My New Favourite

A few months back a friend of mine told me he was planning a visit to Stockholm in September to attend their Beer and Whisky Festival. In fact, he’s exact words were ‘it’s the best fucking festival I’ve ever been to’. Seeing as he works for a London brewery and gets to attend numerous beer festivals and events I thought this was quite the statement. Roll on a week or two, in a pub, having a few too many jars for a school night with the same friend and the dangers of having a British Airways app on my phone are exposed. Before I know it, the flights are booked. Around comes September and we’re all on an early flight to Stockholm (beer in hand of course) and the anticipation is growing. 

I have been told by many how beautiful Stockholm is. Unfortunately, I barely got to see any of the city. So good was the festival I was to return every day, spending all afternoon and evening being made to feel like a belonged there.

The festival is primarily made up of craft breweries from around Sweden as well as others from around the globe including distributors representing multiple European, US, New Zealand and Australian craft breweries. Just to round things off there was even a few larger, mainstream brands there although it goes without saying that these stands were far quieter than the others.

Unlike most beer festivals this had more of an exhibition feel to it with each brewery, merchant or distributor having set-up their own stand. These stands were not just some taps attached to a table and a couple of posters thrown up on the surrounding walls. Each stand was in its own right a piece of art. With varying meticulous set-ups from huge wooden bars with cask handles serving the beers to modern tap bars with wall upon wall of fridges containing more beer than you could dream about.

Once we’d had been drawn in by the niftily designed stands the staff knew how to keep us there. Most had staff representing their brewery who wanted to talk to about the beers, the brewery and know what everyone thought. This alone was a breath of fresh air. My beer geekiness could run free. 

As for the most important thing of all; the beer. Overall it was flawless. As I mentioned, there were a few mainstream stands that you could argue bring the overall standard down. But I know their stuff, I know I don’t like it so I simply chose to avoid them. No harm done. Most other people seemed to be doing the same. As for the craft beer on show, it included the likes of New Zealand’s Garage Project, US brewers Brooklyn, Hilliards, Ballast Point and Modern Times, UK brewers Beavertown, London Beer Factory and Marble and Norwegian favourites Amundsen. These alone are enough to keep even the most high demanding beer snob happy. However I think it is important to focus on the fantastic Swedish breweries that were showcasing. Unfortunately in the UK we get very little Swedish beers despite the amazing beer scene they have. I feel lucky to have had my eyes opened to the likes of  Brygghuset Finn, Brutal Brewing, Gotlands Bryggeri, NYA Carnegiebryggeriet and The Swedish Brewing Co to name but a few. With varying takes on just about every style of beer these brewers really flexed the Swedish beer muscle.

One final point that I cannot go without mentioning is that the beers were not the only things catching people’s eyes. We all know the stereotype of Swedes being vastly more attractive than is humanly acceptable. Well, countless stands were using this to their advantage. Whether it be a male or female working on the stand. While three of us were busy making lists of our favourite beers and stands, my forth friend was busy getting neck ache and making note of his favourite staff and stands while phasing the term ‘my new favourite’. Take this information as you please, I don’t want it to take anything away from what is an amazing festival regardless. It simple was very funny chatting to brewers in depth about their beer while overhearing my rather crude friend tell another brewer why he liked the Irish Whisky or San Miguel stand so much. I couldn’t help but laugh.

Coming away from what was one of the best weekends of the year for me, I can honestly say this festival is ‘my new favourite’. For anyone attending the second weekend, enjoy! For everyone that is not, why not?? Get yourselves there, this year, next year, the year after. Just get there.

Below are a few local favourites brews I discovered over the weekend –

·        Swedish Brewing Company; Sixies & Sevens Pale Lager.

Not every beer has to blow your head off with hops for it to be good. This lager subtly uses 5 different hops to give a well-balanced, sessionable beer that has enough tropical fruits going on to make you go back for more.  

·        NYA Carnegiebryggeriet; Kellerbier. Honey gives this a unique sweetness on the herbal/grass hop base to create a fantastic session beer.

·        Brygghuset Finn; Brown Ale. An award winner combing roasted malts, nuts, fudge and chocolate. It shouldn’t be easy to drink but it is.

·        Gotlands Bryggeri; Bulldog Double IPA. As tough as the names suggests. Intense tropical fruits, pine and caramel throughout. These guys have a host of IPAs that are all outstanding but this one just about edged it for me.