There are brewpubs popping up in various parts of Norway now, some in quite small communities, and I suppose there is more passion than profit involved in most of these places. If you just what to brew to sell for consumption on the premises, the paperwork is not too much of a hassle.
There is, however, a special application now being scrutinized in the Ministry of Health. An application to start a micro brewery in Longyearbyen, Svalbard.
There is a law, passed on 29 May 1928, banning the production of alcoholic beverages in Svalbard. There is a loophole, though:
The King may, to the extent and on conditions he might decide, make exemptions to this ban.
The King in this context means the Ministry. The King will probably make up his mind some time this summer.
And if the King approves, the beers will hopefully be moderately priced. There are low taxes up there, the important thing will be to ship in the ingredients before the fjord freezes.
You’d still to finance your plane fare up there, though. If you have bonus miles, it is the place to go!
I know how extreme Svalbard is, and I was just curious about whether you’ve ever visited the island?
How typical is it for Norwegians to visit Svalbard?
Of course.
http://beerblog.genx40.com/archive/2007/january/knutgoestothe
It is fairly common to go there now. It used to be miners and trappers only, now there is widespread tourism as well as a lot of research being done.
There are daily flights from Oslo via Tromsø, so it’s no an isolated community any longer.
That’s really interesting to hear for a place that seems like the end of the world.
That link reminded me that I’ve actually read your post about Svalbard, but it slipped my mind. (I apologize, but I’ve already forgotten it again)
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