TOP BEER & WHISKY
Nº 03 2011
This magazine is for people who enjoy Top Beer & Whisky.
IRISH WHISKEY, SCOTCH OR AMERICAN
BEER & CHEESE? INSIDE A GERMAN BREWERY
TOP BARS! OKTOBERFEST – GET A FLAVOUR! BLOGS topbeer.se & topwhisky.se
Imperial
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Since 1581
Alkohol kan skada din h채lsa
alk 5,0% vol. systembolaget art nr 1528
GOLDEN
TOP BEER & 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: Ace Publications
ISSUE Nº3 2011
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4 Beer culture & Oktoberfest 9 Step inside the Gutmann Bräuhaus 11 Beer & Cheese – the basics 12 New beers at Systembolaget 14 Tucher beer time? 16 Bier Füßer brewery 18 Platan, the brewery & the beers
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20 Pressklubben & Duvel Café, the Belgian brew 22 Wonderful Wirströms 24 Austria’s Brew Nun? 26 Take a look @ Ten! 28 Pour some Polish!
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32 Beers @ Systembolaget 33 Whiskies @ Systembolaget 34 Irish whiskey Clontarf 37 Scotch whisky Editor: Noel Sheehy Welcome Readers! Here is the third issue of Top Beer & Whisky. We hope you enjoyed the summer. Since the last edition we found ourselves in numerous European breweries and distilleries. Armed with information and interest we decided to launch two separate blogs: One to explore beer – topbeer.se and the other to explore whisky – topwhisky.se I always had an interest in the alcohol scene, I took a certificate in Bar Management when I was 21 and went on to work in numerous bars until I decided it was more fun to write about it! We continue to offer you an insight to Top Beer & Whisky. Here we look at beer from all over the world which is (hopefully) available in Sweden. While Oktoberfest is fast among us we thought we would bring you closer to some of the German beers, both the small and large breweries. Our friends over at Beer Sweden will enlighten you regarding Food and Beer. Later they present new beer in Sweden. We examine Czech Beer Platan. And we look at some beers and whiskies available at Systembolaget. In Whisky we look at both
40 American whiskey Irish and Scottish selections, but we extend our research to American whiskies. We also 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 endeavour 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 Enjoy the read, and instead of your usual choice try something new. Imagine 80% of us only make our selection choice at the bar. Remember to always drink sensibly.
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Beer culture & Oktoberfest Germany is one of my favourite countries and I feel privileged to have seen so much of it. I started going there when I was around 20 and my German friends made sure to introduce me to all things “Deutsche”. These aspects of German culture included food, football, music and of course beer. Text: Noel Sheehy & topbeer.se
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When it comes to the beer, the choice is amazing. You can order mass produced beer or local beer. Then you decide if you want Weissbier (white beer) or regular beer. And it’s always presented in those elegant tall glasses. Many of which have found their way into my beer glass cupboard, thought not to the satisfaction of my other half. Earlier in the year I visited one Munich brewery and while waiting for the brew master to present himself they told me I could visit another brewery just up the road. The City of Munich boasts eight large breweries, so it’s the obvious place for the biggest Oktoberfest in the world. The
sheer size of the Hofbrauhaus in Munich is breathtaking. The locals drinking there often clad in their traditional Bayern outfits. This has a charming effect, as do the music bands who perform there. Germany produces fantastic beer, and its no surprise. If you look at other German productions they are always high quality, cars etc. It pleases me greatly to see more and more German beer making its way to Sweden and other countries. Before there were three main beers from Germany, Erdinger, Warsteiner and Becks, nowadays its ten times that.
Oktoberfest – when and where? In Sweden its celebrated very early (in August so its not too cold) on a small scale. But the home of Oktoberfest is Germany. Oktoberfest is not for the faint hearted. Not everybody is going to drink sensibly. But it allows Germany to celebrate its beer culture, something they are extremely proud of and rightly so. This 16–18 day festival held annually in Munich, Bavaria, running from late September to the first weekend in October. It is one of the most famous events in Germany and is the world’s largest fair, with more than 5 million people attending every year. The Oktoberfest is an important part of Bavarian culture, having been held since 1810. Other cities across the world also hold Oktoberfest celebrations, modeled after the Munich event. The Munich Oktoberfest originally took place during the sixteen days up to and including the first Sunday in October. In 1994, the schedule was modified in response to German reunification so that if the first Sunday in October falls on the 1st or 2nd, then the festival would go on until October 3 (German Unity Day). Thus, the festival is now 17 days when the first Sunday is October 2 and 18 days when it is October 1. In 2010, the festival lasted until the first Monday in October, to mark the 200-year anniversary of the event. The festival is held in an area named the Theresienwiese (field, or meadow, of Therese), often called Wiesn for short, located near Munich’s center. Only beer which is brewed within the city limits of Munich with a minimum of 13.5% Master Spice is allowed to be served in this festival. Upon passing this criteria, a beer is designated Oktoberfest Beer. Oktoberfest Beer is a registered Trademark by the Club of Munich Brewers. Those Breweries are members of this exclusive Club. In alphabetical order: Augustinerbräu, Hacker-Pschorr Bräu, Hofbräu, Löwenbräu, Paulanerbräu and Spatenbräu Large quantities of German beer are consumed, with almost 7 million liters served during the 16 day festival. Visitors may also enjoy a wide variety of traditional cuisine such as Hendl (chicken), Schweinebraten (roast pork), Schweinhaxe (grilled ham hock), Steckerlfisch (grilled fish on a stick), Würst (sausages) along with Brezn (Pretzel), Knödel (potato or bread dumplings),Kasspatzn (cheese noodles), Reiberdatschi (potato pancakes), Sauerkraut or Blaukraut (red cabbage) along with such Bavarian delicacies as Obatzda (a spiced cheese-butter spread) and Weisswurst (a white sausage). Finally you know the phrase “When in Rome”? Well apply this to Germany and Oktoberfest. Don’t be afraid to ask for cuisine recommendations, but leave the weighing scales at home! Take in a football game, perhaps Borussia Dortmund are in Town! TOP BEER & WHISKY Nº 3 2011 5
The story behind Munich’s beer hall The Hofbräuhaus am Platzl, Munich’s famous “Hofbräuhaus” was founded in 1589 by the Duke of Bavaria, Wilhelm V. It is one of Munich’s oldest beer halls. It was originally founded as the brewery to the old Royal Residence, which at that time was situated just around the corner from where the beer hall stands today. The beer quickly became world famous thanks to the first brewer, Heimeran Pongratz, and the famous “Bavarian Beer Purity Law” of 1516 that stated that only natural ingredients could be used in the brewing process. In fact, the beer became so famous that it once saved the city from annihilation. When King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden invaded Bavaria during the Thirty Years’ War in 1632, he threatened
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to sack and burn the entire city of Munich. He agreed to leave the city in peace if the citizens surrendered some hostages, and 600,000 barrels of Hofbräuhaus beer. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart lived around the block from the famous beer hall in the late eighteenth century. In a poem he wrote, Mozart claimed to have written the opera Idomeneo after several visits to the Hofbräuhaus fortified him for the task. In the nineteenth century, most of the breweries in Munich, including the Hofbräuhaus, were converted into large beer halls, restaurants, and entertainment centers with large, cavernous meeting rooms for weddings, concerts, and plays. Hofbräuhaus was visited several times by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, John F. Kennedy, and the American author Thomas Wolf.
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Step inside the Gutmann Bräuhaus On one of my many beer voyages abroad I found myself trying a beer recommended by the barman. I was not impressed but then I overheard a local ordering a Gutmann Beer (Ein Gutmann bitte?). I followed the local’s steps and was seriously impressed. Text: Noel Sheehy & topbeer.se Fritz Gutmann works in the family brewery Gutmann in Titting and was able to answer the questions I asked him. “We are pleased that our Hefeweizen has left you with a good impression. I am happy to answer the questions.“ How long have you worked with Gutmann? Our brewery is a family business. It is run by my father and my uncle Fritz Hans. My uncle takes care of the beer brewing my father sells the beer. My brother Michael and I are also split in roles like that. All good Beers have a story, what’s the story behind Gutmann? Well it’s not a special story. Our story is that we focus so that in everything, we make the highest quality and sustainable action. The special flavour of our wheat beers you can enjoy in many Franconian and Bavarian restaurants and beer gardens ideally.
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Can you tell us the history behind the brewery? The brewery was founded in 1707 by the Prince Bishops of Eichstätt. The prince bishops had by then already an administrative headquarters – in a moated castle. The building is still preserved and is home to many parts of our brewery. Until secularisation in 1803 the bishops had operated the brewery. Then a lot of them resold the brewery to the Kingdom of Bavaria. After several owners it was bought in 1855 our greatgreat-great-grandfather Michael Gutmann. Since then, the brewery is run by our family. Already in 1913 we then started with the wheat beer brewery and have specialized over the years more and more attention. Today we are a pure wheat beer speciality brewery.
Is there anything unique with your brewery? This brewing method is rarely used by most breweries. Also, the extensive quality assurance for our fresh produce is not always common. A special feature in addition to the old brewery buildings (behind which, however, hides a modern technique) also has its own maltings, where we malt a certain part of our own grain. Is it like the regular brewed German beers? Our wheat is as natural as the other beers brewed to the German purity law. Many of the breweries ferment wheat today but in closed tanks without secondary fermentation in the bottle, no fresh yeast. They also pasteurize their beer, so a number of flavour components are lost. Is there a temptation to export to other countries? Since our wheat produced is still following the traditional brewing methods (which also means that the beer is not pasteurized and flash-pasteurized). We have only one optimal freshness and shelf life period of four months. Exports are therefore difficult to achieve. To ensure high quality, we encourage the non-active. Only a few select dealers sell our wheat on the borders of Bavaria.
What are the aims/goals of the brewery? Quality is above the quantity in priority. The most important aspect is an excellent quality / an excellent taste. This we want to secure the long term. The satisfaction of our customers, but also our employees and the goodness of nature, culture and tradition of our country are important to us.
What gives Gutmann its unique taste? The traditional, old Bavarian brewing methods and the fresh yeast. We brew our wheat is still very expensive and technical. The wheat is fermented in open vats, where it can develop its aroma best. Then, the fermented wheat still in the bottle (bottle fermentation) before it is shipped. This is very fresh yeast among the wheat. This wheat gives Gutmann an independent, distinctive flavour.
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Beer & cheese – the basics If there’s a food and drink combination that’s more misunderstood, more just plain wrong and yet more blindly followed than wine and cheese I don’t know of it. Text: Darren Packman, Beer Sweden
Wine and cheese is considered by many to be the gastronomic mating equivalent of when Brad met Angelina – a pairing so perfect that it has become food law dutifully followed by restaurants and at dinner parties around the world. I’d put money on the fact that whenever you see the cheese plate coming out you automatically look around to check where that bottle of red wine is, don’t you…. Perfectly understandable of course. We’ve been told for decades that wine – specifically red wine – is the obvious partner to cheese. After all the Romans did it, and if it’s good enough for Julius Ceasar then it’s good enough for us, right? Well no. No it’s not all right any more. It’s high time this particular food and drink myth was busted. The fact is that beer is a better partner to cheese than wine. That’s a bold statement to make but I’m going to tell you why. I spent several very happy months travelling around Sweden in 2009 conducting a beer v wine dinner event with a very nice sommelier called Henrik. Before each event we would sit and talk (often rather heatedly and at great length) about food and drink. One of our favourite topics was what to serve with cheese and here rather surprisingly Henrik was prepared to raise something of a white flag. You see that fact is that Henrik and a lot of other wine experts know the dirty secret that wine isn’t actually that good with cheese. It can however make average wines taste a little better – a trick that has allowed hotels and restaurants to flog us countless millions of bottles of crap wine for years. Cheese coats the palate and blunts the flavours of wine – even the bad flavours. It’s the great equaliser but it’s more a food marriage of convenience rather than a love affair. If you want to experience some real ‘gastro passion’ you’ve got to be prepared to break this stupid food law and try beer instead,
Beer harmonises with cheese in a way wine simply can’t. Beer and cheese share a common ancestry, both traditionally produced on farms and both containing plenty of earthy, musty and yeasty flavours that complement each other so well. If you think wine has a historical right to cheese think again. Monks in Belgium knew of the heavenly match of cheese and beer as far back as the Middle Ages, happily consuming both in their monasteries even to this day. Wine is a bit of a one trick pony when it comes to cheese, relying largely on the interplay between fruity sweetness and salty/sour cheese. But beer can do all that – and much more. The rich, nutty caramel malt flavours of beer are impossible to find in wine yet they meld effortless with the nutty flavours of many cheeses such as mature cheddars. The spice and acidity of a Belgium wit beer is a mouth-watering combo with goats cheese, cutting through the cheese’s soft body where as red wine merely bounces off it. And don’t even get me started on Stilton and barley wine (yes, this is a beer), where the decadent rich fruits and deep malt flavours of barley wine can take an earthy, barnyard and salty Stilton to a whole new level. I found this video of perhaps the world’s greatest authority on beer and food, Garrett Oliver, who is not only the head brewer of the highly respected Brooklyn Brewery in the US he’s also the author of ‘The BrewMaster’s Table’, a book I consider to be the bible on beer and food matches and one I’d warmly recommend you buy. The specific cheeses and beers he tries on film are hard or impossible to find in Sweden but his message is spot on. So move over wine. Cheese has got a new best friend and its name is beer!
As with all food and drink pairings there are no written rules but here are some of my favourite beer and cheese matches to get you started: Cheddar with IPAe – the idea here is to match the big hoppy flavours of IPAs with the sharpness of mature cheddars. Goats Cheese and Mozzarella with wheat beers – both these cheeses are light and fresh so the uplifting, breezy flavours of a Belgium Wit beer or German Heffeweizen complement each other perfectly. Gouda with low-hop/highmalt beers – because this style of cheese is usually cured with brine, wine or even beer it’s best enjoyed with a milder beer that leans towards malty sweetness rather than bitter hops. The nutty character of brown ales can work wonders with Gouda! Blue cheese with porters and stouts – powerful blues need a powerful beer to match them and the deep roasted, chocolate and coffee qualities in many porters and stouts do just that. Brie and pilsner/lager – brie and other soft cheeses with bloomy rinds often have fairly low taste profiles so it’s good to match them with more delicate beers such as pilsners. An added benefit is that pilsners/lagers are generally more carbonated, helping to scrub the mouth out after eating sticky soft cheeses.
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New beers released @ Systembolaget I don’t know about you but I’ve missed the monthly pilgrimage to the monopoly to wait anxiously in line at 10am in the hope of scooping some new brews. Text: Darren Packman, Beer Sweden Fortunately normal service is now being resumed following the summer break and this morning 10 beers go on sale, some of them old favourites, one of them a very different take on an DIPA, another a homebrew that’s hit the big-time and one that’s price-tag already has many beer fans up in arms. So where to start…..why not in alphabetical order with Bitch Please – BrewDog’s collaborative brew with Three Floyds Brewing from the USA. Has to be one of the stand-out beer names of the year so far but what does a 12% ABV barley wine flavoured with Laphroig whisky malt, shortbread, fudge and candy-floss and single hopped with Nelson Sauvin from New Zealand taste like? As crazy as it sounds really, although I think it’s a bit of a car-crash beer with so much going on. Worth a try although it won’t be everyone’s cup of tea. There’s not too much to say about North Coast Old Stock Ale other than buy it. In fact at 42.80SEK a bottle buy at least three bottles and age the other two because I promise you it will be worth it. I’m particularly looking forward to Drakens DIPA which was crowned the winning beer at the 2010 Swedish Home Brewing Championships. Co-brewers Tomas Lunqvist, Rick Lindqvist and Magnus Alström are the guys behind the recipe and who now get to see their beer, which has been brewed at the ‘brewery that can do no wrong’, go national as part of their prize. If the two bottles of Djævlebryg OriginAle Darwinian IPA I’ve tried are anything to go by the theory of evolution clearly applies to this beer. The first bottle of this rare English take on a DIPA I tasted was several months old while the second was only a few weeks young. I much preferred the aged version, which develops a musty, barley wine-like character with earthy, mango chutney flavours. It’s all very different and a must-try for IPA fans. Avery Brewing Company is offering you Salvation in the form of their 9%ABV Belgium Strong Ale. I haven’t tried this one before and can therefore only be guided by the chatter on the net which says it’s peachy, spicy and has a hint of cinnamon in the finish. On paper I’m not bowled over about this one but of course I’ll still be trying it to find out for myself. Expect a review shortly. Sierra Nevada isn’t launching one but three beers this morning and they are all HUGE! First out is the hairy, scary multi-award winning Bigfoot, a barley wine at 9.6% ABV. If you don’t buy several bottles of this at its ridiculously cheap asking price of 29.90 SEK then you’ll be missing out on one of the best beery deals of the year.
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From the sublimely cheap to the ridiculously expensive, Sierra Nevada Hoptimum Whole Cone Imperial IPA is a tough beer to recommend. Not for the beer itself which is awesome but because whichever way I try and twist and turn it 349 SEK for a chubby 710ml bottle is a hell of a lot of money and undoubtedly takes away some of the fun of drinking it. If you do buy a bottle (perhaps spilt one with a friend?) I promise you won’t forget Hoptimum in a hurry because you know that feeling on a freezing winter’s day when you step inside and your ears start to burn red-hot even though they’re cold? Now imagine your ears are your tongue. This is what Hoptimum will do to you. Finally there’s the beer with the longest name of this month’s release, Sierra Nevada Harvest Southern Hemisphere Fresh Hop Ale. Read my review about it here and then go any buy loads of it because it is simply amazing stuff. Hornbeer is one of my favourite Danish brewers (I still dream about their Black Magic Woman) and although I’ve yet to try my bottle of The Fundamental Blackhorn any beer that has coffee malt, chocolate malt and honey and a whopping 120 IBUs has got to as complex as a blackboard full of long multiplication sums and worth your hard-earned cash. And to finish off we have Triple Karmeliet, the beer I tried to convert a group of wine-loving Frenchmen with back in 2009 (but then it all went so horribly wrong). On its day this is a stunning example of an Abbey triple and I just love these 1.5L bottles which are perfect for ageing or for stealing all the attention at a dinner party. Big bottle, big investment, big beer. Happy scooping everyone!
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Tucher beer time? Walk the streets of Nürnberg and the name Tucher will greet you outside nearly each pub or restaurant. It’s a name which has been doing the rounds. Text: Noel Sheehy & topbeer.se In 1672, this was the year which saw the founding, in Nürnberg, of a brewery known as Städtisches Weizenbrauhaus (Municipal wheat-beer brewery), where wheat beer was brewed for the first time in Nürnberg. Then in 1856, the brewery was purchased by the von Tucher family, which renamed it Freiherrlich von Tucher’sche Brauerei (Baron von Tucher brewery) and incorporated the Moors into their coat of arms as a sign of their good trade relationships with what was then known in Germany as Mohrenland (Land of the Moors). Ever since that time, Tucher Bräu’s trademark has been the von Tucher coat of arms, the Tucher Moor.
Tradition and innovation In 1855, Tucher became a steam brewery, the company entered a phase of rapid development, which soon resulted in the export of Tucher brews to markets outside of Bavaria. By 1875, nearly two-thirds of all Tucher beer was being exported. The subsequent introduction of a cellar cooling system marked the beginning of a new era in the continuous modernization of the expanded brewery.
Regional and national renown Owing to Tucher Bräu’s rapidly growing sales and consequent capital investments, in 1898 the company’s legal form was changed to a stock corporation. In 1906 Tucher became a threebrewery operation with the acquisition of the brewery called Nürnberger Aktienbrauerei vormals Heinrich Henninger, and in so doing ascended to the ranks of one of Germany’s leading beer exporters. Having changed hands a number of times, Tucher Bräu is now an independent subsidiary of Germany’s largest privately held brewery concern, Radeberger Group.
The brewing process From grain a beer was made! For more than three centuries Tucher Bräu has successfully combined the fine art of beer brewing with ultra modern technology and superb quality. Moreover, in keeping with this centuries-old tradition, they use rigorously selected ingredients of superb quality, which they test and inspect thoroughly. The result: beer of exquisite quality.
Water – the source of life At Tucher Bräu, they set extremely high standards for the water used in beer, since water is one of its main ingredients. The fact that all of the beers are brewed exclusively from the crystal clear water that they obtain from their own underground springs is one of the main reasons for the outstanding quality and flavour of all they products.
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Malt from the finest barley Most breweries use barley and wheat to make their beers. These grains are then transformed into brewing malt via softening, sprouting, and drying under controlled conditions.
Yeast: a little bit goes a long way Beer wort the solution of malt sugars, proteins, and other substances that is produced by mashing is fermented by adding yeast to it. This yields maltose, which in turn produces carbonic acid and alcohol. Simple though this process may seem at first glance, in practice it requires careful attention and above all the consummate skills of a master brewer, who must select just the right type of yeast for each beer style and ensure that uniformly high quality yeast is used for all beers. Hence at Tucher Bräu they produce all of their own yeast.
Hops, the soul of beer Hops was first used many centuries ago as a medicinal plant and has been a crop plant in Germany for nearly ten centuries. Hops was mainly planted in Germany in small monastery or convent gardens (hence the German term Hopfengarten or hops garden), although these small gardens grew in size as time went on. For the brewer, only the flowering part (inflorescence) of the female hops plant is of interest. At the base of the petal, within the hop flower, there is a soft resin called Lupulin Oil that gives beer its bitter flavour and “hoppy” aroma and adds to its foam structure, enhancing its head. At Tucher Bräu only the very finest quality aroma hops are used. Tucher beers service the beer market with a varied and extensive range of high quality beers, which they provide in all standard containers. The delicately bitter Tucher Pilsener is one of the most popular beers in Northern Bavaria. Beer lovers throughout Germany enjoy the refreshing flavour of our wheat beers. Seasonal specialties such as their Christkindlesmarkt Bier, light and alcoholfree products round out the portfolio. Tucher Pilsener Bottom fermented using the special Pilsener method, Tucher Pilsener has a strong hops flavour that is intensely and yet subtly bitter. Tucher Pilsener is brewed using light barely malt and selected hops. Alcohol content: 5.0% ABV in bottles. Tucher Diät Pils With its full bodied Pilsener flavour, Tucher Diät Pils is a genuinely top notch low-calorie beer that tastes great. Ideal for diabetics as well. Alcohol content: 4.9% ABV. Calories: 33 calories per 100 ml and 1 BU per 1.7 litre. Bottle: 0.5 litre returnable bottle.
Tucher Light The light beer from the Tucher Pilsener family of beers is especially popular among people with an athletic taste. With a mere 26 calories per 100 ml, Tucher Light is genuinely irresistible for weight conscious beer lovers. Alcohol content: 2.8% ABV Calories: 26 calories per 100 ml. Bottle: 0.5 litre.
Tucher wheat beers Tucher Helles Hefe Weizen Tucher Helles Hefe Weizen is brewed using a recipe that has been handed down from the former royal Bavarian wheat brewery in Nürnberg. The beer’s distinctive mixture of light wheat and barely malts and its natural yeast turbidity guarantee a refreshing wheat beer flavour with a hint of yeast. Alcohol content: 5.2% ABV. Bottle: 0.5 litre. Tucher Hefe Weizen Alkoholfrei Tucher’s alcohol-free wheat beer is the optimal choice for people who need to watch their calorie intake but want to enjoy a fine beer. With 40% fewer calories than Tucher Helles Hefe Weizen, Tucher Hefe Weizen Alkoholfrei is a terrific alternative, not only because of its flavour but also because alcohol-free beer is the ideal thirst quencher for athletes. Alcohol content: less than 0.5% ABV. Bottle: 0.5 litre. Tucher Hefe Weizen Leicht With its natural yeast turbidity, Tucher Hefe Weizen Leicht is the ideal thirst quencher for people who need to watch their calories but still want a beer that contains alcohol. With 40% less alcohol than Tucher Helles Hefe Weizen, Tucher Hefe Weizen Leicht is the ideal choice for weight watchers. Alcohol content: 2.9% ABV. Bottle 0.5 litre. Tucher Dunkles Hefe Weizen Robust in flavour and dark in colour, Tucher Dunkles Hefe Weizen is made of a special mixture of light wheat malt and dark barley malt and has a particularly gentle and well rounded malt aroma. Alcohol content: 5.2% ABV Bottle: 0.5 litre. Tucher Kristall Weizen A sparkling and tangy beer, Tucher Kristall Weizen is the somewhat different wheat beer for people who like something special. Tucher Kristall looks light, lovely and crystal clear when you pour it into the glass – because Tucher’s master brewers have filtered the yeast out of the beer. Alcohol content: 5.1% ABV. Bottle: 0.5 litre.
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Bier Füßer brewery Close to the Station in Nürnberg you can find a fantastic pub/brewery. From the outside beer-garden it looks pretty regular.... until you look down in the cellar, which hides rows of seats surrounding the copper coloured brewery in an antique style. Text: Noel Sheehy & topbeer.se
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The Bier Füßer is the brewery in the basement of the Nürnberg toll hall. This traditional building in the centre of Nürnberg was built in the period 1498–1502. Original name was the “granary at St. Clarence” and served until 1572, only the storage of grain, salt and wine. After the establishment of the Customs House from the house was then called “toll”. After an eventful history, the complete destruction of WW2, the toll hall was renovated in the early 90’s completely. It is now a modern business centre and home to the basement of the “Bier Füßer“.
This brewery is the pride of the locals or the Franconian people as they like to be known. And they feel that it is only with their local dialect that one can describe this brewery with justice. The brewery has a cosy and warm atmosphere. For Bier füßer beer they use only the best raw materials such as hops and barley malt aroma. It is in the little home brewery that old traditional craftsmanship brewed after the German Purity Law of 1516. This has unfolded in the cellars. Bier Füßer beer is stored at temperatures around freezing until acquiring the full beer taste. The beer is served unfiltered for your special health! The local cuisine offers hearty good food, suitable for the drinks the delicious Bier Fusser specialties. Always fresh from the oven: pretzels or bread. The brewery also offers the savoury delicacies worth trying once. Note the local food servings are much larger than the Swedish average. I can recommend the pig! The small brewery with lots of space has a unique feel about it. One is overwhelmed by the generosity of the medieval cellars, with their great columns. In Bier Füßer you will find the restaurant with about 600 seats, 200 seats in the Chamber and 35 seats in the next room. The secret of Bier Füßer is explained by one of the regular visitors there: “They brew their own beer, yet it’s always fresh. In the same way as before. Yes, and you can taste it“. Finally Bier Füßer is a must for people who love the special and original in town, not only the Nürnberg sausages, and the Christmas market. But don’t take my word for it, try it for yourself.
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Platan, the brewery & the beers Czech beers never seem to amaze me. Earlier in the year I found myself in the Czech bar/ restaurant Soldaten Svejk. They import directly and Platan was my beer for the night. While bottled drinks are nice, there is something fresh about beer on draught. Text: Noel Sheehy & topbeer.se Platan is a Czech regional beer label. It is produced by Městský Pivovar PLATAN s. r. o. in the South Bohemian town of Protivín. It is a regional beer with a little bit of a bitter taste. Platan got its name from an alley of plane trees, because “plane tree” is “platan” in Czech. The name was first used in 1973 for 11% light lager from Protivín. It was inspired by the fabulous triple plane tree alley, truly unique in Czech climatic zone, bordering the access road to the brewery. Owned by K Brewery Trade. Brewing began in 1540. Annual production is over 100,000 hectolitres. The Schwarzenberg brewery in Protivín used to be the largest brewery in the Prácheň region. The exact year of foundation is not known. However, there is evidence that the brewery existed in the first half of the 16th century. Records in the Schwarzenberg archives say that on 29 November 1540, Jan of Perštejn donated to Ondřej Ungnado from Sunek and his wife Bohunka the Protivín farmstead with all related accessories, including the pubs, both pubs in Hluboká manor and those facing the Protivín brewery.
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In 1551, Ondřej Ungnad gave up part of his property in favour of his second wife Anna: The property of Protivín, including the fort, the brewery, the surrounding land and the town of Protivín, while in 1554 the couple – on the occasion of the sale of the manor to Vilém of Rožmberk from Hluboká – insisted that several pubs in the Hluboká district would get their beer exclusively from the brewery in Protivín. In 1562, there is another mention of the brewery near the Protivín fort and about the manorial hop garden near Protivín. In 1711, the brewery passed into hands of the princely family of Schwarzenberg. Later, in 1892, the former sugar factory in Protivín was rebuilt in a large malt house: From the very beginning, over 250,000 metric centres per year were produced. The innovative production method by Nathan, using carbon dioxide developed from basic fermentation, was first tested here. Hence the brewery became one of the leaders in the branch, not only for the beer quality but due to its innovation technologies as well.
The most famous period in the history of the brewery in Protivín came at the turn of the 20th century. In 1896, some 125,000 hectolitres were produced, then 140,000 in 1899 and in 1902, 147,745 hectolitres of beer were produced in Protivín. At that time, beer from Protivín was exported not only to all regions of Austria–Hungary but overseas as well. The brewery had its own warehouses in Prague, Pilsen, Vienna, Trieste, Zagreb, Berlin, New York and other locations. The golden period ended during the First World War, when the brewery lost its foreign customers. In 1948, the company was nationalised. Between 1950 and 1952, the brewery was included in the state-owned company Jihočeské pivovary, registered in České Budějovice. From 1953 to 1955 it was transferred to another operator and became a leading company within the enterprise Pošumavské pivovary. Three years later it was returned to Jihočeské pivovary, where it remained until the political changes in 1989. In June 2000, Jihočeské pivovary sold the brewery in Protivín to the town of Protivín, which became the sole owner. In fact, the town saved the brewery as there was a plan at Jihočeské pivovary to reduce production and then close the factory. Having saved the brewery, at the end of the year 2000 the town council decided to sell it to an entrepreneurial group from Liberec.
The beers Platan 11%, Light lager Platan 11% is true “eleven” beer, distinctive with a full taste, typical malt aroma, mild bitterness and excellent tang, the characteristic properties of Protivín beer since time immemorial. Alcohol content: 4.8% vol. Schwarzenberg 10%, Light draught beer In the past, Schwarzenberg beer was renowned throughout the Austro-Hungarian Empire, in particular because of the quality water from artesian wells (still used today), careful selection of the best domestic raw materials and ingredients, and a precisely followed, traditional recipe. The result is beer characterized by a full flavour, mild bitterness and exceptional tang. Alcohol content 4.0% vol. Light lager special A true pearl among light special beers, born in the historical region of Práche. Its bitterness, rich foam, golden colour and tang will provide you with an extraordinarily tasty experience due to the distinctive character of the beer. Alcohol content 6.0% vol. Protivínský Granát, Semi-dark larger A beer with a rich ruby colour, excellent tang and rich foam. With a spectrum of flavours ranging from caramel through several malts to pronounced bitterness providing a rich and harmonic flavour profile, appreciated by every gourmet. Alcohol content: 4.6% vol.
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Pressklubben & Duvel Café, Running a great bar, pub and restaurant requires to basic elements, top beer/whisky and top cuisine. Duvel Café on Vasagatan 50 offers both. My problem is I keep ordering the same dish because it’s a delicious dead cert. Watch out for the beers, they’re often stronger than you realize. Text: Noel Sheehy & topbeer.se Here are some questions put to the man behind it and his bar manager. They have been involved in improving the beer trade for many years. Simon Makdesi and Jens Skrubbe tell us all! Do you see it as a niche pub or would you prefer a more generic image? When it all started over ten years ago the beer scene was quite appalling. But a former beer importer and we wanted a change and with a portion of luck and piece of magic we were allowed to borrow Duvel Moortgats flag ship beer name! With the selection of beers we have and the food we cook you must say that we are certainly a niche place. Why Belgian Beers? In our point of view they make the best beer in the world! Furthermore the different kinds of beers, the wide range of flavours, colours and tastes and the fact that you can store this beers gives it a third and a fourth dimension to it.
Your staff seem hugely educated, did it take long to train them? We try to educate them as time goes by because it is a lot of information to remember and to learn. Then you have to give them time and try to answer their questions when they come. We also have beer tasting sessions with the staff a few times per year. Which beers sell the most? On tap it’s our abbey beer Maredsous Blond 6 and on bottle it’s Duvel
What kind of questions do you get from guests and which are most often? Questions about beers is by far the most common and the one we get the most is the some as your question number 3! What’s the secret to making a great pub? Be a pioneer and don’t be afraid to test new ideas and then stick to them and stick to the concept, be service minded and take good care of your regulars.
Do you have a favourite beer? Not one but several! Does it rain outside? What month is it? Am I sad or happy? Is it morning? Fish, meat or vegetarian food? Maybe dessert? You get the point. But one that always and I/we mean ALWAYS works is Westmalle Tripel, a golden coloured mouthful beer stuffed with tastes brewed by genuine Trappist monks. A real treat...
Which is the most expensive beer you have and why is it so? It depend if we are talking price/cl or just price. We have a Trappist beer that costs nearly 14 SEK/cl and that’s because it’s hard to get and a true beer geek beer. If we are talking just price we have 9 litre bottle of St Feuillien Triple. That bottle costs 4,950 SEK and the size and the uniqueness sets the price.
What’s the most important thing for people coming into a bar? To relax and to get an experience and maybe to learn a thing or two...
Roughly how many beers do you have? Today we have something between 400 and 450 beers, all Belgian! But this autumn we will increase it to about 500!
What drew you towards the bar trade and what is your background? We come from different environments. Simon is big city guy with huge entrepreneur skills and Jens is a small village boy and a beer enthusiast. We complement each other perfect.
What countries are you importing from and what alcohols? Belgium and beers. Wine and hard liquor do we buy from Swedish retailers.
Does it take long to remember the beers you got? If you’re interested, no...
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What’s the most important thing for staff in a bar? Service, service and service. In our case, with that many beers, knowledge doesn’t hurt.
the Belgian brew What drove you to provide so many beers? Did you see a lack of a particular drink out there? We consider ourselves nr one in Belgian beers in Sweden and If you want to stay on the top you always have to push forward and renew yourself and at the same time keep things as they were not to lose your regulars. Delicate balancing act. Heard any god bar jokes? Well, a few years ago, whenever someone ordered “en stor stark” (a large beer) we always put the 9 litre bottle in front of them just to open their eyes. Nowadays our backs doesn’t allow us to do that... What’s changed in the bar world in the last few years? The guests of today have more knowledge and are more interested in food and drinks. They know what they want and what they like. For us that is perfect and it’s more a two-way discussion when people order.
What’s the biggest challenge today? To stay on top, be focused, minimize your mistakes and to be seen. There is many bars and restaurants out there so be prepared. Is Sweden behind other countries in terms of beer/ale production or culture? Definitely not! The Swedish beer scene is among the best and you can drink top beers from the whole world. Production wise it’s maybe not that good but it’s getting better and Sweden have a few new breweries that are world class standard. As Belgian freaks Swedish micro breweries mostly glance at American micro beers and that’s not our cup of tea but it’s up to them. The beer culture is rising as well. Everything are linked so when one thing starts to do well everything else follows.
What would you change in Sweden regarding alcohol? Well, maybe widen the laws a little bit. Let there be bars without food, let micro breweries sell their beers at the breweries, make it easier to import from other countries, Systembolaget should provide more specialist stores. Sweden lacks a strong beer production history, could this be an advantage in adopting new beers? Well, if you look back in history beyond the catastrophic seventies it wasn’t that bad. In 1910 we had around 900 breweries in Sweden but anyhow Swedes aren’t that accustomed to the Belgian beers. But we see two sides of the coin here. One type of guest like to see all this new kind of beers and gets all exited but another type of guest feels intimidated and afraid of all these beers. In the future will we see Sweden importing more Belgian beers? We sure hope so and we believe we are an inspiration and a good ambassador for the Belgian beer culture!
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Wonderful Wirstrรถms In Gamla Stan at Stora Nygatan 13 lies a fantastic Pub called Wirstrรถms. Here are some questions put to the man behind it Martin Hessin. He has been involved in improving the beer trade for many years. Text: Noel Sheehy & topwhisky.se /topbeer.se
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What’s the story behind the name of the pub? The Pub was originally a bakery, from the 1800s, the Wirström family owned the building and ran the bakery. Up until the bakery became a pub, it was producing cakes by one of the owner’s grandchildren. As the building is a listed one, the signs and form of the interior cannot be altered. The business has developed naturally over the years, from once serving coffee and confectionary to food and beverages. Do you see it as an Irish pub or would you prefer a more generic image? The name Wirströms, and the direction, an Irish Pub, opens many interesting discussions with our guests. What drew you towards bar trade and what’s your background? I grew up in Athenry, Ireland the son of a butcher, we had a little grocery shop, butchers and deli. During the summers we bought wool from the local farmer and in winter time we delivered fuel (coal). So I have always been serving behind a counter. My introduction to bar work was through my cousin Vinne in London. While studying in Limerick I worked part time in Patrick Punches, owned by two Irishmen who owned property and restaurants in New York, so I got to travel and work there. After coming to Sweden I started working in Galways and then in Big Ben. What kind of questions do you get from guests and which are most often? The questions most asked are our opinion on which beer is best. What’s the most important thing for people coming into a bar? The most important for a guest is that they are made feel welcome, that we greet them and try to see to their needs.
Sweden lacks a strong beer production history. Could this be an advantage in adopting new beers? As Sweden may have been restricted in the past, I think they are making up for it now. Some of the bigger suppliers are producing international beers but are also involved in small and varied productions. In the future will we see Sweden become less dependent on importing beers and more creative in making Swedish beers? I think Swedes want to try new beers and therefore they will continue to import, but their own production and quality has improved. What’s the secret to making a great pub? It’s a mix of elements that create an atmosphere that suits ones guests. In our case, our interior suits gamla stan, our boys and girls behind the bar, the selection of food and beverages the live music in the cellar and all the sports shown, all add up to create Wirströms. What’s the most important thing for staff in a bar? It is important to be service minded and friendly, to be able to build relationships and for the gang working at Wirströms I think it is the relationship with the regulars. A group of people who appreciate each other, and have a lot of fun and interaction.
What drove you to provide so many beers? Did you see a lack of a particular drink out there? I just wanted to try them all !! We wanted to have a wide variety of beverages for our guests. I have good suppliers and was able to source a wide range of products that suited our profile. Our aim was to have one of the largest selections of tap beers in Stockholm. Shortly we will be changing out many of the beers to bring new products to our guests. What’s changed in the bar world in the last few years? The biggest development must be micro breweries. Private individuals brewing beers with different ingredients and flavours. What’s the biggest challenge today? The biggest challenge will be the introduction of a higher tax for alcohol. Is Sweden behind other countries in terms of beer, ale production or culture? I would say Sweden is ahead of many countries. There is a big import industry. It has many micro breweries putting pressure on the big breweries to produce new beers and styles. The drinking culture is constantly developing, guests are asking for new beers and are prepared to pay for craft brews. What would you change in Sweden regarding alcohol? Alcohol tax and moms.
What countries are you importing from and what alcohol? We have 25 beers on tap from, Ireland, UK, Germany, Holland, Czech Republic, USA, and Sweden. We have the largest selection of Irish whiskeys in Sweden.
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Austria’s Brew Nun? We are all familiar with monks making and drinking beer while they were fasting (the irony!). But nuns making beer, that’s something new to many of us! Text: Noel Sheehy
While there are many different Austrian beers, Gösser is the best-known Austrian beer brand on the international market. This beer brings with every sip highest quality, purest nature and living brewing tradition to beer connoisseurs in almost 30 countries all over the world. It offers variants for everybody’s taste: The traditional Gösser (Systembolaget nr 74690) is a typical German style lager beer. It smells mild-malty and is characterized by a harmonious, full-bodied and slightly bitter taste. Gösser Dark,(Systembolaget nr1282) a mildly hopped and smooth beer with full malt flavour convinces dark beer enthusiasts. The taste of beer meeting nature can definitely be found in the refreshing Gösser NaturZitrone. Fullbodied Gösser and 100% pure lime juice as well as a low alcohol volume percentage make Gösser NaturZitrone. a unique thirst quencher.
The Beer´s Background The slump in production and the setbacks caused by the Second World War did not discourage the brewers of Göss. They pursued the successful path they had embarked on. In 1977 the Gösser brewery came under the umbrella of the newly founded Steierbrau, which became BRAU UNION ÖSTERREICH AG. Today beer production in Göss is around 870.000 hectolitres.
The Göss Brewery The power of the beer brand finds its roots in the centuries-old history and brewing tradition of the Göss convent. Since 1010, the oldest convent of Styria had stood on the grounds of the present brewery. The history of the brewery is closely linked with that of the convent. Hops have been cultivated in the vicinity since the twelfth century; the settlers of the estate had to pay a hop levy, among other things. This leads to the assumption that beer was brewed there. In a 1459 foundation deed, a ‘Pirbrewer’ (beer brewer) by the name of Lenhart Newmaister is mentioned as the new director of the convent. In 1782 Emperor 24 TOP BEER & WHISKY Nº 3 2011
Joseph II abolished the Göss convent, among many others. A short time later the former convent was turned into a bishop’s see, at which even Napoleon was a guest in 1797. In 1860, Max Kober, an expert beer brewer from Graz, bought parts of the former convent grounds and founded a brewery there. As early as 1892 the Göss brewery had become the third largest in Styria. Successful mergers with breweries in the vicinity led to further rapid expansion. By the start of the First World War, output had increased to around 300,000 hectolitres. The war brought a massive slump since the supply of grain for beer production was very limited. But even during this difficult time the brewery could expand through acquisition. By the end of the twenties Göss had become the largest brewery in Styria. This was the first brewery to introduce pasteurization, which allowed the beer to be preserved for months and transported over long distances. This led to the expansion of their beer empire along railway lines. Just 3% of the total Austrian export quantities are produced in the main brewery. More precisely, the Gösser kegs as well as the Gösser 0,33 returnable bottles are filled there. The other packaging units are filled in the Puntigam brewery (non-returnable bottles) and in the Schwechat brewery (cans). Finally this beer is most popular among people in their 30’s who can be characterized as having an affinity towards nature and natural, top quality products. If you wonder about its availability; Gösser (alc. 5.2% vol.) is primarily available in the 33 cl brand identity bottle.(Systembolaget nr 11205)
topbeer.se Let me entertain you!
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Take a look @ ten! In this section topbeer.se provides a snapshot of 10 random beers/ales and their brewers. We would like to bring these to your attention. It may be that some are “top beers” or we find them interesting. It may even be that they are a golden oldie which might have slipped your mind. Liberty Ale This American ale has strength of 5,9%. Serve at 80–10 °C to flavourful dishes of lamb or beef. Taste: Tasty, aromatic hops, balanced beer, hints of dried fruit and malt. Colour: something vague, dark, golden colour. Producer: Anchor Brewing Company. Key ingredients: Raw barley malt, hops and water. Fragrance: Nuanced, clear malt, hops aromatic scent, hints of dried fruit and English marmalade.
La Trappe Witte Trappist This is a wheat beer from the Netherlands. Alcohol content 5.5%. Serve at 6–8 °C as social drink or to dishes of fish and white meat, preferably with an Asian touch. Taste: Spicy, balanced, slightly tangy flavour with hints of orange peel, cloves and syrup loaf. Colour: somewhat unclear, yellow colour. Producer: De Koning Hoeven Key ingredients: Wheat Malt, barley malt and hops. Nose: Big, spicy, nuanced nose with hints of orange, clove and molasses bread.
Stortebeker Bock Bier This is light lager from Germany. Alcohol content: 6.5% Serve at 10–12 °C as social drink, or even tasty home cooking. Taste: Malty flavour with hints of dried fruit, toffee, herbs and bitter orange. Colour: Light, yellow-brown. Key ingredients: raw barley malt and hops. Fragrance: balanced, malty aroma with hints of molasses bread, dried fruit, toffee and herbs. Manufacturing Bocköl is an expression of the strong, the fermented beer. A simple check will hold a wort strength of at least 16%. Wort strength is a measure of the amount of sugar in the wort before fermentation. The higher wort strength the higher the potential alcohol content. Original gravity should not be confused with alcohol, which is significantly lower. Producer: Brewery was founded in 1827 and is located in Stralsund. Another brewery has taken the name Störtebeker Klaus Störtebeker, a pirate who operated in the Baltic Sea during the late 1300’s.
Bellman 6% This is light lager from Sweden Alcohol content 6.0% Serve at 80–10 °C to home cooking, such as pork with mashed turnips. Taste: fruity flavour with some sweetness and medium bitterness, tons of hops and dried fruits Colour: golden yellow. Key ingredients: Pilsner Malt Fragrance: Aromatic hops aroma with notes of honey and butterscotch. 26 TOP BEER & WHISKY Nº 3 2011
Fem komma tvåan, 5,2% This is light lager from Sweden: This is a medium-bodied beer entire ground with an alluring malt sweetness and hop bitterness fine. Physical proper beer. The name does not refer to something other than alcohol strength. It is not too strong and not too weak, but just as most people are wishing for the festive context. Colour: nice shady, though murky, Fragrance: smells good. Foam in the nose, a little taste of it.
Arboga 5.6% This is light lager from Sweden content 5.6% Serve at 80–10 °C to spicy dishes of white meat or minced meat, such as chili con carne, or social drink. Taste: bitter medium-bodied, bread taste with slight sweetness. Colour Amber. Key ingredients: Pilsner Malt of Swedish barley, corn as raw fruit, hops from the Hallertau. Fragrance: bread aroma with sour element.
Bagge Bokol 6% This is light lager from Sweden Alcohol content 6.0%. Serve at 80–10 °C as social drink, or cooking. Taste: fruity, malty flavour with hints of apricot, honey, orange and crisp. Colour, yellow colour. Ingredients: Pilsner malt and hop varieties perle select and taurus. Fragrance: Fruity, malty aroma with hints of apricot, honey, orange and herbs. Producer Bagge Bocköl is a trademark of Janåke Wine Group. Other Bocköl is an expression of the strong, the fermented beer. A simple check will hold a wort strength at least 16%. wort strength is a measure of the amount of sugar in the wort before fermentation. The higher wort strength, the higher the potential alcohol content. Original gravity should not be confused with alcohol, which is significantly lower.
Banks Caribbean This is light lager from Barbados Alcohol content 4.7% Serve at 80–10 °C to home cooking. Taste: malty flavour with hints of white bread, citrus and grass. Yellow: colour. Key ingredients: Barley Malt. Fragrance: malty aroma with hints of crisp, citrus and straw
Breznak This is a popular lager from Czech Republic (FYI no image here but you know the beer) Alcohol content 5.1% Serve at about 8 °C for not too heavy dishes of fish or meat. Taste: malty flavour with hints of hops, bread, honey and orange. Colour: golden yellow. Key ingredients: raw barley malt, hops and hop extract. Fragrance: malty aroma with hints of hops, caramel, honey and orange
Caffrey’s Irish Ale This is ale from Ireland (FYI no image here but you know the ale) Alcohol content 3.8%. Serve at about 8 °C as social drink or to dishes of pork, or lamb. Taste: malty flavour with hints of toffee, orange peel, molasses bread and hops. Colour: Light brown colour. Fragrance: malty aroma with hints of toffee, orange peel and syrup loaf. TOP BEER & WHISKY Nº 3 2011 27
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Pour some Polish! Swedes love to visit Poland. Great scenery great prices and the beer isn’t bad either. On an earlier visit to Poland I was amazed how popular Tyskie was, (the name had me thinking it was Germanic). I decided to get to the bottom of it! Text: Stuart Crosby & topbeer.se As stereotypes go, the Polish are said to be big drinkers, I think big drink producers might be more accurate. Polish beer has always been important for the Poles. There are 70 breweries in Poland (including 27 microbreweries). Most breweries in Poland are named after the city in which they were founded. Following World War II, after centuries of financial independence, most breweries were nationalised under the communist regime. After the collapse of the Soviet empire, market economy was introduced and many international beer companies moved in, and a period of consolidation followed. Poland might be considered a beer market with a high degree of enterprise concentration: three companies control 86% of the market share.
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Beer Business Poland is Europe´s third largest beer producer after Germany and Britain. Spain comes in fourth. Following consecutive growth in the home market, Zwiazek Pracodawców Przemyslu Piwowarskiego (Union of the Brewing Industry Employers in Poland), which represents approximately 90% of the Polish beer market, announced during the annual brewing industry conference that consumption of beer rose to 94 litres per capita. Statistically, a Polish consumer drinks some 92 litres of beer a year, which places it a third behind Czech Republic and Germany. Total Polish beer employment due to beer production and sales is 207,900 Poland is well known for its beer culture and many varieties. Many breweries are majority owned by multinational companies. Tyskie is one of the best selling brands of beer in Poland, with around 18% of the Polish market. Tyskie also has a world distribution. Tyskie is produced by Kompania Piwowarska, itself a subsidiary of SABMiller established in Poland in 1999 as a result of the merger of two SABMiller owned Polish breweries, the Lech brewery in Poznan, and the Tyskie Górny ŚSlask Brewery in Tychy.
The Story behind Tyskie Beer has been produced in Tychy continuously for almost 400 years. At the beginning of the seventeenth century, the brewery produced three kinds of beer: Mailings, yeast and tableware. The first was a light beer, brewed on the wheat malt, or mixed half and half for malt barley, or a dark beer, barley malt-based with a touch of rye. The only beer that was shipped, was of top quality and intended for sale, the other two were a beer allowance drank mainly both brewers and their families.
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In the early nineteenth century produced only two beverages: beer and Bavarian beer ordinary, both top-fermenting. Bavarian malt with a classical composition, saturated colour was brown, sweet and low-hopped, and the usual beer-dark niskoekstraktowe and weak only for immediate consumption. After the expansion of the brewery was inevitable. Later in the nineteenth century and the introduction of bottom-fermenting, they started to produce beer in March, Tychy lager, ordinary wear and relatively short Bavarian beer. The first two beers were light and were sold under the brand of beer Ksiazece. In the interwar period, popular brands from Tychy were: Ksiazece Tysko Pilsen, Ksiazece Tyski Export and Ksiazece Tyskie Beer full and Porter. These beers contain 12-14% of the extract and alcohol content was 2.5-5%.
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Other varieties of Polish beer Zywiec Brewery is one of the most well known brands. It has three varieties: Zywiec Full, Zywiec Porter and Zywiec Light. Elbrewery brews Specjal Jasny Pelny, Specjal Mocny, Warka Gdanskie, and Hevelius Kaper. The EB brand is available for export only. Lezajsk Brewery brews Lezajsk Pelne, Lezajsk Mocne, Podkarpackie, Tatra Jasne Pelne and Tatra Mocne. Warka Brewery brews Warka, Strong, and Kr贸lewskie. Cieszyn Brewery brews Zywiec Porter and Brackie. Okocim Brewery brews Carlsberg, O.K. Beer, Harnas, Signature, Mocne, and Karmi. Kasztelan Brewery brews Kasztelan Jasne Pelne, Kasztelan Mocne and Kasztelan Niepasteryzowane. Bosman Brewery brews Bosman Full and Bosman Specjal. Lomza Brewery is the fourth largest brewery in Poland. It has three brews: Full, Mocne, and Niepasteryzowane. Polish Beers which Sweden has had in recent times include; Woja!rsk, Lech Premium, Tyskie and Zywiec.
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Beers @ Systembolaget For us foreigners the whole concept of one government owned liquor store/off-licence is bizarre. I find it enjoyable and annoying at the same time. The clarity and organisation of it is great, especially the consistency of selection and prices. Restrictions due to time and location can be frustrating. Text: topbeer.se Some publications take great pleasure in bashing Systembolaget. Maybe a few years back which all the drinks were behind the counter and you went up to the cashier with your que ticket it wasn´t fun. The scenario reminded me of wartime rashioning or a visit to the principal´s office. Nowadays the drink is all on display, you can read it, examine the bottle or can. You can explore the drink boutique without having sales staff pushing you to buy! Systembolaget is the only retail store allowed to sell alcoholic beverages that contain more than 3.5% (by volume) alcohol. Systembolaget also sells non-alcoholic beverages. To buy alcoholic beverages at Systembolaget one has to be 20 years of age or older. At Swedish restaurants and bars the legal age to buy alcoholic beverages is 18.
Ever wondered how much beer is sold at the Swedish alcohol stores? Or how many countries Sweden imports from? Here we’ll try to tell you a bit more. First of all there are two selections available when it comes to drinks at Systembolaget. There are the drinks freely available i.e. those which you can see. However there are other beverages not on display but you can order them. Simply ask the staff at Systembolaget and they’ll help. You can order online and then you get emailed once your delivery has arrived.
According to my sources, and please bear with me, as these figures are forever changing; there are 1148 different Beers at Systembolaget. These include the Beers you have to pre-order. These include:
America 76 Austria 15 Belgium 151 Czech Republic 49 Denmark 51 Finland 6
413 light coloured beers Type of beer is about 95 percent of all beer produced. The styles range from mild with little bitterness to the fuller and more bitter beer. Served cool, 8–12 °C.
France 16
80 dark beers Dark layers ranging in style from soft and malt sweet to more bitter and burnt. Served cellar cool, about 12 °C.
Ireland 15
86 porter and stout Are two types of ale with a very dark colour (almost black). The taste is often clearly roasted and bitter. Porter is often but not always, sweeter than Stout. Serve preferably at 16–18 °C.
Norway 10
483 ales Ale ferments at higher temperatures than lager and will therefore be fruitier in style. Often quite bitter and flavourful with roasted undertones. Served room temperature or at about 12 °C. 44 wheat beers They are produced from a large portion of wheat instead of barley malt. Wheat makes the beer a soft, round and tasty. Suitable for dishes of lamb or pork or hot Asian dishes. Serve at 8 °C. 22 specialty beers Specialty beers do not fit under another heading. It could for example be made by a mix of lager and ale
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Beers @ Systembolaget by country
Germany 94 Great Britain 168 India 5
Italy 10 Netherlands 16
Poland 3 Russia 1 Spain 14 Sweden? I´ll let you guess, it´s impressive!
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Whiskies @ Systembolaget Just like statistics on beers the figures here concerning whisky change regularly. Some major changes I’ve noticed in the last year in particular are a dramatic increase in the number of Scotch whiskies and a whole new assortment of Canadian whiskies. Both Scotch and Irish brands are offering smaller bottles, perfect for novices and most are around 150 kr. Text: David Devroe & topwhisky.se
Whiskies @ Systembolaget
Canadian Whisky
Whiskies available per country Britain 1,028, Ireland 45, USA 45, Japan 34, Sweden 16
Blended whiskies available per country Britain 96, Ireland 22, Canada 9, USA 2, Japan 3
Malt whiskies available per country Britain 902, Japan 30, Ireland 20, Sweden 16, India 10
Grain whiskies available per country Britain 30, Ireland 3
Rye whiskies available per country USA 7
Bourbon whiskies available per country USA 27
Number and Description of Whisky types There are 133 different Blended Whiskies. Often mixed several kinds of grain and malt whiskey stored at least three years in barrels. Serve at room temperature as liqueurs or digest, or used as a cocktail ingredient. There are 990 different Malt whiskies. These come from several different distilleries can also be called vatted malt. These vary in smokiness. Serve at room temperature as liqueurs, digest, or used as a cocktail ingredient. There are 33 different Grain whiskies. Usually made from corn or wheat and stored at least three years in barrels. Most have the character of barrel aging. Serve at room temperature as liqueurs, digest, or used as a cocktail ingredient. There are 7 different Rye whiskies. Made of 51–80 percent rye. Stored at least two years in new American oak barrels that give clear vanilla tones. Serve at room temperature as liqueurs, digest, or used as a cocktail ingredient. There are 27 different Bourbon whiskies. Made of 51–80 percent corn. Stored at least two years in new American oak barrels toasted (burnt gives character).
Canadian Whisky
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Irish Whiskey, something old... Irish whiskey has of course its heavy-weights, Jameson, Paddy´s Bushmills etc., and these are always on display behind the busy bar-staff answering our needs. There is however another Irish whiskey out there – Clontarf and it can be found at Systembolaget. Text: David Devroe & topwhisky.se
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When you hear the word “Irish,” it may conjure up certain images: green rolling hills dotted with sheep, cable-knit sweaters and fair-freckled cheeks. Those are all well and good, if you’re drinking tea. Enjoy this whiskey neat or on the rocks. (40% ABV ,750ml) A new generation has arrived and there’s no wool in site. Introducing the new-fashioned approach to Irish whiskey, Clontarf Whiskey, The New Irish. Triple distilled and aged to smooth perfection, it’s an old craft with a modern personality. “The New Irish “means new ideas and new expectations. Clontarf Irish Whiskey delivers. An Irish wake means making waves and an Irish jig has more knee than knee socks. And when you hear somebody say “Kiss me, I’m Irish,” you’d better pucker up.
Taste & See description? It’s medium gold colour; a light aroma of toasted oak wood, with hints of toffee and a background maltiness, gives it a rich, soft nose; in the mouth the whiskey is velvety, lush, mellow and smooth; its taste and long finish impart lingering, subtle hints of vanilla, slight maltiness, and notes of toffee. It is balanced, flavourful, easy-to-drink, and refreshing.
And production... Using the best grains and pure Irish spring water, Clontarf 1014 is triple-distilled, filtered through Atlantic Irish oak charcoal, and aged four years in bourbon barrels: ten percent is pot stilled single malt whiskey; the rest of the blend is a combination of pot stilled and column stilled grain whiskey. The whiskey comes from Dublin.
It’s inspiration? Named after the famous Battle of Clontarf in 1014 where Irish High King Brian Boru sent Viking invaders tumbling back into the sea.
Ok, now for the Swedes who like history The Battle of Clontarf took place on 23 April 1014 between the forces of Brian Boru and the forces led by the King of Leinster, Mael Morda Mac Murchada composed mainly of his own men, Viking mercenaries from Dublin and the Orkney Islands led by his cousin Sigtrygg, as well as the one rebellious king from the province of Ulster. It ended in a rout of the Máel Mórda’s forces, along with the death of Brian, who was killed by a few Norsemen who were fleeing the battle and stumbled upon his tent. After the battle, Ireland returned to a fractious status quo between the many small, separate kingdoms that had existed for some time. Clontarf wants to reclaim that fighting heritage for this century to be bold and take a stand for what we believe in. They take a stand for this amazing Irish whiskey, made with the finest ingredients available. 1014 wasn’t just a year, it was a turning point. Here are some victories achieved by the whiskey to date: Gold Medal BTI International Review of Spirits Gold Medal World Beverage Competition Money Magazine “Field Test Winner” Santé Magazine Gold Star Award
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UPPTÄCK NYA BUNNAHABHAIN! BUNNAHABHAIN SINGLE ISLAY MALT 12 Y.O. Art. nr. 10546, 46,3%VOL, 429KR 70 CL
BUNNAHABHAIN SINGLE ISLAY MALT TOITEACH Art. nr. 86520, 46,0%VOL, 650KR 70 CL
www.janake.se
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Scotch Whisky Scotland has a few flagships in terms of popular whisky. The following Scotch is one such brand. It’s a brand all the top magazines have mentioned in the last 12 months. Text: Noel Sheehy & topwhisky.se Glenlivet was the perfect location in which to make whisky, which is why George Smith built his distillery there in 1824. But it required all his skills as a distiller and his unrivalled knowledge of the glen and its resources to succeed. The Glenlivet of today is George Smith’s priceless legacy. Crucially, the three fundamental elements in the whisky making process spring water, copper stills and oak casks have remained unchanged. So have the skills have the people who make it. That is why the Glenlivet is as incomparable now as it was at the beginning. Chivas Brothers, the Scotch whisky and premium gin business of Pernod Ricard recently announced (2007) that The Glenlivet achieved during 2006 its target of 500,000 9L cases set in 2003 when it was selling 375,000 9l cases, a testament to the unerring commitment of the world’s number two wines and spirits company to making The Glenlivet single malt Scotch whisky the global category leader. This one of Pernod Ricard’s 15 strategic global brands and is only the second single malt to ever reach this sales milestone, which is equivalent to 6 million bottles sold a year. It is the second most popular premium malt whisky in the world. The Glenlivet is the number one malt whisky in the dynamic US market, and is also making significant gains in Asia-Pacific markets like Taiwan and Japan as well as key European markets.
In an expanding market, The Glenlivet offers a comprehensive and differentiated range which has very high impact on shelf. Under Pernod Ricard’s ownership, the range has undergone an extensive evolution and has enjoyed strong performances, especially with the recently released Nàdurra Cask Strength which has seen excellent sales particularly in the US. The Glenlivet portfolio now comprises a core range of 12 Year Old, 15 Year Old French Oak Reserve and 18 Year Old as well as the specialist Nàdurra Cask Strength 16 Year Old and ultra premium 21 Year Old Archive. The Glenlivet Cellar Collection now boasts seven releases and new expressions are expected to be introduced. The pursuit of perfection inherent to the history of the brand is reflected in the consistent quality of the whisky itself. It is a taste that has stood the test of time, demonstrated by the fact that The Glenlivet has won either a trophy or gold medal every year for the last five years in major competitions. Most recently, The Glenlivet 18 Year Old scooped a trophy and gold medal at the 2006 ISC awards and gold medals were awarded for the 12 Year Old and 21 Year Old at the 2006 IWSC awards.
The Glenlivet distillery in Scotland
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The Glenlivet 12 year old single malt Colour: Light or pale gold. Nose: Aromatic, with flowers. Clean and simple, with some maltiness. Sherry notes, some spice and vanilla. Body: Medium, smooth and firm. Palate: Subtle peatiness. Delicate. Slightly sweet and fruity, with vanilla notes. Clean and well-balanced. Finish: Long, but mild and warming. A trace of peat at the end.
18 year old single malt Colour: Dark amber. Nose: Full. Some peat, floral notes, sherry, honey and fruit. Body: Firm. Quite smooth. Palate: Full, round, floral. Some sweetness and quite rich. Finish: Rich. Drying, with spice and smoke.
The Glenlivet 1972 One of The Glenlivet’s special vintages. 1972 is a unique vatting of just 10 casks. The newly-made spirit from a single’s day distillation was filled into hogshead on 24 August 1972. This is a perfect combination of distillation excellence and traditional maturation. The refill hogshead casks contributes a gentle mature oakiness with sweetness and gentle spiciness combining beautifully with the fruity, floral, citrus notes of the distillate. Nose: Fruity, reminiscent of a sweet, juicy pear; with the perfume of heather in bloom; a hint of gentle, sweet spiciness and citrus with underlying, balanced, mature wood note. Palate: A beautiful, rich fruitiness; velvety smooth; the creaminess of a warm fudge a gentle whiff of smokiness; a long, smooth aftertaste of maltiness. Awards: Silver 2006 – International Wine & Spirit Competition.
The Glenlivet Nàdurra 16 Colour: Pale gold with bright lemony shades. Nose: Intense, tickling. Fresh and clean. Resolutely fruity. Lemon pulp. Green apple. Freshness enhanced by aniseed fringe. Dreamy note of pralines. in the back, herbal and spicy notes. Palate: Crisp, appetizing. Mouth-coating with an oily feel followed by a frizzy sensation. Challenging for the taste buds, but never burning. Poached peaches in a vanilla syrup. White chocolate. Aniseed lollipop. Candied ginger. Finish: Dry, clean, crisp. Very long. Aniseed. Refreshing. Bitter oranges. Gingery. Summary: Crisp and fresh, fruity and herbal. Superbly balanced. Full-bodied and enticing.
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American whiskey American whiskey is distilled from a fermented mash of cereal grain. The production and labelling of American whiskey is governed by the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations. Text: Stuart Crosby & topwhisky.se Canadian law also requires that products labelled as Bourbon or Tennessee Whiskey must satisfy the laws of the America that regulate its manufacture “for consumption in the America”. Some other countries do not specify this requirement. This distinction can be important, as American. regulations include substantial exemptions for products that are made for export rather than for consumption within America. Some key types listed in the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations are: Rye whiskey, made from mash that consists of at least 51% rye. Rye malt whiskey, made from mash that consists of at least 51% malted rye. Malt whiskey, made from mash that consists of at least 51% malted barley. Wheat whiskey, made from mash that consists of at least 51% wheat. Bourbon whiskey, made from mash that consists of at least 51% corn (maize). Corn whiskey, made from mash that consists of at least 80% corn (maize). Unless the whiskey is labelled as blended, to be labelled as one of the types listed above, the whiskey must be distilled to not more than 80 percent alcohol by volume, and the addition of colouring, caramel and flavouring is prohibited. All of these except corn whiskey must be aged (at least briefly, although no minimum aging period is specified) in charred new oak containers. These restrictions do not exist for some similarly named products in some other countries, such as Canada. American corn whiskey does not have to be aged at all – but, if it is aged, it must be aged in un-charred oak barrels (either new or used). If the aging for one of these types of whiskey reaches 2 years or beyond, and the whiskey has not been blended with any other spirits, colourings, or additives, the whiskey may additionally be called “Straight” – e.g. “straight rye whiskey”. Other types of American whiskey that are defined by federal regulations include the following: Straight whiskey, (without reference to any particular grain) is a whiskey aged in charred new oak containers for 2 years or more, distilled at not more than 80 percent alcohol by volume, with no addition of colouring, caramel, or flavouring, and derived from less than 51% of any one grain. Blended whiskey is a mixture which contains straight whiskey or a blend of straight whiskeys at not less than 20 percent on a proof gallon basis or in combination, whiskey or neutral spirits. The other 80 percent of the content may include un-aged 40 TOP BEER & WHISKY Nº 3 2011
grain distillates, grain neutral spirits, flavourings, and colourings. Light whisky, which is produced in the United States at more than 80% alcohol by volume and stored in used or un-charred new oak containers. Spirit whisky, which is a mixture of neutral spirits and at least 5% of certain stricter categories of whisky. However, it is important to note that these various labelling requirements and “standards of identity” do not apply to products for export from America (under C.F.R. Title 27, § 5.1). Thus, exported American whiskey may not meet the same labelling standards when sold in some markets. Tennessee whiskey is another important American whiskey labelling. There are only four brands of Tennessee whiskey that are currently bottled: Jack Daniel’s, George Dickel, Benjamin Prichard’s and Collier and McKeel. Tennessee whiskey is a recognized name defined under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) as a Straight Bourbon Whiskey lawfully produced in the state of Tennessee. Three of the four brands of currently produced Tennessee whiskey use a production process that involves a filtering stage called the Lincoln County Process, in which the whiskey is filtered through a thick layer of maple charcoal before it is put into casks for aging. Aside from the NAFTA definition, Tennessee whiskey is not otherwise officially recognized as a type of whiskey in the U.S. federal regulations, and it has no other strict legal definition.
Rittenhouse American Rye
America´s Historical Flag
The Return of Rye In America, “Rye whiskey” is, by law, made from a mash of at least 51% rye. The other ingredients of the mash are usually corn and malted barley. It is distilled to no more than 160 (U.S.) proof (80% ABV), and aged in charred, new oak barrels. The whiskey must be put into such barrels at not more than 125 (U.S.) proof (62.5% ABV). Rye whiskey that has been so aged for at least 2 years may be further designated as “straight”, as in “straight rye whiskey”. Rye whiskey was the prevalent whiskey of the north-eastern states, especially Pennsylvania and Maryland, but largely disappeared after Prohibition. A few brands, such as Old Overholt, survived Prohibition. Today Heaven Hill, Four Roses, Jim Beam and Austin Nichols (among others) also produce rye whiskeys, as does a distillery at Mount Vernon, the home of George Washington, which sells a version of the rye Washington made. Rye is currently undergoing a small but growing revival in America. Approximately 20 US distilleries produce about 40 different ryes.
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Noah’s Mill Bourbon
Bourbon whiskey Bourbon is the cornerstone of American whiskey. Its a barrel-aged distilled spirit made primarily from corn. The name Bourbon derives from its historical association with an area known as Old Bourbon, around what is now Bourbon County, Kentucky (which, in turn, was named after the French House of Bourbon royal family). It has been produced since the 18th century. While it may be made anywhere in America, it is strongly associated with Kentucky. Whiskey sold as Tennessee whiskey is also defined as Bourbon and is required to meet the legal definition of Bourbon under Canadian law, but some makers of Tennessee whiskey do not label their product as Bourbon and insist that it is a different type of whiskey when marketing their product. Unfortunately the origin of bourbon is not well documented. Instead, there are many conflicting legends and claims, some more credible than others. For example, the invention of bourbon is often attributed to a pioneering Baptist minister and distiller named Elijah Craig. Rev. Craig (credited with many Kentucky firsts, i.e. paper mill, ropewalk, etc.) is said to also be the first to age the distillation in charred oak casks, “a process that gives the bourbon its reddish colour and unique taste.” Across the county line in Bourbon County, an early distiller named Jacob Spears is credited with being the first to label his product “Bourbon whiskey.” Spears’ home, Stone Castle, warehouse and spring house survive; one can drive by the Spears home on Clay-Kiser Road. Although still popular and often repeated, the Craig legend has little actual credibility. Similarly, the Spears story is a local favourite, rarely repeated outside the county. There likely was no single “inventor” of bourbon, which developed into its present form only in the late 19th century. Essentially any type of grain can be used to make whiskey, and the practice of aging whiskey (and even charring the barrels) for better flavor had also been known in Europe for centuries, so the use of the local American corn for the mash and oak for the barrels was simply a logical combination of the materials at hand for the European settlers in America. Distilling probably arrived in what would later become known as Kentucky when Scottish, Scots-Irish, and other settlers (including, English, Irish, Welsh, German, and French) began to farm the area in earnest in the late 18th century. The spirit they made evolved, and became known as bourbon in the early 19th century due to its historical association with the geographic area known as Old Bourbon (consisting of the original Bourbon County of Virginia as created in 1785, which was a region that included much of today’s Eastern Kentucky – including 34 of today’s counties in Kentucky, one of which is the current Bourbon County of Kentucky).
The history of Bourbon When American pioneers pushed west of the Allegheny Mountains following the American Revolution, the first counties they founded covered vast regions. One of these original, huge counties was Bourbon, established in 1785 and named after the French royal family. While this vast county was being carved 42 TOP BEER & WHISKY Nº 3 2011
into many smaller ones, early in the 19th century, many people continued to call the region Old Bourbon. Located within Old Bourbon was the principal Ohio River port from which whiskey and other products were shipped. “Old Bourbon” was stencilled on the barrels to indicate their port of origin. Old Bourbon whiskey was different because it was the first corn whiskey most people had ever tasted. In time, bourbon became the name for any corn-based whiskey. A refinement variously credited to either James C. Crow or Jason S. Amburgey was the sour mash process, by which each new fermentation was conditioned with some amount of spent mash (the wet solids strained from a previous batch of fermented mash, which still contain live yeast). Spent mash is also known as spent beer, distillers’ spent grain, stillage, and slop or feed mash, so named because it is used as animal feed. The acid introduced by using the sour mash controls the growth of bacteria that could taint the whiskey and creates a proper pH balance for the yeast to work. Now in recent years, all straight bourbons use a sour mash process Crow or Amburgey developed this refinement while working at the Old Oscar Pepper Distillery (now the Woodford Reserve Distillery) in Woodford County, Kentucky. As of today, there are no operating distilleries within the current boundaries of Bourbon County due to new counties being formed from Bourbon County over time. Later a resolution of the U.S. Congress in 1964 declared bourbon to be a “distinctive product of the United States.” That resolution asked “the appropriate agencies of the United States Government... [to] take appropriate action to prohibit importation into the United States of whiskey designated as ‘Bourbon Whiskey.’” Federal regulation now defines “bourbon whisky” to only include “bourbon” produced in the United States.
Wild Turkey Kentucky Straight bourbon
What´s the difference between Bourbon and Rye? Bourbon, distilled from at least 51% corn, is noticeably sweeter, and tends to be fuller bodied than rye. As bourbon gained popularity beyond the southern United States, bartenders increasingly substituted it for rye in cocktails like Whiskey Sours, Manhattans, and Old Fashioneds, which were initially made only with rye. All other things being equal, the character of the cocktail will be drier with rye. Rye is known for imparting what many call a spicy or fruity flavour to the whiskey. Due to its distinctive flavour, American rye whiskey is sometimes referred to as America’s equivalent of an Islay whisky.
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CernĂŠ
smooth
Brewed for KINGS
Since 1581
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alk 4,4% vol. systembolaget art nr 1680
dark