Sad news from Nørrebro Bryghus

According to beerticker.dk, who also quotes various Danish media, one of the pioneers behind the Danish craft beer movement, Anders Kissmeyer, has been fired by the owners of Nørrebro Bryghus.

Despite a wide range of inventive beers, collaborations with brewers around the world and a high media profile, the brewery has been losing money at an alarming rate. Both in 2007 and 2008 the deficit was about one million Euros.

Kissmeyer, who founded the brewery in 2000, will still be used as a consultant by the company, but the details of his future status do not seem to be finalized.  

Read Full Post »

Bring on the Belgians!

The New York Times has conducted a blind tasting of  20 Belgian and Belgian style golden ales. A beer from Jolly Pumpkin got the highest ranking.

And while you’re there, check out their story on beer in Vietnam, too.

Sorry if the photo does not highlight real classy Belgians. I just needed something to remind me that spring is due to arrive any time soon, despite the Siberian temperatures still ruling Norway.

Read Full Post »

Holidays in France?

If you go for the beer, you should look for the regions with the highest beer consumption per capita. This was unashamedly nicked from the blog Strange Maps.

Read Full Post »

Michelin starred pubs

If you want really good food with your pint, the Times has a list of the ten British pubs with Michelin stars.

Read Full Post »

No mercy from BrewDog

The mad Scots are at it again, provoking some, delighting some. Even stronger this time, 41%. And it’s called Sink the Bismarck!

Go watch their new hilarious video!

Read Full Post »

How do you define a blogger?

While I blog in English, it is obviously not my mother tongue. I have a question for native English speakers reading my blog today.

Some time ago I took part in a competition arranged by the Scandinavian office of the national tourist board of a country in Northern Europe . The invitation ran like this:

Are you a Norwegian blogger with dreams of becoming the next big travel writer? Do you have a sense of adventure, like to travel and then tell all of your friends and family about your experiences once you’re back home? If so, then what are you waiting for?  Get blogging!

Visitxxxxis calling all Norwegian bloggers to put their skills to use to win a 3 night trip to yyyy and surrounds to become the national tourist board’s ‘yyyy blogger’.  

They have picked the winner now, a person who does not have a blog of his own.

Does that make sense?

Read Full Post »

I knew the extra beers would come in handy

The municipal water supplier in Oslo has asked all households to boil their water, as, for reasons unknown to me, they have failed to disinfect the water for a day or so. Luckily I have a few bottles of alternative liquid refreshments in the basement. I mean, there are limits to how much coffee I can drink..

The online edtition of Norwegian daily Dagbladet reminds us that lots of good beer is at half price across the border in Sweden.

Test batches are being brewed at Olympen, Oslo, as they are preparing for their brewpub due to open approximately June.

Japanese micros are on their way to a handful of beer bars in Norway.

Sweet Horizon, Red Horizon and Dark Horizon No 3 are being bottled. The new Sunturnbrew, too. All from Nøgne Ø, of course.

Where is this pub?

Read Full Post »

Animal Planet

I had to share this, but blame Barry.

Read Full Post »

More praise for Olympen

Pub of the Month in the Inside Beer newsletter is Olympen in Oslo. A good choice!

Read Full Post »

Pub history seminar

The Pub History Society, in cooperation with the British National Archives, has a seminar on pub history on 20 February.

Speakers include Jack Adams revealing ‘Lost London pubs’, Patrick Chaplin looking at aspects of the history of darts’,  ‘Pub Signs and Names’.  David Roe will give a slide presentation about the history of pub signs and the origin of pub names. It will focus on examples for London pubs – some of historical interest and some with entertaining signs and names.   ‘The pub and the people’. Simon Fowler looks at contemporary views of pubs in the 1930’s and David Thomas goes behind the scenes of the coaching inn.

Free admission, but advance reservation essential.

Read Full Post »