Rising prices in Norway

While I don’t worry much about Ringnes/Carlsberg whimpering about the rising price of raw materials, the same problems are now hitting the whole industry in Noiray, according to business daily Dagens Næringsliv. (The article is not online.) Jens Maudal at Haandbryggeriet says that the price of malt is up 45 % this year, while hops [...]

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The tide is turning

After many years of decline, the value of the Danish beer market is growing again. The volume continues to slid, but the demand for more expensive craft beers compensate for the hectoliters of Tuborg lager. Denmark is know as a market for dedicated beer drinkers, but, as in other core countries in the beer belt, [...]

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Haandbryggeriet

It is funny. I manage to get myself, usually on time, to meetings and leisure activities, all across Europe. I can figure out rather cryptic airline timetables, matching decent prices with convenient schedules. But when I try to organise an excursion to Drammen, forty minutes from Oslo by train, I manage to arrive at the [...]

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Post 231, in which the Hero is introduced to a Galway Hooker

It had to happen sooner or later. I travel a lot, and while I do not actively seek out the seedy parts of town, I sometimes stumble across them. I booked a Brussels hotel on the web focusing on the rate and proximity to the centre. It was only when I returned there in the [...]

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Too small for a big guy like me

They claim that this is the smallest pub in London – the tied lease for the pub behind Marlebone station is yours for £16,900 per year. Flowers Original and London Pride are on tap. The sort of pub you wished was at the bottom of your street, according to Fancyapint. I don’t know if you [...]

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Washington Post on barrel aged beers

The Washington Post has an article on wood aged beers, both the local beer from the ChopHouse restaurants and bottled beers from across the US like Stone Brewing and Dogfish Head.

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1,600 more deaths each year, 14,000 more assaults and around 16 million more sick days.

That’s in Sweden. This is what happens if they close down the Swedish alcohol monopoly. According to  – the Swedish alcohol monopoly. It takes one to know one. Presumably there will be rivers of blood, too, but they do not have the exact figures for that yet. A brilliant blog post about this on the Reason [...]

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A return to Dublin

When I was told I had a business meeting in Dublin, I was not hard to convince. There are direct flights, the taxi drivers are friendly, there are good beers to be had if you know where to find them. Since my last visit two years ago, it seems the micro movement has evolved further, [...]

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A salute for St. George

To show that I am impartial beween the English and the Scots and that I’n not totally bought by a box of BrewDog beers, I will raise a glass tonight. At 10:30 Central European Time, then.

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Another perspective

Some brewers, often anonymous, grumble about the beer rating sites like ratebeer and Beer Advocate, nicknaming them hatebeer. They feel that they are put down by a small number of geeks who make hasty judgements and don’t appreciate the high quality some of the craft brewers are offering. Some take the other approach – they [...]

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