A cold attraction

Cold weather for the ducklings

Honestly, they should close down the ice bars in Scandinavia during winter. You know the places where you put on insulated jackets and go into an ice-cold room where you get a vodka drink at an outrageous price. Because right now, we could jus as well pick up a vodka bottle and go outside.

Here in Oslo its been between minus ten and minus twenty for some time now, but luckily it was warmer in Copenhagen earlier this week, when we took along the 1999 soccer team to see København FC humiliate the visiting Greeks. Warmer does not really mean hot, it was fluctuating around the freezing point, but at least we did not have to sit outside in minus twenty.

Færgekroen

We had some hours after finding our hostel, so we took the kids along to the Tivoli garden. A world-famous attraction in the summertime, they also open for some weeks during advent. Most of the attractions are ope, and in addition you have lots of stalls selling handicrafts and other gifts. As it si Denmark, there is food and drink to be had, too, but it is more dominated by mulled wine than beer at this time of the year.

There is, however, a brew pub in Tivoli, and it suited me better to have an inspection there rather than riding the merry-go-round.

There was a cosy lunch restaurant with inside seating, but the bar was more basic.sure, there was a roof, but it was otherwise open to the elements, and the electric heaters in the ceiling were not winning the battle against the cold.

No need to hesitate, then, so I swiftly ordered their two house beers, an unfiltered lager and their Christmas brew.

The lager was hazy gold, with a lively carbonation. Very yeasty aroma. Lots of sweet malt, tastes like the smell of a large brewery. Lovely barley flavour, a little sourness in the aftertaste. This was much better than I had expected, I thing I was lucky to get this beer at its peak.

Because the Christmas brew was not up to much. Lovely deep red beer with a small head. Spicy aroma. Sweet, a bit stale. Prunes, gingerbread, but an unpleasant sourness that turned me off. Some more tender loving care, and this would have been a decent brew.

Well, time to get moving, as there is another place to explore.

The Christmas brew

About these ads