One disadvantage of the Scandinavian beer revolution is that it is hard to keep ut with everything happening. Yearly visits to Copenhagen means I get to try many of the Danish top brews, and there is not much in the way of interesting beers in Norway I don’t get – by hook or by crook.
But Sweden is more complicated. Sure, there are Swedish booze shops not too far from Oslo, but the range there is limited. The most interesting Swedish beers are either only available on tap or in a limited number of government monopoly shops in the region of the brewery.
One place I would really like to visit is Monks Café in Stockholm. In addition to what looks like a never ending beer festival with a great list of for example Dutch and American beers, they also brew their own. In their latest newsletter they also offer takeaway beers.
They have bottled limited editions of fairly low alcohol session beers, with a quota of six bottles for each customer. Black Isak Porter, Monks Mandarin Ale and Monks Svea Pale Ale, all at 3.3% (due to Swedish legislation, of course). Apostrophes are not included.
Anyone passing by, please bring along a few bottles. And I need to get to Stockholm soon. Monks have just opened a second bar/restaurant, with 28 beers on tap.
The porter and pale ale were not very impressive compared to other porters/pale ales, but as far as folköl goes they were superior to any thing you could get in a grocerystore…