province of Småland and the Ödman brothers started Pannrummet in Gothenburg.

After about five years of slower growth, a number of new craft breweries were established a couple of years into the new millennium.

This is the second generation of Swedish craft brewers, far more influenced by the American brewing scene. The development was parallelled in home brewing, where a new generation of skilled brewers took home brewing to a higher level. On one hand, it was the real breakthrough of beer styles lika APA and IPA, on the other hand, some brewers started to develop a preference for more delicate beers. Two of the new brewers – both established in 2003 – proved to be more successful than the competitors. Närke Kulturbryggeri in Örebro in central Sweden is the gemstone of Hans-Göran Viktorsson and Berith Karlsson. Their beers have a tremendous success on ratebeer – especially the oak aged Kaggen Stormaktsporter, voted the 2011 best beer in the world overall. But there is a good selection of less solemn ales too. The other unequalled brewery was started

by Björn Falkeström at Oppigård close to Hedemora some 180 km northwest of Stockholm. His beers are often award-winning, modern interpretations of American craft beer styles. They have a superbly clean taste and often an emphasis on the hops.

There are some other notable breweries of this generation. Hantverksbryggeriet, founded in Västerås in central Sweden in 2003, is mainly brewing ales and stouts but also have a blueberry spiced Belgian style sour beer. In Söderhamn about 260 km north of Stockholm, Peter Orest brews beers with a strong German influence at Helsinge Ångbryggeri since 2004. Mikael Dugge Engström has been brewing top fermented beers since 2005 at Dugges Ale- och Porterbryggeri outside Gothenburg. The current brewery is smaller than the actual production, so Dugge is building a completely new plant in the Gothenburg area. Sigtuna Brygghus some 40 kilometers north of Stockholm was started by, among others, the veteran enthusiast Håkan Lundgren in 2005. The brewery has recently expanded and brewers like Mattias Hammenlind and Emil Lindén are creating one interesting beer after another.

Even if breweries like Närke and Oppigårds are regarded as recent classics, this second generation of craft breweries still continues to develop. Among the most noteworthy breweries, Skebo Bruksbryggeri about 80 km north of Stockholm has delivered English style cask conditioned ale to the Stockholm pubs Akkurat and Oliver Twist since 2006. In 2008, former home brewer Charles Cassino started to brew commercially at the brew pub Monks Café in Stockholm.

The same year saw the establishment of Strömshoms Brygghus in Kolbäck and Eskilstuna Ölkultur, both in the Mälar valley west of Stockholm. Since then, some 20 breweries or so has started in various parts of Sweden, from Malmö and Stockeboda in the south to Klövsjö and Skelleftehamn in the north.

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Ängö Kvartersbryggeri in Kalmar on the southeastern coast is run by the former home brewer Johan Håkansson, who already won a medal at Stockholm Beer & Whisky Festival.

Another phenomenon in recent years are capable brewers like Stefan Gustavsson and Jessica Heidrich working as “flying beermakers” (Jessica’s slogan) producing their beers at different plants where there is capacity. Both started in the home brewing world and both are tied to influential beer importers today. This has caused some grunting among Swedish craft brewers with purists in one corner and more free spirits in the other. But the vast majority takes an intermediate and tolerant position, arguing it is all about making good beer after all. Stefan Gustavsson’s brand is called Mohawk and Jessica Heidrich’s is Sankt Erik. They are both commercially successful and make excellent beers, mostly in a modern, hoppy style.

For the most complete and trustworthy list of corrent Swedish breweries, please look at http://www.svenskaolframjandet. se/brewery_map. I am sure that there are breweries that I have not mentioned that are going to be legendary. And that makes me happy.

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The Woman Behind S:t Eriks Text: Noel Sheehy & topbeer.se Meet the Brewer, Jessica Heidrich, though she calls herself Flying Beermaker & Brand Manager. Make no mistake this woman is funny, humble and really knows her beers, it is no surprise she enjoyed great success at the recent Stockholm Beer and Whisky Festival.

Can you tell us the history behind the Brewery?

It all started 1859 when Johan Gottlob and Carl Christopher Brusell founded Brussells Bryggeri AB at Kungsholmstorg in Stockholm. They were quite innovative and forward thinking and quickly adopted the new German ways of brewing, like the pale bottom fermenting lager beers. They also filtered the water from Riddarfjärden and they used steam to clean the fermentation vessels and brewery equipment which paved the way for success with higher quality and longer stability of the beers.

But the real success came during 1870’s when they launched the S:t Eriks beer. It was such a huge success and they were appointed purveyor to the court and renamed the brewery 1881 to S:t Eriks Bryggeri. The brand existed until 1959 when Pripps terminated the brewery which at that time had moved to Södermalm and Åsögatan 113 (the block as Stalands Möbler now inhabits). During 2001 one of the founders, and CEO, of Galatea Spirits AB Torbjörn Sundwall acquired the rights to the brand name S:t Eriks.

And where do you come in to this beery equation?

I have been working for Galatea for 2 years. It was pure incident that I met with Torbjörn, and beery likeness developed.

After some discussions he asked me if I were interested in relaunching the S:t Erik’s brand. Galatea had bought the brand off Pripps year 2001 and Torbjörn has ever since been eager to do something “Crafty” with it, but had not found the right person for it until now.

What is your background?

I’ve been home-brewing since I was a student and instead of making wine, as all the others in my dorm, I made beer. I was throwing a party and brewed my first batch to the occasion and people really liked it! I think it was because it was free beer, but hey, flattery works, so I kept at it. I studied microbiology and biochemistry in Uppsala and fermentation was sort of practical studies she say’s with a big smile. After her time in Uppsala she’s been working as a research scientist in the biotech industry from 1990-2009, researching amongst others diseases like Glaucoma, Parkinsons and diabetes at Pharmacia, BioVitrum and lately stemcell research of the adult brain at NeuroNova.

It says “Flying Beermaker” on the bottles. What’s that?

I adopted, and adapted, the title from the wine industry and my friend Luke Nichols, the brewer at Epic Brewing Co, NZ. The term “flying winemaker” is a commonly used these days, as winemakers from both hemispheres travel back and forward to participate in two harvests seasons each year by jumping on a plane to a different climate zone. This globalization has effected the style of the wine regardless of where the grapes are planted, because the flying winemakers themselves are changing and influencing how the wine is made, and taste, 8 TOP BEER & WHISKY Nº 1 2012

more then were the grapes has grown. That goes for my beers as well. I split my time between different breweries, brewing beer that more reflects my way of thinking rather than the style of the brewery it self. I brew at Sigtuna Brygghus, were we are part owners now, and Slottskällans Bryggeri. I’m very fortunate to brew with some of Sweden’s best microbreweries, can one go wrong?!

What makes your beers so unique?

I don’t know, but I think I blame my upbringing for my interest of the good things in life. My father was a chef in Germany and food has always been very central and important part of our family’s life. We were taught at a very young age to appreciate the classics and proper food. We have always paid attention to different aromas and flavours. At home we had huge orchards and a massive vegetable garden. We even had our own sheep. I think my upbringing has helped me in many ways. I always have a very clear goal of what I like to obtain. When I design a recipe for a new beer I know from the start how it should look and taste like. I make beers that I like and I like balanced, flavourful and aromatic beers. Life is too short to drink dull beers, that’s why I try to brew my beers flavourful but not to overpowering. It’s like cooking a chilli; A very hot chilli is easy to make but, too much heat is numbing. The trick is to use the spices so they still create heat but with flavour. You do not want to start a fire that destroys everything you meant to obtain. Same goes for the hops while brewing. Flavour not numbness. That is what I like, and so far it seems that others appreciate that simple concept as well.

Tell me about the “signum” of your beers Elegance and flavourful is probably the key signum’s of my beers, “I’m a hop hearted woman”. Many of my beers main character come from the hops, like the S:t Eriks Pilsner. It is a very modern style pale lager with loads of American Amarillo hops which gives it an aroma reminiscent of exotic fruits. In April this year I launched a 4,5% pale ale (S:t Eriks Pale Ale) with a new hop called Citra. The Citra hop gives the pale ale a citusy, blond grape, gooseberry, elderberry flowery, rubarby flavour.

Almost like a Sauvignon Blanc wine. The S:t Eriks IPA contains the hop Centennial that is very resinious and gives the beer nice piny, woody notes to match the malts in it. It all in the hops.

How does a regular brewing day look like?

No day is like the other. I travel around a lot and share my time between Sigtuna Brygghus, Slottskällans Bryggeri and the office near Globen. I do quite a lot of test brewing trying out new ideas in smaller scale. I think I’ve brewed over 80 mini brews since I started here. I am curious by nature and always testing new hops, yeast strains, fermentation temperatures and new malts before up scaling to full production. Quite some time is spent on planning future brews, checking how the fermentationand

lagering proceeds, quality control etc. I’m a control freak when it comes to quality. An other big part of my time is focused on Systembolaget and support of our eminent sales force with everything from planning what to brew when, to tap signs and spreading information about the brews to assembling info sheets and updating our new S:t Erik web site. Now I’m already planning for Christmas 2012. This job will never get boring!

What are your reasons for such success?

I always try to find the balance in things. I’m a big beer geek and I try to create beers that are interesting for other beer geeks and that is challenging, but not deteriorating, to the normal beer drinkers.

I could never have dreamed this was going to get so big, so fast. The first beer was launched one and a half year ago and we quickly ran out of production capacity at Slottskällans Bryggeri were we first started to brew. I often wonder if Urban Nilsson, my friend and brewer at Slottskällan, if he knew what he was saying yes to that day in November a couple of years ago when I called him and asked if I could come up and brew a couple of test batches. Slottskällan has since then been able to invested in a number of new lagering tanks, they have updated the tap line, expanded into a new warehouse etcetera. Even thou, we run out of capacity some times. That’s why we have joined with Sigtuna as well. Via a new emission of stocks we have been able to finance a new state-of-the-art Kaspar-Schulz brewhouse at Sigtuna. We still brew at both locations and will keep on doing that. They are fantastic to work with.

All good beers have stories, could you share some of yours?

We launched S:t Eriks Pilsner the first of April 2010, I had a guy complaining to me that it wasn’t like a proper Pilsner. It was too bitter and floral and recommended “The little missy to talk with the guys at the brewery that understood such stuff”.

Since the launch was April Fools day, I first thought the mail was a hoax from one of my friends, but after some thought I concluded that it might after all, be some one that actually was serious. I mailed the guy, thanking him for making the effort and explained the Pilsner actually was meant to be that way. He’s a big fan ever since.

Since I have some what of an unusual name, and it is written on the bottle label, I often get people contacting me about what they think about my beers, both good and bad reviews as well as requests. I’m baffled by all the attention. A couple got engaged and sent me a picture of the ring and champagne flutes with my Pilsner in, thanking me for making their day! Those things make all the hard work worth it.

Any thing else we should know? Plans for the future?

The most recent is that I have developed a porter. In my opinion you can’t have a brewery without making a porter. In Sweden we have the classic Carnegie Porter. It’s the oldest brand still in use in Sweden. This year it’s their175th Year Anniversary.

Porter is quite chocolaty, caramelly and smooth. Whereas stout is more burnt and roasted. Porter is the perfect companion to everything from beef to pudding. A classic Swedish combination is porter and Prinsesstårta. It’s a magnificent cake, as smooth and beautiful as a fondant-covered cake yet with a marzipan exterior.

Any secrets/myths we should know about?

No secrets, no myths but the beer legend, Jackson, once told me, I think it was 1999; ”In Sweden you have a huge problem. You homebrewers are so skilled that you might scare away the beginners” Since then I’ve become Swedish Homebrewing Champion four times. Twice I won the Scandinavian Championships, and competed in the US and earned some ribbons. At that time we hardly had any microbreweries. Today we have almost 50 breweries in Sweden; a majority of those has been started by homebrewers like me. I think on the contrary to what Mr. Jackson said that we have inspired many to pursue their interest in beer. I judge at different home brewing competitions and the quality is stunning, so I would say that the future for Swedish beer culture looks more promising than ever.

Any tips for people out there still searching for their right beer/ale?

Every time Systembolaget launches their new releases, buy them all and arrange a blind tasting with your friends. It’s great fun and very educational. Take turns buying the new beers and it’s a perfect excuse to meet with your friends. I don’t know any guy that would say no to such an invitation and I know from experience that the girls think it’s great fun to.

What’s the aim/ goal of the Brewery?

To grow and to keep on winning respect and appreciation for our beers. I think we might be on the right track since we won the trophy for being the best brewery of all 193 competing breweries at Stockholm Beer & Whisky Festival now in October.

I’m still dazed! Everything has been going so fast. I have a hard time grasping the attention, and the honour, of receiving all the medals. I still see myself as a homebrewer. We use to say that the only difference between a homebrewer and a professional brewer is the size of the pots we brew in and that homebrewer measure gravity in Öchsle and the brewers in Plato. But one thing is sure; We all brew with our hearts.

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Thai-style Beef Skewers I have a kind of bloggy confession to make. I’ve been going on (and on, and on) about the joys of pairing beer and food over recent months and yet when I look back through my posts searching for anything to do with this amazingly rewarding past-time I can only find a handful of articles. I have therefore fallen into the classic trap of not practising what I preach.

Not good enough!

Although, in my defence, I actually do practice combining the flavours and textures of beer and food all the time at home, where most evening meals (I tend to skip breakfast) are enjoyed with a bottle of beer to share at the table.

Like yesterday for example, when we decided to have a BBQ at the summerhouse and catch the last warm rays of another wonderful summer’s day up here in Norrland. Fancying something a little more ‘exotic’ than the more traditional pork and salmon meals I’ve recently prepared on the BBQ me and the missus went for spicy Thai-style beer skewers, to which I paired BrewDog Punk IPA. Here’s what we did: Cut the thin beef slices (lövbiff) into long strips and put onto wooden skewers (make sure to soak the skewers in water for approximately 30 minutes before so they don’t burn so quickly on the BBQ).

Rub the strips with roughly-cut fresh garlic, lime juice and lime & lemongrass pepper, fresh coriander, soy sauce and sunflower oil (to help them stop sticking to the BBQ grill).

Flash cook on the BBQ (they really only need a minute or two each side otherwise they dry out and adopt the texture of shoe leather) and serve immediately with lightly salted Basmati rice.To this serve with a dip made of: Fresh lime juice, Soy Sauce, Fresh chopped Garlic, Crushed chilli.

Fresh coriander (this is the secret to this dip so make sure whenever possible to use freshly picked coriander). .I drank Punk IPA with this meal (actually I had a sneaky bottle before while waiting for the BBQ to glow ) and the beer’s tropical fruit body practically made out with all the lime and coriander.

I can also imagine the coriander ‘core’ to this dish makes it a good fit for a Belgium Wit beer

Hire me for a Beer Talk Do you want to do something different for your next conference, kick-off, or corporate event? Perhaps you’re a group of friends who want to expand their drinks knowledge and have a good time doing it?

Then move over wine and whisky because there’s a new drink in town and it’s called beer.

With international beer expert Darren Packman as your guide you can now explore the amazing colours and flavours of the world’s most popular drink.

(like this one), a herby pilsner (like this one) or a piney US hop bomb (like this one).

There. I feel a little better now, although the Beer and Food category of this blog is still more frozen chicken nuggets when it should be grilled jam-glazed free-range chicken breasts (if you know what I mean).

So please, if any of you have beer and food pairings that work for you, whether you’re a professional chef or a passionate amateur who likes to match their meals with beer (or add it to the ingredients) then why not send them (English or Swedish) to me at darren@ beersweden.se and I’ll happily add them to the blog.

Together we can make mealtimes more interesting! Thanks *This article is based on a post I made over at the new BeerSweden Forum, where members are beginning to add their own recipes and tasty food/ beer combos. For inspiration and much more you really should get over there and check it out!

D i s c l a i m e r : I ’ m B r e w D o g ’s Scandinavian representative. I am also the one who ALWAYS gets to peel the potatoes.

With his relaxed, fun and fastpaced style Darren will introduce you to the major beer styles, talk a little bit about the history of beer, why beer can be good for you (in moderation!), how to taste beer like a professional and why he firmly believes beer can take the place of wine at the dinning room table.

Talks can be adapted to last from 45 minutes to three hours, depending on the number of people and the types of beers tasted.

Interested?

To find out more contact Darren at darren@beersweden.se Cheers and Beers!

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“Watts” Up At BrewDog? Here we meet the main man of BrewDog. Interesting his title is “ Head of Stuff” James B Watt is carefree and down to earth.

Text: Topbeer.se BrewDog is a Scottish brewery located in the town of Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire. BrewDog produces bottled and canned beers in a variety of styles such as ale, stout, IPA and lager, some of which are also available in keg and cask ale containers. The bottled beers are widely distributed to British supermarkets and are exported worldwide to countries including Japan, Taiwan, Estonia, Finland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, The Netherlands, the United States of America and Australia. The kegs and casks are available in a small number of locations throughout the UK. What is your background and the Brewery’s?

I couldn’t find Beers I liked so hobby turned into company.

BrewDog was founded in 2006 by me and my mate Martin Dickie. The brewery at the Kessock Industrial Estate in Fraserburgh produced its first brew in April 2007. It claims to be Scotland’s largest independently owned brewery producing about 120,000 bottles per month for export all over the world.

How long have you worked with the brewery?

I’m there since 2007!

All good Beers have a story, what’s the story behind yours?

It’s a rebellion against mass produced beer.

Is there anything unique with your Brewery?

We’re trying to upset trends in the beer world. We’re making beer with attitude, we got hoppy beer with full flavour and we want to challenge people’s perceptions.

What’s the aim/ goal of the Brewery?

Our aim is to make other people passionate about beer!

It depends what you are eating, it depends on the atmosphere.

What gives your beer its unique taste?

We use mountains of hops. We keep things simple. We add dry hops after fermentation.

Anything else you want to share with us?

We’ve opened three bars in Aberdeen, Glasgow and Edinburgh. We serve only our beers and selected beers. People can go in on our site and buy a share in our company for £95!!!

BrewDog’s core range of beers include: • Trashy Blonde (4.1% ABV) - a hoppy golden ale; one of the most widely available cask beers in the BrewDog stable.

• Punk IPA (5.6% ABV, previously 6.0% ABV) - a hoppy and powerful ale in the American style. Their flagship brand.

• 77 Lager (4.7% ABV) - a Pilsener-style lager (this is our flagship, half of what we sell) • 5 AM Saint (5.0% ABV) - a red ale • Hardcore IPA (9.2% ABV) - an extremely hoppy and strong double IPA • Zeitgeist (4.9% ABV) - a black lager • The Physics (5.0% ABV) - an amber beer • Paradox (10% ABV) - a whisky cask aged stout available in differing editions depending on the source of the aging cask. (We called it this as its strong) • Rip Tide (8% ABV) - an imperial stout, also occasionally available in a 4%abv form (We called it this as its big and strong) • Bashah (9% ABV) -(Black As Sin Hoppy as Hell) a hybrid of imperial stout, Belgian abbey ale and IPA, made in collaboration with Stone Brewing (this is very hoppy) • I Hardcore You (9.5% ABV) - an imperial IPA, made by blending BrewDog’s Hardcore IPA and Mikkeller’s I Beat You • Dogma (7.8% ABV) - a heather honey infused ale (named after Scottish heather)

Talk us through the brewing process at your place, describe a regular brewing day?

• Tokyo* (18.2% ABV) - A very strong imperial stout (named after the place where I came up with the ingredients)

I’m a “Jack of all trades” I’m fixing every and anything!

• Nanny State (1.1% ABV) - a very weak but extremely heavily hopped bitter, brewed as a reaction to criticism of the high strength of their beers

Is the export market not an important market, countries?

50% goes over seas. Our target market is borderline alcoholics and those with commitment issues!

Any secrets/myths we should know about?

We’re quite open and transparent.

Any tips for people out there still searching for their right beer/ale?

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• Tactical Nuclear Penguin (32% ABV) ( name is due to ice distillation) • Sink The Bismarck! (41% ABV) - at the time, the strongest beer ever produced. A quadruple IPA. (these should be drank like whisky) • The End of History (55% ABV) - the world’s strongest beer.

• the AB: series of experimental beers

In 2009, Tokyo* caused controversy when UK watchdog the Portman Group criticised the availability of a beer of that strength in 330 ml bottles with traditional crown corks. Since then BrewDog has produced progressively stronger beers of very high strength, and has laid claim to the title ‘strongest beer ever brewed’ on more than one occasion.

Late in November 2009, BrewDog launched a beer called Tactical Nuclear Penguin, with 32% alcohol, which was claimed to be the strongest beer ever made.

Last year BrewDog announced Sink The Bismarck, an apparent 41% A.B.V. to reclaim the World’s Strongest Beer title from Schorschbräu, who had produced a 40% A.B.V. version of their Schorschbock.

In July last year, BrewDog produced a 55% A.B.V. freeze-distilled beer called The End of History, with the bottles packaged in the stuffed dead bodies of small animals, priced at £500 and £700 each. Only 12 bottles were produced; 11 for retail sale, with the other one going to internet video blog BeerTapTV. BrewDog claim that this set new records not only for alcoholic strength in a beer, but also for price. Advocates for Animals called the gimmick ‘perverse’.

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Dugges, Sweden’s West Coast Brewery Text: Noel Sheehy & topbeer.se Pop into any good beer house in Gothenburg and you’ll see a number of taps pumping a variety of Dugges Ales. On a recent trip to Gothenburg I was delighted to see an explosion in the number of proper beer bars there. Here we meet the man behind Dugges Ales & Porter Brewery Ltd, Mikael Dugge Engstrom.

The first message from the brewery is, “ Beer culture has witnessed a real renaissance. Pub guests no longer ask for “stor stark” but instead ask curiously what is hidden behind the counter taps. Flavourful ale, porter and stout, has been rediscovered. The enormous range of flavours and fragrances accommodated in a beer glass is eagerly discussed.

We at Dugges Ale & Porter Brewery brew the finest malt and spiced with hearty hop rations. It is our way to brighten up your journey of discovery through the beer world.Want to know more about our craft, do not hesitate to contact us.

Here are our beers and a description of them.

Göteborgssviten- Old Swedish traditions combined with British obstinacy and American innovation.

Express Yourself! - Severe forms - fuller, bitter, stronger!

Nationalsviten- different nationalities - different character?

Säsongsöl - Christmas, Easter, summer and party!

Brewers Workshop - Happy experiment!

Lageröl - lager on Duggish!

Folköl - low alcohol levels and high taste!

Special brews- custom designed for restaurants.

Can you tell us the story behind the Brewery and is there anything unique with it?

In 2002 I had dinner with a nice guy from England. We started to talk about beer and micro breweries. I said to him that we didn’t have many of these in Sweden, not like England, Germany, Canada and US. He than told me that he had a friend who made his living from selling used brewery equipment in England.

When I went home that evening I had a lot of questions in my head. What kind of equipment do you need? Is it expensive?

Is it legal to make beer in Sweden? And how the hell do you make beer?

I started to look for information and found out that there were close to nothing of that kind in Sweden. So I checked amazon. com and started to buy a couple of “shelf-meters” of books I read a lot of books during 3 years and also bought stainless steal tanks and other equipment when I found something. In 2005 I found a place to install the brewery. I had made six recipes (Göteborgssviten) and thought it was time to practise some brewing. I made a small 20 litre brew house and brewed 14 TOP BEER & WHISKY Nº 1 2012

six times. In April 2005 it was time to make the firs full scale brewing and my first brew was Avenyn Ale (two gold medals for “best Swedish beer all categories” is Stockholm Beer & Whisky Festival) What is your background and how long have you worked with the brewery?

I’m a marine engineer, but I have not worked on a ship since Jesus had shorts. I have also worked with e-commerce and real estate and some other stuff. Dugges is my very first brewery experience.

What’s the aim/ goal of the Brewery?

To make nice beers and to be a good, stable and profitable company so all employees can feel safe, secure and have some fun. We are building a new brewery in Landvetter just outside Gothenburg and we hope that it will be ready for brewing in the middle of January. At last we will be able to deliver all beers that our costumers ask for. The capacity will extend from 160 000 liter per year to around 800 000 to 1000 000 litres per year.

We will also be able to make a lot of “jam sessions” with other established brewers and some skilful home brewers.

All good Beers have a story, what’s the story behind yours?

Well, I think we have brewed around 70 different beers so far, so there are a lot of stories. You read the story about Avenyn Ale. Talk us through the brewing process at your place, describe a regular brewing day?

We start at 7.00 with mashing the grist we made ready the day before. After mashing we have breakfast and plan the work for the day.

At 8.00 it’s time to mash out and start to pump the wort to the boiler. It takes about an hour.

Around 11.30 the wort starts to boil and do so for an hour.

During the boil we remove the spent grain, add the hops and have lunch.

After lunch it’s time to chill the wort and pump it to the fermenter.

Of course we also prepare (clean and disinfect) all pipes and tanks while we brew.

In the afternoon we clean, tap kegs, pump, clean, pump, clean, clean and clean. Sometimes we also take a cup of coffee.

Any secrets/myths we should know about?

We have no secrets what I know and I don’t think there are any myths. We just make beer!

Any tips for people out there still searching for their right beer/ ale?

Absolutely! Keep on searching.

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Third Generation Brewing Czech Here is an interview with Brew master Vaclav Berka, the third generation of his family brewing with Pilsner Urquell.

Text: topbeer.se Images: From

Pilsner Urquell.

How long have you worked with the Pilsner Urquell brewery, and what is your background?

I am officially working with Pilsner Urquell 31-years from July1980. I say Officially because when my father (who was Chief Of Fermentation Cellars) worked there I would also go there and help him as a holiday worker during my holidays in high school and university. I studied Biotechnology

We brew the Pilsner Urquell almost 170 years with the same ingredients and process. To be sure, that beer produced in modern equipment is the same like in history, we have one department, where we do fermentation in wooden casks and maturation in wooden barrels. This beer is daily tasted by all visitors of brewery. Last year more than 200.000 visitors confirmed that taste of Pilsner Urquell is excellent.

Can you tell us the history behind the Brewery?

This brewery has huge history so I will answer many questions within my answer. Beer has been brewed in Pilsen since the city’s foundation in 1295. However there were no official rules and people in many houses made and sold beer which was very inconsistent in taste and flavour. The beer was dark and cloudy made with upper fermenting yeast. The malt was dried over an open flame thus adding to the darkness.

In 1839 they start to built a modern brewery after carrying out much research abroad, ie Germany, Austria, UK,.. The brewery was founded by all citizens who owned “brewing law” as Bürgerbrauerei (Citizens’ brewery or Měšťanský pivovar in Czech). The first brew was brewed in 1842 by Bavarian brewer Josef Groll.

The beer he made was a great surprise to everyone. It was bottom fermented beer, with the malt dried via heated air. This made the beer much lighter in colour, like the golden colour we have today. This new beer was so good it was copied immediately by other brewers.

In 1859, “Pilsner Bier” was registered as a brand name at the local Chamber of Commerce and Trade. In 1869, a competitor was founded as a joint stock company, later known as Gambrinus. In 1898 the Pilsner Urquell (Prazdroj) trade mark was created, to underline the claim of being the older, original source of Pilsner beer.

What’s the aim/ goal of the Brewery?

We are sending to our customers the beer which is in my opinion the best around the world. We wish to have on every place, where is the beer served, beer with excellent quality for more and more consumers.

Are you responsible for Pilsner Urquell ?

Yes I work with it. We export Pilsner Urquell to more than 55 countries and today 70% of beers around the world is type Pils, Pilsner or Pilsener. Pilsen is the name of small Bohemian town in Czech Republic.

What gives Pilsner Urquell its unique taste?

Taste of Pilsner Urquell is done by using three unique ingredients pilsner soft water, pilsner malt and Saaz hops. For brewing we use historical process which was set by Josef Groll. This means three mash decoction in cooper kettle, heated by open flame.

By fermentation the beer is not so deeply fermented. It gives to beer higher body and fullness. Than we mature the beer to complete all tastes and aromas. Experts like it. We have lower level of alcohol balanced with higher level of residual extract which creates a sweet taste. We use more hops and bitterness, which together gives it a good balance.

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Is there anything unique with your Brewery?

Our story is unique because it is true. Our Brewery is a magical place. We have produced beer for a long time using the same ingredients and style and we have analysis older than 110 years. On the basis of those evidences we say the Pilsner Urquell is the same.

h!

Is Pilsner Urquell brewed like the regular Czech lagers?

Yes we use only three ingredients - Pilsner Malt ( from Czech Barley ), Saaz Hops and soft pilsner water. Czech Brewers has

by European Union registration of the Protecteted Geografical Indication “Czech Beer” where are fixed all most important steps by production Czech lagers.

Talk us through the brewing process at your place, describe a regular brewing day?

It is not single to describe our brewing process and of course we have a few secrets around it. But what is usefull generally by brewing, you should brew the beer with heart and love. This is only way to achieve great and drinkable beer. Important is also care about the beer on the way to the glass of consumer. We say in Czech Brewmaster is brewing the beer, but bartender is making beer. Bartender can destroy the effort of all people from brewery to the pub, but if he will serve the beer with love, he could still increase experience of beer lovers.

Any tips for people out there still searching for their right beer?

I have single tip to go to the Brewery in Pilsen and taste the beer directly on place where was born in 1842. To achieve the same taste of Pilsner Urquell around the world like in Pilsner Brewery we arrange competitions for Master Bar Tenders and we teach the people how to care and serve the beer properly. I think people are happy with the results of our activities.

Why are Czech lagers so tasty?

They are not so deeply fermented and have high drinkability.

The leader in this is Pilsner. Czech has the tradition and has the highest consumption of beer in the world per capita, (140litre per person). We drink beer as fresh as possible.

I invite all your readers to come to Czech Republic and drink beer in our Brewery where its taste is the best!

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Chimay Belgian Brew!

Meet one of the men working with Chimay, Fabrice Bordon, Sales Manager Export market.

Chimay Brewery (“Bières de Chimay”) is a beer brewery in Chimay, southern Hainaut, Belgium. The brewery is located in the Scourmont Abbey, a Trappist monastery, and is one of the seven breweries worldwide that produce Trappist beer. They make three widely distributed ales: Chimay Rouge, Chimay Bleue, and Chimay Blanche; and they make one patersbier .

How long have you worked with the brewery?

I’m working there 11 years and I was 5 years with InBev in Belgium also.

Can you tell us the history behind the Brewery?

In 1850, 17 Trappist monks coming from Westvleteren, were offered land by the prince of Chimay. They built a new community and 10 years, they were 80. At that time Belgium was divided into lots of principalities. The brewery was founded inside Scourmont Abbey, in the Belgian municipality of Chimay, they brewed for the first time, in 1862, Chimay Red in large bottle 75 cl. Next year is the 150th Anniversary. Its called Premiere as it was the first. It was brewed until the second world war, when the equipment from the brewery was stoled to make ammunition. The red is 7% abv.

After the war Fr Theodore re-equipped the brew house in the monastery and they began brewing again Chimay Red with new yeast. In the end of the fourties Fr Theodore brewed a Christmas Beer. The beer was so successful that Christmas

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Beer became Chimay Blue available all year along (darker and stronger 9%). In the middle of the sixties Fr Theodore decided to brew something more hoppy and bitter so he made 10 litres for himself, the monks were like him very impressed with creation of the white cap (now called Chimay Triple). In 1986, there was the launch of Triple in 75cl bottle called “Cinq Cents”. That year was the 500th Anniversary of the Principalty of Chimay. Later in 2001, creation of the Triple on draught.

Describe the Beers?

The ingredients have been the subject of interest: all the beers are made from water coming from the abbey wells, malted barley, wheat starch, sugar, hop extract and yeast.

Chimay Rouge (Red), 7% abv. In the 75 cl bottle, it is known as Première. It is a dark brown colour and has a sweet, fruity aroma.

Chimay Bleue (Blue), 9% abv darker ale. In the 75 cl bottle, it is known as Grande Réserve. This copper-brown beer has a light creamy head and a slightly bitter taste.Considered to be the “classic” Chimay ale, it exhibits a considerable depth, peppery character.

Chimay Blanche (White), or Chimay Triple, 8% abv golden triple. In the 75 cl bottle, it is known as Cinq Cents. This crisp beer bears a light orange colour, and is the most hopped and driest of the three.

Chimay Dorée (Golden), 4.8% abv ale, brewed from very similar ingredients as the Red, but paler and spiced differently.

It is a Patersbier, intended only to be drunk at the abbey or at the nearby inn Auberge de Poteaupré, which is associated with the abbey. The monks themselves drink this variety rather than the stronger three. The Dorée is not sold commercially.

Like many strong Belgian beers, those produced at Chimay age well and can be cellared for at least five years whilst maintaining quality. The Chimay Bleue variety can be aged for upwards of 15 years.

Is the export market an important market, countries?

Absolutely, in 1983 large scale exporting began. Before the beer was exported only to France, which has its border just some kilometres away. In 2005 the US became the main country for export.

Describe the Brewing Process?

The brewing process for Chimay Trappist beers is 5 weeks long. For the initial 3 days it’s in the 1st fermentation tank. Then there is 10 days maturation. Then it is transferred from mobile tank to bottling plant. All manufacturing of beer occurs in monastery. When we fill the mobile tank we put in fresh yeast and liquid sugar. This initiates new fermentation in the bottle. So the 2nd fermentation is in the bottle. Otherwise the beer would be flat. This occurs with temperatures of 24 degrees, yeast and pressure supplies CO 2. The beer is transported from the monastery to the bottling plant 12 km away, which can fill 40,000 bottles per hour, of which many are returns

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What gives Chimay Ale its unique taste?

The 5 ingredients are water, barley, yeast, malt, barley hops. We own 2 ingredients locally. Water is pumped from 40 metres below. The filtered solids from the beer mash are recycled into livestock feed. In 1975 the bottling plant and warehouse were built.

Is there anything unique with your Brewery?

We have only 3 beers. Gold Cap is beer only for monks, its 4.8%. We have increased sales each year in our 3 beers.

Chimay Blue is most popular. It makes up 52% of total sales, 23% is Red Chimay and 25% is Triple. In our production 55% is for the home market and 45% is for export.

Any secrets/myths we should know about Chimay?

It is only brewed in Belgium not abroad. It guarantees the consumer the Trappist origin of the products according to wellestablished principles:The monastic community is engaged in management and all aspects of the means necessary for their operation. This must clearly reflect both the unquestionably subordinate relationship with the beneficiary monastery and the relationship with the culture of the enterprise itself in the plan of monastic life. The income provides for the major portion of the necessities of the community and for social services. For Chimay monks 90% of the benefits should go to charity(local schools etc). The monks use the other 10% to live off.

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Man In the Moon When you’re talking about one of the best pubs/bars in Stockholm, there is always more than one person behind it. For Man in the Moon I met their team, Daniel and Sakir. Eryo might call the shots but these guys are holding the fort.

Text: Noel Sheehy & topbeer.se Do you see it as an niche pub or would you prefer a more generic image?

Our niche is not a special beer or country, instead our focus lies on good quality beer from micro breweries, it doesn’t matter if the brewery is Swedish, African or Canadian. We have beer from all over the world and our goal is to show people that beer is something that is brewed everywhere.

What drew you towards bar trade and what’s your background?

(Sakirs’ answer) I’ve worked here for 8-years. I joined the restaurant business in 1989. I worked in a lot of different pubs and restaurants.

(This guy knows more about beer than anyone else I’ve ever interviewed in the pubs.)

(Daniel’s answer) I’ve worked here 8 years. Before that I worked in Belgobaren for 3 years.

At Man in the Moon we really offer the guest something for every taste.

What ‘s the main thing you would communicate to our readers about Man in the Moon?

Our focus is mainly in Beer, and after this we got the whiskies. As a bar we have developed in terms of assortment.

We bring in new beers every week, we got a lot of contacts with importers and so on. (Daniel) I was in Florida in the summer and noticed what people were drinking and 90% of the beers were these light beers. I visit breweries on my vacations, I speak to pubs, you can’t relax in this business, otherwise you can fall behind.

We consider ourselves among the top pubs in Sweden. Our main focus is not to have as many beers as possible, any pub can do that. Our aim is to have quality and know how to sell it. Knowledge is a big element in this pub. We cover all the beer types.

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What kind of questions do you get from guests, and which ones most often?

People often ask what beer we recommend for them but it’s hard to answer a question like that when you don’t know what type of beer that person like. But we can always find a beer for everyone, even people that doesn’t drink beer.

What’s the secret to making a great pub?

Sincerity, humbleness and continuity. You must have a knowledgeable staff who can guide people through the beer jungle. We don’t consider ourselves as salesmen; we want to educate the customer to a level so he can have an experience and decide by himself.

It’s the same for whiskies, we want to cover all types of whiskies. For instance we have covered all types of Scottish malts and have the English Single Malt Whisky here and a couple of Japanese sorts. We got some rare whiskies such as Ben Riach 25 year old, only two pubs in Stockholm have this. Yesterday a guy offered 2,000 SEK for a rare bottle of Närke Kaggen beer we got. We refused! That beer was voted as the best beer in the world.

What’s the most important thing for people coming into a Bar? For us at Man in the Moon we see that it is important for the guest to feel relaxed, welcomed and to know that he or she can have guidance through our extensive drink menu at anytime.

What’s the most important thing for staff of a Bar? For us it’s vital to be up to date regarding new beers or breweries on the market. Another thing is to really welcome the guest and let him feel that he is no stranger. Knowledge is also another thing that’s fundamental; you don’t really want to receive a question about your menu that you can’t answer. We try all the drinks here, so any drink we bring in we know it already and have found something we like in it.

What countries are you importing from and what alcohols?

We import directly from Belgium.

What drove you to provide so many beers? Did you see a lack of a particular drink out there?

We saw a lack of range when it came to beers, especially in Sweden, when you go in to a bar and order a “stor stark”, meaning just a large beer, people didn’t care what they got, they just wanted a beer. We wanted to extend the beer range and widen people’s views when it comes to beer. You can have a beer that is more complex and tasty than a “stor stark”.

What’s changed in the Bar world in the last few years?

In a bar like Man in the Moon we see that through the years people are more aware of what they drink. And also that small “stor stark”-bars have started to sell quality beers.

What’s the biggest challenge Today?

We work with a lot of micro breweries and we give them opportunities to advertise their products that we like.

Every year we have at least four themes, for example in March we had a Swedish theme. Our food menu was completely Swedish and from our 30 draughts we served more than 60 different kinds of Swedish micro beers. In September we arrange our popular German October fest and in January next year we plan for an IPA theme and to have at least 25 IPA’s on tap at the same time.

You need to keep up to date, there are new breweries springing up daily, and even here in Sweden there seems to be a new brewery emerging on a monthly basis. It can be difficult to know what’s happening all the time and of course you never want to get left behind. Competition is good; there are other good pubs in the area. We feel we got good service and a knowledgeable Staff so it’s really not a problem.

We like to pair our beer with food, we are proud to serve regular bar food such as Club Sandwich and our home made burgers. Also as a gastropub we offer great á la carte meals. For example we have an excellent Canadian cacao & chocolate stout that’s terrific with our chocolate mousse.

What’s your beer assortment like?

We got 30 beer taps, over 200 bottle beers and over 200 vintage bottle beers. (I got to see these on a tour down stairs to the cellars) When we got a theme going we take in approximately 60 different beers. We match the drinks so that if we change one for our theme we replace it with a similar one. For example if someone comes in regularly drinking Czech, then during a theme if we remove that Czech we’ll put in another beer with similar taste, and recommend it to the drinker.

Eskilstuna makes our own beer.

It’s called Månens Pale Ale. Whatever changes in beer we’ll always focus on good microbreweries.

We choose our beer supplier so we never get pressured to sell a beer we don’t want just because I’ts in their portfolio. We can sell what beers we like.

Tell our readers about your Whiskies?

We got approximately 110 single malt whiskies from six countries. The most expensive is the Ardbeg Provenance 1974. I doubt that you can find it anywhere else, it’s about 1,200 SEK for a single shot of it. We have a couple of nice Blackadders, som rare Glenmorangies and my favourite from 1982, a lovely Port Ellen. We got the whole Mackmyra serie (the Swedish single malt), even the first bottles. We also got a bourbon barrel on our bar filled with a 4,5 year old Mackmyra Whisky.

Sweden lacks a strong Beer production history, could this be an advantage in adopting new beers?

Yes, all these experiments the microbrewers are doing, they’re developing and learning from the American brewers. When you got tradition you got limits.

In the future will Sweden become less dependent on importing beers and more creative in making Swedish beers?Possibly, for us it’s interesting to have beer from all over the world. Some Swedish Pilsner is better than some Czech Pilsner. Swedes like all kind of beers, imagine trying to sell an IPA to Czechs.

Which beers you like the most?

There are almost too many to mention, depends on the mood, the atmosphere, the weather, you name it! But Swedish breweries that we admire are Närke Kulturbryggeri, Eskilstuna Ölkultur, Nynäshamns Ångbryggeri and Oppigårds Bryggeri. My favorite beer during summer is Bud Light, during fall Shipyard Brown Ale, during winter Ola Dubh 16 yo and during spring Månens Pale Ale! (Daniel’s answer) Are you looking to take in more foreign beers? We take in beers we know our guests will enjoy. Otherwise there is no point.

That’s just the whiskies; if we go a step further we got vintage rum and even vintage Tequila from Mexico. And finally we offer quality cognac, calvados and a lot of Swedish snaps.

Is Sweden behind other countries in terms of Beer production or culture?

Sweden was, but not anymore. The quality is good especially the microbreweries, which have changed the beer culture totally. We’ve been trying to show this for the last 7-years.

What would you change in Sweden regarding Alcohol?

I would make it easier to import and reduce the power of Systembolaget.

Furhter on to let the breweries sell their products in the brewery.

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A Great Bar /Restaurant!

German Flavour! Östgötakällaren on Östgötagatan 41, at Medborgarplatsen here in Stockholm is ran by Ragnar Smidt. I got to meet him for a beer, some Schnitzel and most importantly to get an insight into this great restaurant. There is no cheese in this cellar just Vampires!

Text: Noel Sheehy

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Can you give us your background?

Well I’m from Celle a town close to Hannover in Germany and from an early age I wanted to work in the Bar trade. My friend’s ran a successful pub and I decided this was the occupation ever! My grandmother was Swedish so I used to come here fairly often. I had little interest in school so I moved to Sweden when I was 17. Germany was in a bad state after the war. After labour work and office work I saw they were looking for restaurant staff in the central station.

I worked as a waiter there for some years.

While there I educated myself in courses on running a restaurant and bar tender school.

Then I moved into the cocktail bar.

Then I was together with a woman who wanted to lease out a pub, later we approached a Hungarian pub and leased it for three years before moving here.

We started at Östgötakällaren January 2nd 1986.

Pub?

Why did you choose this name for the

We didn’t choose the name but I liked the name and wanted to keep it.

I didn’t give it a German name because at the time Germany was not something I was proud of.

Give us a history of your Pub? There were many former owners. The previous owners were Yugoslavian and had not much luck with the place so it was affordable when we bought it, it was also ran down. Before them the place was called Kicki & Kai’s, and they had the place well run.

Pub?

What should visitors expect at your

A warm hello, they should feel like part of the family from day one. Its important that all guests feel welcome. Consistently good beers not just Swedish but German Czech etc. man?

Would you describe yourself as a Beer

Yes absolutely, I like us having the best beers from Germany, Jever, Hofbrau, Konig Ludwig Dunkel and Schneider Weisse.

What breweries or Distributors are you working with?

I work with Galatea, Brewer y International What’s changed in Beer consumption world in the last few years?

We sell what we believe the visitor will like. Nowadays the pub guest knows to wait for the beer. German Beer is so good, I expect more of it to come into the Swedish market.

Trends change all the time. Czech beer has been popular for the last 20-years, people don’t care if it’s regular or dark. Now it’s IPA which is growing in popularity. Nils Oskar is a popular one also.

What’s changed in the Bar world in the last few years?

There has been some amazing changes, when we started there were so few pubs and only a few restaurants, people went out less. In 1972 there 600 restaurants in Stockholm, Today you have that number in Södermalm. Today you have much more competition.

In 1994 British pubs popped up all over the city. Sweden changed after it entered the EU. We here, needed to change too.

We took some walls out, increasing the area space and changed the menu. We started to offer better food and I tried to make it less trendy so it would last. I wanted it cosy and suitable for people in the neighbourhood, like a second home.

What’s the biggest challenge today?

Survival, it’s a small location and we try to suit different crowds, we maximize the space.

Up until 8-years ago we didn’t use downstairs, Today our downstairs or “Vampire Lounge” is an important part of our premises.

Its for a younger crowd and we don’t serve food downstairs, but we got a great cocktail bar here. Friday and Saturdays are busy, the secret is getting every day busy. ing?

Any future trends that you see com-

The future is good. VAT is coming down in the restaurant trade from 25%to 12%.

Women are drinking more; wine is growing and will continue to do so. People are more health conscious. Fancy restaurants can work for a while but people will return to normal places like this.

Is Sweden behind other countries in terms of Beer production or culture?

Yes 95% politically, behind the other countries. In the 70’s the Prime minister said Sweden should have only one brewery and it should be government owned. In Sweden Beer has been treated as crap.

What would you change in Sweden regarding Alcohol?

Everything- but it’s become much better.

I dislike rules for the restaurants, they lack consistency. In Stockholm we have to be able to sell food up until the last 30 minutes we’re open. This means I have to have a chef working even though I know nobody will be ordering food after 10. Recently I was in a city outside Stockholm and the kitchen had closed at 9, yet the pub was open till one!

It seems like the authorities don’t believe Swedes can behave when alcohol is involved. If feels like we have to be like the police and catch people. If we see someone who has drank too much of course we send them home. If authorities come and see someone drunk it’s us who suffer. We aren’t trusted.

30-years ago people never went out midweek, it was on weekends they went out and when they did, they had been drinking at home, so many were drunk by the time they reached the pub, yet no authorities were checking. Today people are sober when they come out to the pubs. Yes some people can’t be trusted with drink, but they can’t be trusted with anything, and thankfully these are just a few people.

Let me give you another example, you can order a box of whisky at 10 o clock in the morning to your house and drink it all, but in the restaurant branch we have to know everything, how much every one is drinking.

We even have a fan in the toilet in case people tried to do drugs.

Systembolaget is like a union it’s no use. It’s outdated, it might be ok for wine but not for beer. If I got a new beer and want to have it at Systembolaget they make it so difficult, and they make so much money out of it, yet I would have to do all the work, getting it into the country, storing it, and getting it to Systembolaget.

Which German beers you like the most?

Any Swedish Beers would you admire?

I like Jever, it’s easy to drink. And for German Beer there is great German food, Weiner Schnitzel, or Schweinshaxe, Knuddel and Sauerkraut.

Are you looking to take in more German beers?

Unfortunately we are limited by space here.

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Super Beer & Whisky Festivals!!

Meet Marianne Wallberg, the woman behind this wonderful festival at Nackastrandsmässan, Stockholm Remarkable and charming are the two words which best sum up this woman!

She lives by the mantra “If I can’t find the way I’ll make one!”

Tell us about your Beer & Whisky background?

Originally I worked as a consultant in Berns and these kind of places.

Well I applied for a job here at Nackastrandsmässan and I didn’t get it, but then one day I called the guy who got the job before me and he hired me as a consultant. Later on I replaced him.

Where did you get the idea and inspiration for this event?

Basically I was out with my friends and saw a complete lack of knowledge about Beer. People were accepting ordering a “Stor Stark” beer (Big strong ) without know anything about it or how it tastes. A friend of mine gave me a Finnish beer poster of Belgian beers, this really got me thinking.

Is it international as it reads “Beer” as apposed to “öl”?

Absolutely I wanted an international festival, and everyone said you will fail, this is Sweden and Alcohol is so tied down by the law.

Yes and before having it, I asked my friends would they like to go to such a festival and they said absolutely. Then I asked myself what kind of festival would I go to?

It is possible because the exhibitors have their own “pub stands” here where they can sell alcohol.

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How many years have you been doing this event and how many other are involved in organising such an event?

Our first festival was in 1992, we had 143 different beers and had the longest bar in the world which got into Guinness Book of Records. In 1993 I took in whisky and there were few club and very little of a whisky culture.

How much has it grown over the years? Any current numbers?

Today we got 2,000 different beers,1200 competing in the competition. There are 1500 whiskies and 400 of them in the competition. We’ve also had this in Gothenburg and Malmo and Sundsvall.

What do you know about the visitors, is it the same people coming back or are there many new people coming?

Well see for your self(pointing down the stairs at mixed crowds) People of various ages, men and women are here and they are learning. People are getting knowledge. Over 700,000 people have come to this event since it started over 20 years ago!

Any goals for the event?

Our goal remains the same.

EDUCATION is the key message we’re shouting at this festival. We began focusing on educating our exhibitors during 1992-1995. We work together and follow the rules such as no underage serving, no serving to people who have over consumed.

Exhibitors have to do a test.

Any exciting plans?

Have you ever thought of having it outdoors?

Yes lots on the way, we’re setting up the Dryckesacademien.se and taking it all over

Sweden and Education is the key idea. We want people to learn about alcohol. Learning how to avoid the dangers of alcoholism etc.

We are thinking about an outdoor event, I used to rent this hall but later I bought it instead.

We don’t want to make the festival bigger but we can always improve. We’re looking into extending it to Sundays!

Any funny stories from over the years?

Too many to tell but here is one. I spoke to one Swedish drink company who said “Why should I come here and exhibit next to an importer?” So I said “You should be asking why am I not importing?” Today they are huge importers as they already had the logistics for distributing their own beer!

Any famous people attended? Whisky or beer buffs?

Well beer legend Michael Jackson was a great help to me and this was his favourite Beer event in the world! He was a fantastic man and so humble famed for his line, “My two favourite brands are beer and whisky!”. Whiskyman Jim Murray is here next week so that’s something we’re all looking forward to!

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Krusovice- The King Of Czech Beers!

Interviewing Brew masters is always nice, but when it’s a favourite Czech beer its all the better.

Brewery manager Tomas Kosmak was very open and honest in his answers, here they all are!

How long have you worked with the brewery, and what is your background?

I worked 3 –years in Krušovice. Previously I worked for 7-years at Starobrno brewery.

Can you tell us the history behind the Brewery?

There is a long history since the 16th Century.

Beer is changing but traditions remain the same and styles also. The Royal Brewery of Krušovice (Královský pivovar Krušovice, short form Krušovice) is a Czech brewery, established in 1517 by Jiří Birka in the village of Krušovice. The brewery gained a contract to provide beer to Emperor Rudolf II in 1581, allowing them to use the Imperial Crown of Austria as part of the company’s logo.

In 1869 the Furstenberg Family bought it and rebuilt the brewery into what we see Today. The brewery has ran for over 400 years with no stoppages not even during war times. The village of Krušovice has only 600 inhabitants, we got 120 staff and they all come from the region. In most cases many generations of the family will have worked here. There is a great pride and honour in what we do at the brewery. The company was acquired by Heineken in July 2007.

Are you responsible for both Cerne and Imperial?

Yes I ‘m in charge of both, plus our 4 domestic beers. As of December 2006, the following beers are brewed regularly by Krusovice: Krušovice CČerné Krušovice ČCerné 3.5% Krušovice Imperial 12° Krušovice 12° Krušovice Mušketýr Krušovice 10° Krušovice Staročeský Malvaz 13° Dožínkové pšeničné (wheat beer)

Describe Cerne and compare it to other dark beers?

This is a dark beer with 10% extract(OG) original gravity. It’s one of the world’s most popular dark beers.

Composition similar to the lager type. Ingredients includes 3 different type of malt, Roasted malt, Crystal/Caramel malt, Czech Pale barley malt. Its mild and slightly sweet, very balanced taste, with roasted flavour and it´s very drinkable beer.

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Can you tell us about Imperial and compare it to regular beers.

This is a typical Czech pilsener lager beer. Rich hops (high SAAZ premium Czech hops) High bitterness after taste is a lasting pleasure. Has remaining extract not fully fermented. We call taste “liquid bread” full bodied bottom fermentation at low temperature.

Is the export market an important market, countries?

We are one of the biggest exporters in Czech. Russia imports 50% of these two beers. Germany is the second largest importer of our beers.

What gives Cerne and Imperial their unique taste?

Cerne’s taste profile has a malt composition and a long tradition.

It’s been fine tuned only without big changes for a long time.

Imperial’s ingredients has a high hop rate, using best malt available.In the process we use 40-50% of SAAZ hops and the rest other czech hops varietes (Premiant).

Are Cerne and Imperial brewed like the regular Czech beers?

Pretty much. We follow Czech brewing rules which includes a specific brewing method. Decoction brewing process, One (bottom) yeast strain, 10-11 Degrees for main fermentation and long term lagering.

Talk us through the brewing process at your place, describe a regular brewing day?

I check the process in the brew house and talk with staff, finding out what’s happening and looking that everything is ok. This takes about 90 minutes. Then I meet suppliers regarding materials and directors three times a week.

I´m also member of the tasting committee (professional tasters) a few times a week. My role is to communicate with people, its all about leadership, coaching and training. I visit quite often pubs and support pub owners.

Any tips for people out there still searching for their right beer/ale?

Try our Beers, I’m convinced that our beers in this category are top quality. Try also special beers like Malvaz 13° or Mušketýr, sold in domestic market only.

Why are Czech ales so tasty?

We are very focused and we put all our ethos into our lager. As a consequence the drinkability is very high, locals drink several half litres a day. We are master in the area as we have the tradition behind us.

Is there anything unique with your Brewery?

I swear, Krušovice is only made in Krušovice, not all breweries can say this! I’m 100% confident of this.

Krušovice is only 8 kilometers from the hop fields.

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Meet The Brewer Belin Its not often you meet a lady brewer so this was a great experience and a fine opportunity to learn “What women want” in beer or ale!

Adnams PLC is a British regional brewery company founded in 1890 in Southwold, Suffolk, England, by George and Ernest Adnams. The earliest recorded brewing on the Adnams site was in 1396 by Johanna de Corby. The company produces cask ale and pasteurised bottled beers. Annual production is around 85,000 barrels. In 2010, the company established the Copper House Distillery for the production of gin, vodka and whisky.

Give us a quick background on this beer? Year of production &Inspiration & taste?

Adnams Broadside Ale Alcohol 4.7%. Producer Adnams Brewery Supplier Spendrups Brewery Ltd. Origin Britain England. Available in Sweden since 2011-05-02 This came out in the 1950’s and was 6.3% full in flavour. The brewers got together in the 1970’s deciding they wanted it on draught and brought down the strength. It like most of the beers at the brewery follows a sailing theme, East Coast, East Anglia.

Taste is like that of a fruitcake, almonds and malty, its ruby red in colour.

A quick background on this beer? Year of production &Inspiration & taste Adnams Gunhill Ale Alcohol 4.0%. Producer Adnams Brewery Supplier Spendrups Brewery Ltd. Origin Britain England.

Available in Sweden since 2011-03-01 This is a newish one about two years old. Its name comes from the Canons on ‘Gunhill’ in Southwold from The Battle of Sole Bay in 1672. It was launched with Weatherspoons (Pub Chain) and it went so well they kept it. The taste is malty slightly roasted with good sweetness, and in colour it dark brown.

A quick background on this beer? Year of production &Inspiration & taste Adnams Innovation Ale Alcohol 6.7%. Producer Adnams Brewery Supplier Spendrups Brewery Ltd. Origin Britain England. Available in Sweden since 2011-03-01 This beer is about three year old. The name was created to mark the celebration of the energy efficient Brewhouse and The Distribution centre, which uses sustainable materials in construction as well as recycling water and using solar panels. It’s a modern name, and we’re pretty modern in that we’re very environmentally friendly and green. The name of the beer is unique for us in that its not got a sailing theme. The taste is fully bodied good sweetness, hoppy citrus aroma.

Are you responsible for creating Adnams?

We have a head brewer, myself and a trade brewer and we work closely together. The sales team may come to us and the rest of the team when we need a new beer, or we come up with our own ideas.

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A quick background on this beer? Year of production &Inspiration & taste Adnams The Bitter Ale .Producer Adnams Sole Bay Brewery.

Origin Britain England. Available in Sweden since 2006-0401. This was made in the 1980’s we needed another beer with a lower abv, this is more of a session beer. Recently changed the name from Southwold Bitter. Taste is quite full and strong bitterness, hoppy character and the colour is brown.

How long have you worked with Adnams Brewery , and what is your background?

I’ve been working here for 6 –years. I got a science degree and there is a big overlap between science and brewing. It’s good fun being a woman in the brewery.

Can you tell us the history behind the Brewery?

Well there is a 350 –year old Brewery on site. In 1872 George and Ernest Adnams bought the Sole Bay Brewery. The company was incorporated in 1890, and has remained independent since then, producing a range of beers for distribution mainly in East Anglia. Its still independent and has 16 workers in the brewery.

Is there anything unique with your Brewery?

There is a lot of history and yet its very innovative. Adnams remains committed to brewing cask ale and operating non-themed pubs. Cask ale is available in all its 70 pubs, and it supplies more than 1000 other outlets direct. New fermenting vessels were installed in 2001-3 to cope with demand, and the brewhouse was completely re-equipped in 2006-7, making it one of the most energy efficient in Europe.

All good Beers have a story, what’s the story behind yours?

Tally Ho is the oldest beer and we only brew it once a year and its 7.2% in strength.

There is a lovely old photo with The Adnams brothers in 1872 standing proudly beside their wooden barrel of tally Ho Can you tell us about Adnams and compare it to regular beers?

Adnams offers a much wider variety of beers than other breweries. The profile of the drinker is 20-50 years old predominantly male, as women prefer sweet beer. Its quite a trendy brand which is appealing.

nda!

Is the export market an important market, countries?

We export to a handful of countries including Russia.

What gives Adnams its unique taste?

Yeast is key to a brewers beer flavour profile. We have been using our strain of yeast since the 1940s. The ingredients include Suffolk hops, malt is local and barley in Suffolk is high in quality. We have worked with other world beers and tastes such as Bok Bier with Munich Malt / Dutch style.

Talk us through the brewing process at your place, describe a regular brewing day?

It changes day to day. It’s a very automated brew house, so automated in fact the mashing the malt starts automatically at 4 in the morning! The Brew operators come in a 6. We follow the process through checking the hops, tasting and testing beer from previous day. Sometimes you’ll need to add something. We need to look at our sales and see what beer we need to make. There is a 10-week shelf life for this cask beer.

Is Adnams brewed like the regular British ales?

Yes, more or less. Modern breweries keep a consistent temperature so the beer is more consistent.

Any secrets/myths we should know about Adnams?

There was a myth that beer didn’t travel well, but people have to understand it wasn’t travel, it was simply the beer had gone off due to its short shelf life.

Back in the old days transport took much longer and there wasn’t refrigeration during transportation.

What’s the aim/ goal of the Brewery?

We have a core set of values-sustainability, for us and our community. We support local charities and we’re careful about the environment.

Any tips for people out there still searching for their right beer/ale?

Be adventurous. Generally we women are keener on sweet beer as apposed to hoppy bitters, look for malty full bodied beers.

Why are Adnams ales so tasty?

Ingredients. We pay a premium for ingredients. We go out and try other beers, foreign beers. I’m a fan of Belgian beers, but in Britain you need to stay at 5-6% once you go higher ABV than this people avoid it.

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Newcastle Brown Ale Rachel Sutherland is a female Brewmaster for Newcastle Brown Ale. This is pretty unique for a brewery as Beer is such a man’s world.

How long have you worked with the brewery?

I have been the UK Sensory Coordinator for a little over three years, but have worked for the business for nine years.

What is your background?

I graduated with a degree in Cell & Molecular Biology in 2001, but knew I wanted to work in the brewing industry. I decided to register for Master’s in Brewing & Distilling at Heriot Watt University in Edinburgh; which, at the time, was the only university in the UK where one could study brewing. Having successfully completed this second degree I joined Scottish & Newcastle, the largest brewer in the UK at the time. I have held many positions in the business over the years and worked in a number of locations including Fountain brewery, John Smiths Brewery and the UK Technical centre.

In 2004 I found my niche in sensory science. It incorporates my love of continual improvement, innovation and quality whilst utilising my brewing knowledge.

In 2008 Scottish & Newcastle was acquired by Heineken and I became the UK Sensory Coordinator.

All good Beers have a story, what’s the story behind yours?

After three years of perfecting his recipe, Col. Jim Porter released Newcastle Brown Ale in Newcastle upon Tyne in 1927. Just one year later, Newcastle Brown Ale won gold at the prestigious International Brewers’ Exhibition in London, 1928. The gold medals from these awards are still featured on the label.

sale, the Police requested the strength be reduced, because the cells were already full.

An aging brewing facility and logistics meant that in 2007 production of Newcastle Brown was relocated to a new home at the John Smiths Brewery in North East Yorkshire. The brewery was established in 1758 and is a home of prestigious Yorkshire bitters. The brew masters have the requisite skills to ensure that production of Newcastle Brown Ale remains unchanged from its time at Tyne Brewery.

What gives Newcastle Brown Ale its unique taste?

Newcastle Brown Ale is a true one and only. It is brewed with a unique blend of a pale malt and darker caramel malt to give its smooth, characteristic flavour and colour.

It is brewed with fewer hops than a traditional bitter for a less bitter taste making Newcastle Brown Ale the dark beer that is easy to drink.

Is it brewed like the regular British ales?

The basic brewing and fermentation of Newcastle Brown Ale is similar to that of any British ale. Col. Porter spent three years developing the method so we see no sense in changing it now! The main difference comes with the packaging. Newcastle Brown Ale is, and always has been, packaged in clear flint glass bottles.

Shortly thereafter, Newcastle Brown Ale became firmly ensconced as the favored beer of Northeast England, becoming a symbol of the hardy working class of the region. Newcastle Brown Ale’s iconic status and good fortune continued in the UK through the 1960s. In the 1980s the brand surged once again, fueled by popularity among college students of legal drinking age.

Any secrets/myths we should know about Newcastle Brown Ale? The blue star logo on the label and crown of the bottle was introduced to the Newcastle Brown Ale bottle in 1928, the year after the beer was launched. The five points of the star represent the five founding breweries of Newcastle.

Newcastle Brown Ale is a golden-brown ale with a rich, fullbodied flavor and refreshing, slightly sweet finish that delivers a sublimely smooth taste experience. It is a dark beer unlike any other: an unparalleled combination of character and drinkability.

Newcastle Brown Ale is nicknamed “The Dog” by people living in and around the areas of the North East of England. This stems from the locals saying, “Going to walk the dog.” This was the excuse used to call in for a pint at the local pub and catch up with the gossip!

Can you tell us the history behind the Brewery?

Newcastle Brown Ale went into production at Tyne Brewery in 1927, with Newcastle Breweries having occupied the site since 1890, with brewing on the site dating back to 1868. The production launch of Newcastle Brown was said to have been an overnight success, with claims that the day after it went on

The beer is often called Brown or “Broon” in the North East of England; in the south of the UK it is often called “Newkie Brown”. Traditionally, the beer is packaged in an iconic bottle from which it is poured by the consumer into a half-pint glass and topped up during the drinking experience.

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Any tips for people out there still searching for their right beer/ale?

Beers are so wonderfully diverse in flavour there’s sure to be one out there for everyone. A great way to find your perfect beer or ale is to think of what foods you like to eat.

If you like spicy foods maybe try a Pilsner lager; fans of rich meaty, dishes often like the similar flavours in porters and oatmeal stouts. If you have a sweeter tooth some Belgian fruit beers provide a spectacular match with dark chocolate and other desserts.

The great thing about beer; is that it is relatively low in alcohol, is extremely social and is a fantastic paring for food. The old myth that it has to be drunk in pints and is bloating is a thing of the past. Some of the most well know restaurants in London have beer, as well as wine menus, to match a perfect beer to every course.

Why are British ales so tasty?

Britain is the home of real ale! The style is very different from the lager beers that swept the world. Part of the difference lies in the yeast. Top-fermenting strains are used in ale fermentations, whereas lagers are produced using bottom-fermenting strains. Many of the beer styles that are now finding new markets around the world were developed in the UK such as brown ales, porters, stouts, old ales, milds and bitter.

The UK has a tradition of brewing top fermented beers since prehistoric times, and until the late 1970’s sales of ale in the UK outstripped their lager competitors two to one. A change in tastes and a decline in ale breweries signalled the demise of real ales in the UK. That is, until now. The last two years have seen a resurgence in real ale brewing and sales are growing.

There are now over 700 breweries in the UK producing traditional real ales and innovative products in that style that are appealing to a new generation of consumers who appreciate the bolder flavours and history behind brands like Newcastle Brown Ale.

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Californian Brewing!

Craft Beer on the American West Coast Text: Marc Nelson

Maybe you’ve heard a joke that starts with, “a guy walks into a bar…” Let’s pretend this guy (or gal) was you, and it happened to be a bar on the Pacific coast of California, around the year 2000. The punch line would involve you having to choose from a frustratingly limited selection of beers to be found on tap, and the joke would be on you. Now visit this same bar a decade later, and you’d find an entirely different scene – glasses of thirsty patrons filled with craft beer from small microbreweries along the American west coast. Let’s be honest – traditionally, the US hasn’t been known for having a sophisticated beer culture. But in the past 10 years, a very special phenomenon has taken place in America.

History tells us that revolutions can only take place when the necessary conditions come together at just the right moment.

While microbreweries have existed in America for over a century, fierce competition from large industrial brewers has made it difficult for craft beer to break into the mainstream.

Until now. This was able to happen for two reasons: one, a growing awareness that beer could be more than simple lagers brewed by large corporations. Two, microbrewers taking a bold step in making their beers available to a much larger consumer-base than had been offered before. These factors contributed to more people tasting and developing an appreciation for these stronger beers with more character (not to mention locally-produced). As a result, their popularity has exploded.

No place has the craft beer movement been making waves (no pun intended) as it has in my home state of California.

There are dozens of excellent microbreweries throughout California, ten of which located in my hometown of San Diego. In fact, the entire US west coast has been an epicenter for this ‘revolution’. West coast craft beer is not characterized by any particular style – most breweries have a varied lineup inspired by traditional European offerings and include both year-round and seasonal beers. However, west coast brewers have been known for their affinity towards hoppy beers (some call us ‘hop heads’). Just about every west coast microbrewer has their own version of the ever-important, generously hopped India Pale Ale, or IPA. You may not know that the IPA style originated in Britain during the 18th Century. Though it’s a myth that the beer was created specifically for Britain’s East India Company’s 4 month voyage to India, it was found that strong, hoppy beers did indeed fare well on the long, warm trip, whereas many other types of beer would spoil (hops contain a compound that naturally protects against spoilage).

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Either way, the sailors and European customers in India developed a taste for the style and before long, brewers were labeling these beers India Pale Ale. Hailing from the city of Santa Rosa, Russian River Brewing Company’s Blind Pig IPA is a classic California IPA. The brew pours a dark yellow orange, while generous amounts of American hops impart wonderful flavors of grapefruit and pine needles. Sweet and bitter, this is a signatory west coast IPA. Try it when you’re ready for something a notch up from Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, which is readily available at Systembolaget.

While west coast brewers love crafting hoppy beers, in my opinion, some breweries have gotten a little too crazy with the idea of adding as much hops as possible. For example, a brew from Novato, California’s Moylan’s Brewing Co. named Hopsickle Imperial IPA, which refers to itself as a triple IPA. I liken beers such as this to a Thai dish that is practically too spicy to enjoy. At the same time, I suppose that’s what the movement is all about.

Pushing the limits beyond the traditional, blurring the lines of what’s okay and not okay, and seeing who’s prepared to venture forward into uncharted beermaking territory.

Growing up in California, there’s a feeling of detachment from mainstream America, at least in some aspects. Maybe it’s the temperate weather, the beach-centric lifestyle, or the fact that all the dreamers who in the past 300 or so years first emigrated from Europe and kept moving west had finally had found they couldn’t go any further. Subsequently, there is an undercurrent of open-mindedness, predisposing us to the prospect of adopting new ideas and tends. I feel this is a major reason the American beer renaissance has such a large presence here.

Perhaps exemplifying the microbrewery explosion better than anyone else is San Diego’s Stone Brewing Company. I may be a little biased since I grew up 15 minutes away from the brewery, but their success in the craft brewing world need not be exaggerated. About 8 years ago they took a chance on expanding their brewing capacity, but at the time it seemed as if they had overreached and made a huge mistake. However, their passion to create a better beer culture pushed them through the tough decisions, and (without sacrificing quality) they are now America’s 14th largest beer producer. Lately they have announced plans to build a brewery in Berlin; a sign of how far west coast microbrewers have come. Try their famous Arrogant Bastard Ale. Clocking in at 7.2% ABV, it pours a dark amber, with a hoppy, bready aroma and syrupy texture. Strong, almost harsh, yet balanced in a hard-to-explain kind of way.

Rogue Brewing Company of Newport, Oregon, has an incredible lineup of tasty, often experimental beers. First, try to get your hands on their Hazelnut Brown Nectar Ale. It pours a rich, oily brown color. In the taste there is an unmistakable nuttiness, vanilla, sweet and with a dry finish. Also out of Oregon, comes Deschutes Brewing Co., hailing from the city of Bend. Try the Black Butte Porter – a fine example of the style, with a nice roasted maltiness and hints of coffee and caramel. Alesmith Brewing Co. out of San Diego offers some of the highest-rated craft beers brewed in America. Take their Speedway Stout – creamy, pitch-black color, deep maltiness, notes of dark chocolate, licorice, and alcohol. Heavy yet sweet, this is a massive beer. Delicious.

You may have some luck finding these beers in specialty brewpubs here in Europe, but I’d recommend going straight to the source (if you’re able). For example, you could visit The San Francisco International Beerfest on April 28. For a beer that you can easily get your hands on here in Sweden, check out San Francisco-brewed Anchor Steam Beer (Anchor Brewing Co.). While a bit lighter than the average west coast microbrew, it’s certainly a classic west coast beer. The style is known as the California common, developed over 200 years ago when access to refrigeration wasn’t readily available, so lager yeasts were used at ale-like fermentation temperatures to produce a balanced, sessionable beer with a nice fruitiness. You can also find the slightly stronger Liberty Ale at Systembolaget as well. So the next time you find yourself sipping on a fine microbrewed beer from America’s west coast, take pride in knowing you are helping take part in redefining the American beer culture for the better.

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American Swoop For Irish Whiskey Text: topwhisky.se Maybe Global spirits company Beam is to buy whiskey producer Cooley Distillery in a €73 million deal. The independent distillery owns and produces the Kilbeggan, Connemara, Tyrconnell and Greenore brands. It was founded by John Teeling, who also heads up a number of natural resources companies.

The acquisition will mark the maker of Jim Beam bourbon’s entrance into the expanding Irish whiskey market, which grew by an estimated 11.5 per cent last year.

“Cooley is one of only three sources for Irish whiskey, and the only independent player, so this transaction is a unique and compelling high-return opportunity to enter one of the industry’s highest growth categories,” said Matt Shattock, president and chief executive of Beam.

“We see the opportunity to leverage our combination of scale with agility to further build consumer demand for Cooley’s award-winning brands, and to expand distribution off a relatively small base in key export markets for Irish whiskey across North America and Europe.”

The distillery is being bought for $95 million (€73 million) on a debt-free basis. Share holders will be offered $8.25 in cash for each outstanding share. The offer must gets at least 80 per cent approval from shareholders if it is to go ahead, but more than 75 per cent have already agreed to the deal.

Beam, which also makes Teacher’s scotch in addition to a number of brands of tequila, rum and gin, said it expected the transaction to close in the first quarter of 2012, and the acquisition will be earnings neutral next year.

Current Cooley Distillery product range Kilbeggan - a blended whiskey, Kilbeggan was originally distilled at the Kilbeggan Distillery, which is now owned by Cooley.

Best-known for its non-age stated version, in 2007, a 15-year aged version was released, and there are plans for an 18-year aged whiskey.

Greenore - a single-grain whiskey, Greenore is made with corn alone, and aged in Bourbon casks. Greenore is found with several age statements; 6-, 8-, 15-, and 18-year versions are produced, although the 15- and 18-year releases are relatively rare (5,000 and 4,000 bottles, respectively).

Connemara - a peat-smoked single-malt whiskey, Connemara is double-distilled rather than the more usual triple-distillation process that most Irish whiskeys undergo. It is aged in Bourbon casks.

Several versions are found; single-cask, cask-strength, 12-year, and a high-peat version called “Turf Mór.”

The Tyrconnell - a single-malt whiskey, The Tyrconnell was acquired as a brand by Cooley in 1988 after being dormant since 1925, when the Old Watts Distillery (producers of The Tyrconnell) closed its doors.

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Distillation Process The distillery features both column stills and pot stills for distillation. Unlike most other Irish whiskeys, which are usually distilled three times, Cooley’s products are generally distilled twice, as the third distillation is thought to remove some of the flavor components.

Critical Acclaim Cooley has won over 300 medals since opening. Other awards they have received include “European Distiller of the Year” in 2008 and 2009 and “Distillery of the Year” in 2008 from the International Wine and Spirit Competition, and “Distillery of the Year” in 2010 from Malt Advocate magazine.

Individual item awards for Cooley’s products include an IWSC “Best in Class” for Kilbeggan in 2005, an IWSC Gold Medal for The Tyrconnell in 2004 IWSC Gold Medal and Best in Class in 2010 for Greenore, and a World Whiskeys Awards Best in Class in 2010 for Greenore.

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Meet The Master Distiller from I What is the future for Irish Whiskies?

Single Irish Pot style was the bedrock and will now re-establish itself and it will add dramatically to the reputation of Irish Whiskey. Meanwhile Jameson Irish Whiskey continues to go from strength to strength.

Text: topwhisky.se Image: Pontus Johansson Pictured Barry Crockett and Jim Murray Barry Crockett Please tell our readers your back ground and how long have you been involved with Irish Distillers?

I have been involved with Irish Distillers all my working life, I began working in Middleton when I was 17-years.I’ve been Master Distiller for 30-years.

What are the major developments within Irish Distillers?

The present distillery was commissioned in 1975 so I saw the transition from the old one to the new at that time. The task of the late 1970 /mid 1980 period was to preserve the heritage of the brands in a new distillery, but to also present Jameson as a particularly smooth flavoured whiskey suited to the international taste.

The success of Jameson over the years has demonstrated importance of distillation and warehousing methods at Midleton distillery.

This success is so dramatic that an expansion of Midleton distillery is now under way, costing 100 m Euro this will lead Midleton Distillery and Jameson well into the 21 century. On completion the distillery capacity will be 64 m litres of pure alcohol and will mean the Irish distilling industry will significantly exceed the height of its success in the 19 century.

Can you tell us the story behind some of the main whiskies, their inspiration etc?

In the mid 1970’s the Company decided to re establish the exports of Irish whiskey.

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The initial focus was on the United States but Jameson Irish Whiskey is now an international brand established in world wide markets. Just this year we celebrated Jameson passing the milestone of 1 m case sales in the United States with worldwide sales exceeding 3 million. Meanwhile there is increasing interest in brands such as Powers Gold Label as well as Paddy.

These brands each have a unique identity in terms of heritage and taste. The flexibility of Midleton distillery ensures the individual characteristics of each are maintained. This flexibility is demonstrated in the brewing system employed and of course adhering to the tradition of triple distillation for each of the whiskey brands.

Where maturation is concerned significant research into maturation was undertaken in the 1980s. Better quality casks were purchased. Close business relations with cooperages in Spain and Portugal were formed. By laying down stocks of whiskey in different cask styles we have the ability to extend the Jameson range, thus we have such expressions as Jameson 18, Jameson Gold and Vintage Reserve.

More recently we presented the Single Irish Pot Still category.

This is a major development in the story of Irish whiskey since it represents the availability again of the original expression of the Irish Whiskey style. People

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would know this from the Redbreast range, but this year we have launched Powers Johns Lane as well as Midleton Barry Crockett Legacy, in addition Greenspot has been represented.

Which whiskey are you currently working with, and what’s happening there?

Midleton Barry Crockett Legacy-The old distillery in Midleton was recognised for decades for the excellence of its whiskies and the distillery was always keen to enhance its reputation Midleton Barry Crockett Legacy as a single Irish Pot Still style adheres to four aspects.

Firstly it’s brewed from a mix of malted barley and a high percentage of unmalted barley. This gives specific flavours, apple ripe, pear peach flavour. The mouth fee has a soft roundness and smoothness of palate.

Secondly the style of distillation. There are three separated stages of distillation. New spirit is distilled to 85% volume. This enhances light flavoured honey and floral type aspects of the spirit.

Thirdly, the casks in this case are all US Bourbon barrels first fill, These tend to give a vanilla style toasted wood flavour.

Fourthly with Midleton Barry Crockett Legacy maturation we use a certain proportion of new American Oak casks. The result a spiciness as well as green berry spiciness imparted to the spirit.

In summary all casks from Midleton Barry Crockett Legacy are American casks, a small percentage are brand new. For Midleton Barry Crockett Legacy we wanted to see more flavour in the whiskey. The Single Irish Pot Still whiskey fulfils that role.

Describe the composition of Middleton Very Rare?

This is blended of Pot Still whiskey with grain whiskey. Its matured in first fill Bourbon casks. All casks are individually selected.

Midleton Very Rare has been on the market since 1984 and is an annual selection.

Is the Swedish market an important market for Irish Distillers?

Yes the Swedish market is an important market for us. We envisage a great future for Jameson as well as Redbreast.

What makes Irish whiskey so special?

There are a number of reasons for this. It especially offers the delicate aroma arising from the barley as well as a evenly balanced taste potential on the palate. It is ideal and perfect for a novice, whereas the experienced whiskey connoisseur can experience the flavours ranging from apple /pear to vanilla characteristics.

The Pot Still range offer great possibility particularly those at top end of the market.

What’s your favourite current Whiskey?

Jameson 18 years offers a super mouth feel sensation, mellow softness and fruity effect on the palate.

What do you look for in a whiskey?

I look for balance, for example in the aroma; I don’t want one individual flavour which dominates. Mouth feel silky velvety feel on the palate, long finish, lingering. Influence of raw materials, ie Barley.

What can you tell us about Midleton that we may not know?

The first thing is that on single distillery site at Midleton there are two distilleries. The first is clearly a Pot Still, and the second is a grain whisky distillery. Midleton is a plant which is both flexible and complex.

Bear in mind that we got to produce all the whiskies with the resources available. We have full control over all stages of the brewing / distillation and maturation process.

Any myths you would like to explain?

John Jameson was particularly careful in the selection of barley for distillation when he founded his distillery.

Though this sounds like a good story it is true that barley selection is vitally important. John Jameson was correct when insisting on quality selection. This policy remains vital through to today. Irish Whiskey lost its advantage principally due to prohibition in the United States. This is partially true, but the more important reason was poor economic circumstances in Ireland.I rish whiskey has not recovered from its great days during the 19 century.

This was true for a long time, however the growth of Jameson means that Irish Whiskey will shortly be far more successful than ever in the past.

Which qualities would you admire the most in Redbreast?

We are returning to our roots with Pot Still whiskey. The sheer range of flavours available. Cask styles are giving their fullest expression. There are three expressions within the Redbreast range. Redbreast 12 year Redbreast 15 and Redbreast Cask Strength which was launched just recently.

Which qualities would you admire the most in Powers Gold Label?

Strong and more fully flavour coming through represents what most people expect from Irish whiskey. This is a whiskey originally a favourite among Irish people. This makes it perfect for a Hot Whiskey or Irish coffee especially in cold winter weather.

Anything else you want to tell us?

Our Distillery is based near Cork, the south of Ireland which has a modest climate. We source our water from a local stream. All barley used is purchased from farmers in the vicinity of the distillery.

We warehouse all whiskies on site at Midleton.

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Here we meet Pär Caldenby, responsible for the production and the daily management of the company Smögen Whisky. The company was founded in summer 2009 and produces single malt whisky with great character and maritime influences from the Bohuslän coast.

Text: Noel Sheehy & topwhisky.se What is your background?

My background is that of a lawyer within commercial litigation and mediation. Apart from that, I have been a whisky enthusiast for the last 20 years, having travelled and visited behind the scenes at a number of occasions, at mainly Scottish distilleries.

I am also the author of the “Enjoying Malt Whisky” – a rather well received book on the subject.

How long have you worked with the Distillery?

Planning started early in 2009, when I had decided I wanted to quit the then current law firm. As I had much of the knowledge and contacts in place, that phase went smoothly and quickly, so actual construction of the distillery began in September of 2009. Come spring 2010, I was overseeing the fitting out of the distillery and then, on August 4th, 2010, the first mashing in was performed, followed by the first cask filling on August 20th.

Can you tell us the history behind the Distillery?

The distillery is 1 km southeast of Hunnebostrand, just under a mile north of Smögen island. The character of the whisky will mirror the location, a typical strong character with a distinct smokiness and coastal feel.

Well, the history is short as such, as it has not been around for long, being erected in a new building and with new stills etc.

However, the thinking behind the distillery is that there was an apparent free place in the market for a true west coast malt whisky, with a powerful and smoky character. The obvious place to be, then, is Bohuslän, where the maritime climate is at its sternest in Sweden. To make sure we take advantage of this, the warehouses are also allowing plenty of air through them, so that the maturing casks will be influenced by the surroundings – and we do have the salt stained windows to prove what that effect will be!

Is there anything unique with your Distillery?

The whisky produced will be powerful, smoky and with great character. The focus is on high quality in small batches, with full manual manufacturing and direct supervision. Although we will be happy to use all local produce, this desire will always be subordinate to the quality aspects. Over time, there may be a variability of raw spirits produced, to offer an even broader whisky experience – but our spirit at present is focused on the heavily peaty characters. It is possible to reserve your very own cask of Smögen whisky.

What’s the aim/ goal of the Distillery?

To be around for the long haul, with a characterful and excellent quality whisky, with the clear influences from the west coast. For whisky enthusiasts and others that wish to find serious quality and character in their whisky, they shall have to look no further

I am certain that our focus and devotion to this will give us an increasing base of followers and sponsors over time – and with whisky, time is something we have a lot of.

Talk us through the distilling process at your place, describe a regular distilling day?

The first step is to charge the stills, most importantly the spirit still as that is run at a leisurely pace to give the right quality – thus taking its sweet time to finish. Upon charging, the stills are locked up and started, at full power. The spirit still will come to a boil at around 84,5° C about one and a half hours later, requiring some attention. The wash still will likely take a bit over two hours to boil up, at around 94° C, and will then require a lot of attention for about ten minutes, to avoid foaming over.

While waiting for the stills to come in (start flowing), the mashing in is performed, mixing 200 kgs of crushed, peated malt with first 700 litres and then another 350 litres of hot water, giving a strike temperature of 64° C. The worts from the mash are usually drawn off during 5-6 hours, eventually giving 900 litres of worts in one washback. Back to the stills, the wash still will mainly see to itself and upon it starting to flow and with the foaming period over, all you really have to do is take care the cooling water does not run too warm and then to shut the still down after around 5,5 hours of flowing, when the flow is down to around 1 percent alcohol. The spirit still is a different matter, as the flow is divided into three very separate sections – the foreshots, the heart and the feints. The foreshots and feints contain impurities and will go to the feints receiver, for re-distillation with the next batch of low wines from the wash still, to give tomorrow’s spirit run. The heart however will go into the spirit receiver and subsequently be filled into oak casks and rolled out into the warehouse to mature. The points at which the heart is cut out from the spirit run are critical for the character of the spirit you will produce.

Our set-up ensures a heavier and smoother type of spirit, as we cut really low into the run, allowing some heavier congeners to come into the heart. It gives a gutsy character to it.

Is the export market not an important market, countries?

Not really. Our focus is on the Swedish market, although we have experienced a bit of interest from both Norway and Denmark, both countries being of course quite close and also rather similar in their interest for good malt whisky.

Is it distilled like the regular whiskies?

Distillation is done twice, first in the wash still, then in the spirit still. This is in line with the typical standard for malt whisky across the globe. However, the design of the stills is very important and our wash still is unusual in its very broad-necked and powerful design, delivering a very distinctive first distillate. This design is really only found at Lagavulin and Bunnahabhain

distilleries, on Islay. We also have to recognise that our stills are minute by Scottish standards, at a mere 900 and 600 litres of volume. This, too, will have an impact on the richness of the spirit.

Any secrets/myths we should know about?

Well, you should know that when the big companies make whisky, they run it by numbers (or even through a computer), relying on the inevitable differences in character to even out through the large volumes produced and subsequently mixed, prior to filling into (often rather too tired) casks. With us, rest assured there is no computer involved in making the whisky – all decisions on when to take action and most importantly the cut points on the spirit run, are taken after a nosing of the spirit and decision that the character is exactly the right one. The character of the spirit does change a lot during the distillation, so cutting exactly right is positively critical, to ensure the right quality and character goes into the casks. And should you wish to reserve your own small cask of whisky, take our whisky school or come on tour and see how whisky is produced, you are warmly welcome to us. Also check out the website at www.smogenwhisky.se and read the blog, which is all about whisky and updated almost on a daily basis.

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Any tips for people out there still searching for their right whisky?

Try more whiskies. And don’t be afraid to try out new things, perhaps in unexpected territory. Make up your own mind as to what you like – and how you like it.

What gives your whisky its unique taste? Why are whiskies in Sweden developing and good?

The really core defining factors of our whisky will be the heavily peated malt we use, the way we mash in, the design of our stills, the wide spirit cut and the fresh and vital oak casks that we use for maturation, including brand new casks, through former Sauternes casks, to fresh Bourbon barrels from Makers Mark. I believe that our whisky is made with a complete focus on quality and character, to be the best quality single malt whisky we can produce. I would also believe this to be more or less a similar focus in our Swedish colleagues’ distilleries, by contrast to Scotland, where nearly all malt whisky is actually made in order to be used as a constituent spirit in blended whiskies.

This means there is actually more focus on a good single malt character here in our distillery, than in many other places. That’s why we will be so good.

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The Whiskyman Jim Murray !

Text: Noel Sheehy & topwhisky.se Image Pontus Johansson

Here we meet the number one Whisky expert in the world. Jim Murray is 100% INDEPENDENT he what he likes about whisky.

Before we get down to the Questions we prepare a drink of Ballantine´s 17. Jim takes the glass of whisky and cups it with one hand and covers it with the other, why you wonder? To bring it up to body temperature, this activates the flavour. Note- you should not wear aftershave when tasting whiskies as it interferes when smelling the whisky. When smelling whisky do so at an angle, letting the rim of the glass touch just above the lip, as you sniff using one nostril. Jim never drinks a whisky without smelling it first.

Can you tell us a little about your background and how you joined the Whisky crusade?

When I was 14-years of age I wrote about sport and at 16 Brian Moore told me to the join the press instead of continuing school. So I took his advice.

I fell in love with whiskies at a young age. When I was 17 I saved up to go to Inverness to Talisker Distillery.I even worked there, I was so eager to learn. I began writing tasting notes before they ever existed. Later I was in America coaching football and in the evenings I would try whiskies (Rye Bourbon, Single Malt) and all the time I was writing notes.

I read about whisky but wine writers could write about whisky, it was rubbish. I thought about it and decided I would do it. By my mid 20’s I knew I would go into Whisky writing.

The Times Newspaper ran a competition for whisky buffs, I said if I won it I would pack in my regular job. 4,000 people entered the competition. I came second by default, I should have one but our section of the exam got wrong information.

But anyway coming second was good enough for me and I joined the whisky campaign. Then when I started writing I wrote to publications but they told me get lost, as the interest wasn’t there. Back in those days there was no internet, knowledge was very limited. People believed what ever they were told.

What’s the latest book you have been working on? And who is it aimed at?

The Whisky Bible 2012, suitable for everyone. I can’t tell you which is the number one whisky in the world for 2012, but the bible is out. In the last year I tasted 1210 different ones!

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I f we look at some of the key Whisky producing countries can you give us your opinion on their whiskies and latest developments there.

Ireland Its taken 20 years for the Irish for the Irish to fall back in love with Pot Stills but its finally happened. I wanted these whiskies produced many years ago Red Breast and Green Spot.

These are fantastic whiskies; I like the unique character, the split personality of the whisky. It’s got a mouth feel unlike any other whisky out there.

Scotland Scotch whisky is going through an interesting time. There are fewer finishes which is good, ie “finished in this cask” This had got tiring. It will be interesting to see where Scotch whisky goes next. I think people there should learn about blends!

I’m a big fan of the Ballantine´s 17. It’s consistent like the Johnny Walker Black. For these and any good whiskies the balance is key!

US The most exciting thing in American Whiskey is Buffalo Trace Single Oak. (This is a project that Buffalo Trace has been working on for over ten years. It is intriguing, but at the same time a bit confusing. This is Called the Buffalo Trace Single Oak Project. It started with 96 American White Oak trees from the Missouri Ozarks. The trees were selected for their grains, some tightly grained that comes from slow growth, and some loosely grained that comes from rapid growth.)

Canada The Canadians are waking up to their ability, they have had a serious lack of confidence. There are great Canadian Whiskies out there. Huge potential for Canadian Whisky Japan I worry for Japanese whiskies because of the poor Sherry Casks they have been using.

Any other countries producing whiskies which you are a fan of? Sweden Spain?

I like the Swedish Whisky. The lack of tradition is not a problem, tradition you can create. Is the whisky good? Because this is what’s important at the end of the day.

If you got good ingredients then you can have good whisky.

For these newer countries lack of tradition can be good as they got freedom. I spoke to the Swedish distillers and the Danish distillers and told them “Go for it!” For Mackmyra I told them make Rye Whisky since you live in the north!

I won’t ask your favourite whisky but have you a favourite type?

I’m a huge fan of Rye whisky. My predictions for Kentucky are finally coming true. I like a whisky which seduces me!

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Which whiskies would you recommend a novice should start with and what advice would you give them?

This novice thing is utter crap. It’s like we patronise people. I’ll give you an example. If someone who had never seen drama came to you and asked what play they should see. And you send them to the school play because you think they would not appreciate top class drama? Treat the novice like the regular whisky drinker, a great whisky is a great whisky.

What advice would you give to people who are tiring of the whisky they have drunk for the last 30 years?

Should they be bold or stay with something similar to their old vice?

Be bold experiment, don’t stay with the same thing for 30-years, if you do of course you’ll tire of it! Taste every whisky with an open mind and mouth!

Can you separate fact from fiction regarding some of the whisky talk out there?

Ok, I will because there is some much nonsense put out there by people without knowledge of whisky. There are people writing about whisky who have neither the knowledge nor passion. People who are writing only for the prestige of it, hoping to be famous. I have no interest in fame or seeing my name in books. I studied whiskies for 20 years before I had the audacity to write about it. There is so much marketing crap being said!

Never put water into whisky. You’re changing the composition if you do.

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Forget about novice/beginner, treat all whisky drinkers the same, have fun mix whiskies. The more a whisky is distilled the better it is- this is rubbish, because theoretically the more you distill a whisky the more it loses its taste. Another one is when distillers say the colouring doesn’t affect taste. If you add caramel which is made from sugar of course you’ll affect the taste. This really annoys me!

What else should we know?

Here is another example of myths.” Single malt is superior to blend” This is rubbish. A good Single Malt is a good Single Malt; a good Blend is a good Blend!

In 1991 I felt I had sufficient knowledge about whiskies.

A blender said to me “Jim you should be out there letting people know about whisky.” I had to create whisky language to describe whisky because there wasn’t any there.

Some tasting notes are so pretentious, it scares people off. Sometimes I compare my notes to notes of other and think what a load of rubbish this person has written.

I’m sceptical of other who are in the trade for wrong reasons. What I write is true, and them moment I start taking backhanders is the moment I would lose all credibility. And if you haven’t got credibility you got nothing!

Price does not equal quality. Jameson Standard is a fantastic whisky. I’m not involved in prices and I judge the whisky in my glass.

Jim Murray a humble honest whisky man, a living legend!

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The Beauty of Balblair Whisky Text: topwhisky.se

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Balblair Distillery is a Scotch whisky distillery located in Edderton,Rosshire. Distillery Manager John MacDonald answers some questions here.

How long have you been involved with Balblair?

I’ve managed Balblair since August 2006. I worked with Glenmorangie for 17 years. My interview there was probably the shortest in history. I went to the then managers door and asked him about a vacancy in the warehouse squad, He took me in, gave me a large dram and asked me one question “ Do you want some water in that?” I answered “Yes please” and started on the monday My root to management has therefore been a traditional one. I started off working in the warehouse, milling, mashing, stilling, and then I became assistant manager before coming to Balblair which was one of the happiest moments of my life. I have done all jobs in a distillery which I think is a great advantage.

What are the major developments within Balblair?

Since 2007 Balblair appeared as vintage. We’re the only distillery that offer exclusive vintage bottlings. We are now operating round the clock which is very encouraging. There is an ongoing commitment by all to produce high quality whisky and without sounding boastful I think we’re doing pretty good!

Can you tell us the story behind some of the main whiskies, their inspiration etc?

We try in the UK to have three core vintages ongoing. Standard is between 10-12- years, Mid-range is 18-21-years and Highage Vintage the 30-year mark. Although our whiskies are easily identified as Balblair whiskies they each have their own individual character. House styles tend to be fruity, complex and sweet with an intriguing spiciness from unpeated malt.As I always state our commitment is to quality and consistency of quality.

Which whisky are you currently working with, and what’s happening there?

Balblair Vintage 2001. Each bottle is cherry picked and individually accessed. There will be a twitter tasting of this to co-inside with the opening of our Brand Home/Visitor Centre.

Can you talk us through the production of it?

We take our soft water from the Struy hills and then mash with 4.75 tonnes of un-peated malted barley. Mashing time is slow – usually 6.25 hours. As the drainage is slow and the mash bed is very deep we find this gives a clear, bright wort. Also, many fats present in malt will be retained in the mash tun and this will be one of the reasons why Balblair has a delicious fruity character. Fats can mask flavours created during the fermentation process. Fermentation is approximately 50 hours. It is then distilled through the wash still to give a low wines strength of about 25% abv. This first distillation will run for about 4 hours.

The second distillation in the spirit still will run a total of 6 hours – 10 minutes fore-shots, 2.5 hours on spirit and 3.5 hours on feints. Our spirit cut is at 60%. The classic shape of Balblair’s stills (large boil pots, fat, squat necks) ensure that not only do we capture the fruity esters in the distillate but also the heavier oils. These oils give Balblair it’s “body” – it is a very robust new make spirit allowing the production flavours to survive even at high age in cask. We will use only high quality air dried casks.

Ist fill, 2nd fill and sherry although the sherries only equate to 3% of the antity. We are now working 24 hours a day, seven days a week with a very dedicated and enthusiastic work force whose contribution should not be under-estimated.

to 3% of the years filling. We take our time at Balblair but our emphasis is on quality not quantity. We are now working 24 hours a day, seven days a week with a very dedicated and enthusiastic work force whose contribution should not be underestimated.

Is the Swedish market an important market for Inver House Distillers?

Every market is important to Inverhouse but this is an exciting one for Balblair. It’s listed for the first time ever in Systembolaget as of 10th October. Sweden is a new market and is already the biggest for AnCnoc. Both are Highland Whiskies of high quality.

The Whisky and Beer Festival that I attended was certainly the busiest I have done but the response at the stand was fantastic and I was impressed by the level of knowledge the people in Sweden have.

What’s your favourite current Whiskey?

My Balblair fave of the moment is 1995, and the reason is its got lovely balance, nice complexity, fruity and of course very, very drinkable..

There are many great whiskies out there at the moment. I have a soft spot for Pulteney 17 year old and I also admire Cragganmore and Springbank but it always depends on mood, time of day, what I’ve had to eat. There is a whisky out there for every palate and that is another reason I like the vintages that we offer at the moment.

What do you look for in a whiskey?

For me it is all about flavour. I like a whisky to be multi -dimensional and I personally favour ex-bourbon to sherry.

What can you tell us about your whisky that we may not know?

We are the only distillery that offers only exclusively vintage bottlings. Emphasis is on quality not quantity. Every cask is individually assessed for high quality.

The distillery is the oldest working distillery in the highlands.

Established in 1790.

Which qualities would you admire the most in your whisky ?

I admire its high quality, complexity and smoothness. It is such an approachable whisky with so much going on in every glass.

The fruits just shine and vary from vintage to vintage. I think we also offer a very good price for a very good product.

Anything else you want to tell us?

Balblair Distillery will be open to visitors next month, for whisky tours. I would encourage all whisky lovers to come and visit as the location is stunning and I guarantee an enjoyable time. Our Archive collection goes back to 1800.

What is the future for Scotch Whiskies?

I expect to see Scotch whisky single malts grow. New markets will evolve. Pressure is on every distiller to continue to produce high quality liquid. Consumers are not stupid!

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Text: Noel Sheehy & topwhisky.se Robbie From Glengoyne Distillery tell us the story behind some of the main whiskies, their inspiration etc?

Up until 4 years ago it was a mixture between refill and sherry casks. We changed it over as its now 100% first fill sherry casks. We had to change the packages and prices. It’s a more expensive product as it costs £650 for a first filled cask, a refill costs £45. Year on Years sales are increases 80%. It retails here for about SEK 700 and back home for about £90.

Its different from all other whiskies at Glengoyne as its made from sherry.

100% Sherry whiskies are rare.

Glengoyne 17 Its how whiskies should taste.

Nice balance sherry sweetness.

43% alcohol level 30% sherry first fill casks 70% is refill casks The yeast we source from an Irish company called Kerry. They are based at Manstire a Scottish village Which whisky are you currently working with, and what’s happening there?

Glengoyne 21 years.

Taste wise its heavily sherries as its 100% sherry, similar to Christmas pudding, Spicy honey sweetness, very mature ripe red apples.

Soft mouth feel. Spiciness and a bit of sugar after taste.

Is the Swedish market an important market for you?

Absolutely. 90% of our whisky is exported. Our biggest sales are in the shop. Key countries we export are Germany, France Sweden and we’re developing American market.

What makes Scotch Whisky so special?

They have a huge tradition and have been doing it since 1494.

Have a wide variety of flavours. Which you might not have with American or Irish Whiskies. You can get similar ones in Scotland.

What’s your favourite current Whisky?

Glengoyne 10 –year old is a good single malt whisky.

Any tips for people new to whisky?

Buy the best whisky you can afford.

The problem I see is people buy cheep whisky when they are young and this can turn them off whisky for life. They might end up thinking all whisky tastes the same.

Be adventurous. Try as many whiskies from as many regions as possible.

Any myths you would like to explain?

People need education, I’ve heard stories of people sending Whisky back thinking its gone off, not realising this is how its supposed to taste.

Compare Irish and Scotch?

Its subjective you can’t say one is better than the other. Its down to your mood. You would probably take a lowland or Irish in the summer, and a highland or peaty whisky in the winter.

Glengoyne Distillery is a whisky distillery continuously in operation since its founding in 1833 at Dumgoyne, north of Glasgow, Scotland. Glengoyne is unique in producing Highland single malt whisky matured in the Lowlands. Located upon the Highland Line, the division between the Highlands and Lowlands of Scotland, Glengoyne’s stills are in the Highlands while maturing casks of whisky rest across the road in the Lowlands. Unlike many malt whisky distilleries, Glengoyne does not use peat smoke to dry their barley, but instead uses warm air.

Stills In the early nineteenth century, due to the heavy taxes on spirit production imposed by the government, many whisky producers were forced to operate illegally. The area around Glengoyne was full of hills and forests which provided excellent cover for the distillers. Records show that at least eighteen illicit whisky stills were operating in the area.

In the 1820s an Act of Parliament was passed, which reduced the cost of the license required to distil and duty on spirit. Shortly after the introduction of the ‘Excise Act of 1823’ (or ‘Walsh Act’) the first of these illicit stills came into official existence, with Glengoyne following later in 1833. Although Glengoyne only officially existed from 1833 and no records exist from before this date, it is believed that distilling on the site pre-dates that with a local historian writing that the smoke of “illicit stills” was visible in the area in the early 19th century. Glengoyne distillery’s water supply comes from the Glengoyne Burn which flows from the nearby Dumgoyne hill into the distillery grounds before continuing on to Loch Lomond.

Unlike many malt whiskies Glengoyne does not use peat smoke to dry their barley but instead favours the use of warm air.

The clear and bright appearance and distinctive flavour of the Glengoyne single malts are credited to this lack of peat smoke.

This rare characteristic is utilised in the marketing of Glengoyne with the use of the promotional slogan “The authentic taste of malt whisky untainted by peat smoke”.

As a result of the use of unpeated malt Glengoyne has been noted as being stylistically closer to a Lowland single malt as opposed to a Highland single malt Products At its current operating capacity Glengoyne produces over one million litres of pure spirit (new make spirit) every year which is used in a number of different whiskies. The distillery has won various awards for its products including a double gold awarded to the 17 year old Single Malt at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition and a gold for the 15 year old Scottish oak wood finish for “best wood finish” by the Stockholm Beer and Whisky Festival. Glengoyne 17 year old was voted World’s Best Single Highland Malt in the “Best of the Best” whisky tasting, organised by “Whisky Magazine”.

Due to the rapid growth recently of the Scotch malt whisky industry (recent figures indicate a 9% growth in 2002) and of the premium whisky market as a whole, Glengoyne is mainly marketed in the UK, Scandinavian, French, German and USA markets

Good Auld Glengoyne Whisky

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C anada

Canadian Catching on!

Text: Noel Sheehy & topwhisky.se

Canadian whiskies are folllowing the footstep of Scotch. And while they may lack the tradition and heritage built up by Scotch whiskies, the Canadian whisky branch is growing, step into your local Systembolaget for further proof. ..

Canadian whiskies are mostly blended multi-grain liquors containing a large percentage of corn spirits, and are typically lighter and smoother than other whisky styles.

Because rye was once a standard ingredient in Canadian whisky, the terms “rye” and “Canadian whisky” are often used interchangeably in Canada.

Characteristics While the lighter and smoother Canadian whiskies are the most widely familiar, the range of products is actually broad and includes some robust whiskies as well.

Labeling Laws in some other countries, such as America recognize Canadian whisky as an indigenous product of Canada, and require that products labeled as Canadian whisky must satisfy the laws of Canada that regulate the manufacture of Canadian whisky for consumption in Canada. When sold in another country, Canadian whisky is typically also required to conform to the local product requirements that apply to whisky in general when sold in that country, which may in some aspects involve stricter standards than the Canadian law.

Legal Requirements of Canadian whisky According to the laws of Canada, a Canadian whisky must be mashed, distilled and aged in Canada. It may contain caramel (as may Scotch whisky) and flavouring, in addition to the distilled mash spirits. As with Scotch and Irish whiskey, the alcohol content of the spirits used may exceed 90%. Thus, much of the spirits used in making a Canadian whisky, prior to aging, may have less grain-derived flavor than typical single malts or American. “straight” whiskies. While this aspect is similar to Scotch and Irish whisky regulations, it contrasts with the maximum alcoholic proof limits on distillation (80%abv) and aging (62.5% abv) purity allowed in the production of “straight” whisky in America. All spirits used in making a Canadian whisky must be aged for at least three years in wooden barrels of not greater than 700 L capacity (a requirement similar to that for Scotch and Irish whisky and stricter than for American. whisky). The final whisky must contain at least 40 percent alcohol by volume. As with Scotch and most other whiskies, the barrel used for aging may be new or re-used and may be toasted, charred or left raw.

Rye and Canadian whisky It is a common misconception that Canadian whiskies are primarily made using rye grain. Although many Canadian whiskies are labelled as “rye whisky”, the use of rye grain is not dictated by law, and whisky products of all grain types are often generically referred to as (and may legally be labelled as) “rye whisky” in Canada. Under Canadian law, the term “Canadian rye whisky” is simply synonymous with “Canadian whisky”, and the primary mash ingredient in most Canadian whisky is corn.

In contrast, America definition of “rye whisky” prevents a low rye content whisky from being labelled “rye” unless it is labeled as a “blended” rye whisky, and approximately 10% of such a “blended rye whisky” must still be from rye. America. also requires that if a whisky contains coloring, flavoring or distillates with 80% or greater alcohol content, this must be acknowledged on the label by including the term “blended” in the description on the label.

Canadian law does not have these requirement Moreover, U.S. law requires at least 20% of the content of a blended whisky to be “straight whisky” rather than neutral spirits or “light” (near-neutral) whisky. This is not needed by Canadian legislation.

But American law allows “blended” whisky to possess up to 80% un-aged grain neutral spirits, with an age indication on the bottle that relates solely to the “straight” part of the blend, while Canadian law demands that all of the spirits in Canadian whisky be aged for a minimum of 3 years.

Historically, in Canada, whisky that had some rye grain added to the mash bill to give it more flavour came to be called “rye”. Although many Canadian whiskies are still labeled as “rye”, the modern mash bill for a Canadian “rye” whisky often contains little or no rye grain, and their flavour is derived in other ways (such as flavour development from the aging process, blending with stronger-tasting Canadian whiskies, and the addition of flavourings).

Aging- The basic definition of “whisky” in many countries other than Canada, including America does not include any specific aging duration requirement. However, Canadian products aged less than three years, or failing to meet the domestic Canadian whisky standards in some other way, cannot be called “Canadian whisky” within Canada and in some other countries, such as America. Canadian whisky featured prominently in rum-running into America. during Prohibition. Hiram Walker’s distillery in Windsor, Ontario, directly across the Detroit River from Detroit, Michigan, easily served bootleggers using small, fast smuggling boats.

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R um

Rum, They told me...

Text: Noel Sheehy & topwhisky.se

Let me make a bold prediction though I´m no Nostrodamus, Leading up to recent time Whiskies have exploded on the spirit market, however a cousin of their called Rum is going to make a big splash in the market, any day soon! When choosing a rum pick one with characterises similar to the whisky you like!

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Rum is a distilled alcoholic beverage made from sugarcane by-products such as molasses, or directly from sugarcane juice, by a process of fermentation and distillation. The distillate, a clear liquid, is then usually aged in oak barrels. Rum can be referred to by descriptors such as “ron viejo” (“old rum”) and “ron añejo” (“aged rum”).

The majority of the world’s rum production occurs in the Caribbean and Latin America (including various countries) Light rums are commonly used in cocktails, whereas “golden” and “dark” rums were typically consumed individually (i.e. “straight”) or for cooking but are now commonly consumed with mixers. Premium rums are also available, made to be consumed either straight or iced.

Rum plays a part in the culture of most islands of the West Indies, and has famous associations with the Royal Navy (where it was mixed with water or beer to make grog) and piracy (where it was consumed as Bumbo). Rum has also served as a popular medium of economic exchange, used to help fund enterprises such as slavery, organized crime, and military insurgencies (e.g., the American Revolution and Australia’s Rum Rebellion The origin of the word “rum” is generally unclear. In an 1824 essay about the word’s origin, Samuel Morewood, a British etymologist, suggested that it might be from the British slang term for “the best,” as in “having a rum time.” He wrote: As spirits, extracted from molasses, could not well be ranked under the name whiskey, brandy, or arack, it would be called rum, to denote its excellence or superior quality. —Samuel Morewood

The Name Rum? Given the harsh taste of early rum, this is unlikely. Morewood later suggested another possibility: that it was taken from the last syllable of the Latin word for sugar, saccharum, an explanation that is commonly heard today. The -um is a very common noun ending in Latin, and plenty of Latin word roots end in r, so in reality, one could apply this logic to a plethora of Latin words to draw the link.

Other etymologists have mentioned the Romani word rum, meaning “strong” or “potent.” These words have been linked to the ramboozle and rumfustian, both popular British drinks in the mid-seventeenth century. However, neither was made with rum, but rather eggs, ale, wine, sugar, and various spices. The most probable origin is as a truncated version of rumbullion or rumbustion.” Both words surfaced in English about the same time as rum did, and were slang terms for “tumult” or “uproar.” This is a far more convincing explanation, and brings the image of fractious men fighting in entanglements at island tippling houses, which are early versions of the bar.

Another claim is that the name is from the large drinking glasses used by Dutch seamen known as rummers, from the Dutch word roemer, a drinking glass.Other options include contractions of the words iterum, Latin for “again, a second time”, or arôme, French for aroma. Regardless of the original source, the name was already in common use by 1654 when the General Court of Connecticut ordered the confiscations of “whatsoever Barbados liquors, commonly called rum, kill devil and the like”. A short time later in May 1657 the General Court of Massachusetts also decided to make illegal the sale of strong liquor “whether knowne by the name of rumme, strong water, wine, brandy, etc.”

In current usage, the name used for a rum is often based on the rum’s place of origin. For rums from Spanish-speaking locales the word ron is used. A ron añejo indicates a rum that has been significantly aged and is often used for premium products. Rhum is the term used for rums from French-

-speaking locales, while rhum vieux is an aged French rum that meets several other requirements. Some of the many other names for rum are Nelson’s Blood, KillDevil, Demon Water, Pirate’s Drink, Navy Neaters, and Barbados water. A version of rum from Newfoundland is referred to by the name Screech, while some low-grade West Indies rums are called tafia Origins The precursors to rum date back to antiquity. Development of fermented drinks produced from sugarcane juice is believed to have first occurred either in ancient India or China, and spread from there. An example of such an early drink is brum. Produced by the Malay people, brum dates back thousands of years. Marco Polo also recorded a 14th-century account of a “very good wine of sugar” that was offered to him in what is modern-day Iran.

The first distillation of rum took place on the sugarcane plantations of the Caribbean in the 17th century. Plantation slaves first discovered that molasses, a by-product of the sugar refining process, can be fermented into alcohol.

Later, distillation of these alcoholic by-products concentrated the alcohol and removed impurities, producing the first true rums. Tradition suggests that rum first originated on the island of Barbados. However in the decade of 1620 rum production was recorded in Brazil.

A 1651 document from Barbados stated, “The chief fuddling they make in the island is Rumbullion, alias Kill-Divil, and this is made of sugar canes distilled, a hot, hellish, and terrible liquor”.

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