I don’t really go back reading my old blog posts, though the basic philosophy behind these scribblings will be evident for anyone reading over time. Sure, I know which countries I have covered, but when it comes to comments on the Norwegian beer scene, I know some of them are already snapshots of dark ages we have left behind us. And we tend to forgot how recent those days actually were.
I talked to Evan from Ægir brewery on the Norwegian West Coast last week. He was on a double bill with James from BrewDog, they were having tastings both for pub/restaurant professionals and for the general public. Evan told me he had visited his family in the US recently, and his mother had shown him a printout of one of my blog posts from 2008.
Three years ago I was of the impression that the pubs, bars and restaurants of Oslo were hopeless, and that the craft breweries needed to establish a pub of their own to have an outlet in Oslo.
Things have certainly changed.
Having grown up in norway and now living in the US I was pleasantly surprised last summer when I was home to find bars with large selections of quality beers both in Oslo and Trondheim. The price is obviously shocking compared to what I’m used to though, when I can get a bottle of Nøgne Ø for less in a bar on this side of the Atlantic, and that’s one of the most expensive ones.. NOK 120 for a bottle stings a bit, but I figured it was vacation so I should enjoy it. I would have been in trouble if I lived there, don’t know how you guys make it:)