The BeerCast

As we wrote previously on the BeerCast, to purchase alcohol in Sweden above 3.5%abv you have to seek out a state-run Systembolaget (hint – follow the nearest stampede). But our intrepid lager expert doesn’t need complex brews, so we dispatched him to a randomly selected Stockholm supermarket to stock up. He returned with a sixpack of Norrlands Guld (3.5%) and a hopeful expression. Meaning “the gold of Norrland” the beer’s title relates to the nine northernmost provinces of Sweden, which as we all know are Gästrikland, Medelpad, Ångermanland, Hälsingland, Jämtland, Härjedalen, Västerbotten, Norrbotten and Lappland.

First developed in 1965 by Sollefteå Bryggeri, since 1989 it has instead been produced by the Spendrups concern who have taken over several of Sweden’s smaller-scale brewers over the years. According to Wikipedia (and I’ll let you guess which fact in the previous paragraph was also copied from one of their pages) Norrlands Guld is advertised with a hearty Northern Swede called Ingemar – a ‘laid back man who lives a simple life with his buddies’. What this says about Northerners is a matter of opinion, but apparently the idea is they are relaxed and free from pretension. Does this translate into the product?

The Spendrups website describes Norrlands Guld as ‘a light-coloured beer of the Dortmunder family, full-bodied with a hint of sweetness’. BeerCaster Andy of Andy and Jess described Norrlands Guld as ‘it tastes like Skol’. I think that says it all really. Sadly it’s bland, gassy, overly sweet and very thin. Ingemar and his buddies might like the simple life – but the beer they like is simply awful.

Sweden’s not all about Skol and drinking vodka in ice bars, there can be something for the real ale drinker there – but you certainly have to search for it. If you find yourself in Stockholm (and most visitors to Sweden will at some point), then Akkurat deserves to be right at the top of the must-visit list – aside from the fascinating Vasamuseet, of course. But all that nautical history can be thirsty work, so a rejuvenating pit-stop in a real ale pub is the perfect answer.

Initially quite hard to find being set back from the road under a concrete office-type building, when you edge closer the sight of dark brown wood through the windows draws you in. The first impression at the bar is bottles – the whisky section alone is astonishing, there must be over a hundred malts on offer. But of course it was the beer we were after, and the comprehensive menu made great reading. However, like museums, reading is also thirsty work and the sight of the word ‘BITTER’ on a hand pump was all the encouragement it took – Bedarö Bitter (4.5%) from the Nynäshamns Brewery was a great introduction to Swedish Öl.

Akkurat seem to specialise in three main groups – Swedish beer (understandably), strong ales from around the world, and Belgian beers. We’re all huge trappist fans on the BeerCast, but the local brews are always the way to go. Having said that, a quick glance at some of the global notables revealed such tempters as Stone’s Arrogant Bastard, Staropramen Dark lager, Anchor’s Special Ale from 2004, and De Leyerth’s wallopingly strong Urthel Samaranth barleywine (11.5%). Plus the only Scottish beer on offer, Belhaven’s Twisted Thistle IPA (see BeerCast #15).

Over a highly enjoyable couple of hours, we worked our way through some of the Swedish beers Akkurat had on their books that day – as the dark hoppy Bedarö Bitter went down very quickly. Jämtlands produce an apparently fabled trio of ales named Heaven, Hell, and Fallen Angel – and as the second of these was on cask it was an early choice. Dark and robust but only 5.1% (‘only’ in comparison with most of the menu) it was extremely good. We also sampled Nynäshamns Ångbryggeri’s Indianviken Pale Ale (6.2%) and another from Jämtlands, Pilgrim Ale (4.5%). The latter was unfortunately a bit on the dreaded caramelly side, but the Pale Ale was wonderful.

Akkurat is a great find – a real ale bar in a city where alcohol is astonishingly expensive – but this is seemingly it’s only downside. The nice bottle of Indianviken Pale Ale (500ml) set me back almost £8 – we saw menu entries for +10% Trappist ales at over £20 (for 330ml), which is simply staggering. But, in a city where even a large glass of Carlsberg will be over a fiver I would personally not object to forking out a few more Kroner for a lot more quality.

Akkurat

Happy New Year from the BeerCast! We’re all back in our home alehouses of choice following the trip to Scandinavia last week. Sweden is certainly an interesting place to go and find some decent beer – and it can be done. The government-owned chainSystembolaget is the only place you can buy alcohol over 3.5%abv (other than bars and restaurants, of course). As a result, every time we went into one of them it looked as if an announcement had gone out that prohibition was returning, or something. Thirsty lot, the Swedes.

While there we managed to collect four real ales brewed in the country, so look out for a forthcoming Swedish BeerCast special, recorded live in Stockholm. To see the other side of the coin, we let Lagerboy go and do his thing on one of the mass-produced 3.5% Nordic brews available in any supermarket, away from the arms of government licensing. Finally, we discovered a real gem of a real ale pub in Södermalm – coming up we’ll have a worthy addition to our “In praise of…” Hall of Fame. All in all, a pretty successful trip…

There’s no denying Nils Oscar’s God Lager has an interesting title, as the classically-styled cream and silver label certainly grabs the attention. It got Lagerboy’s, that’s for sure (although anything higher up than Tennants usually will). The name refers less to a religious beer experience than the translation of ‘Good Lager’ into the brewery’s native Swedish. Situated about 100km south of Stockholm in the Södermanland region, Nils Oscar were founded in 1996 and named after a distant relative Nils Oscar Sunderberg, who was born in 1865 and has his picture proudly displayed on the bottle.

As with Lagerboy’s previous posting regarding the Monteith Brewery in New Zealand, Nils Oscar are far more than an isolated one-trick pony. Perusing their website, they too knock out a wide range of styles including IPA’s, dark porters, barley wines and a Kalasjulöl – a Christmas beer that changes recipe every year (and we like those here at the BeerCast). Apart from the ales, they also find time to produce different types of vodka, and that infamous Scandinavian firewater, aquavit – serving suggestion…“Eat good and sing lots of Christmas carols among good friends.”

But back to the boring old lager – or so you would think. In fact, God Lager is anything but. Brewed as a Dortmunder-style offering with four different hops including Hersbrucker and Tettnanger, it gives off a dark earthy malt aroma. At 5.3%abv it packs a decent punch, and is highly carbonated with a strong lager aftertaste. It is the biggest seller for the brewery, and was the first to carry the Nils Oscar name – you certainly get the impression they have put everything into it. This one isn’t a refreshing summer lager for the outdoors, more an Autumnal evening one for savouring. Either way, it really is something.

Nils Oscar Brewery