SKÅL SKÅL A CELEBRATION OF SWEDISH BEER at the swedish american museum
välkomna välkomna
SKÅL SKÅL
ÖL/øL ÖL/øL (SWEDISH) (DANISH, NORWEGIAN) SKÅL SKÅL
BEER IS AN ANCIENT BEVERAGE. • It’s been argued that the invention of bread/beer is responsible for the rise of civilizations. - Agriculture and technology - Social structures • After water and tea, beer is the most consumed beverage in the world. SKÅL SKÅL
• Drinking culture in Sweden is also ancient—and was an important part of the religious culture of ancient Scandinavians. • The Vikings considered mead to be a divine force that gave them wisdom and immortality. • Ale was important part of Valhalla, or Viking heaven. SKÅL SKÅL
THE ORIGINS OF ‘SKÅL’? • ¡ “Skål” means “bowl” in Swedish. • While there is art and writings that reference drinking horns in the Viking era, it was thought they were reserved only for nobility. • Instead, most ancient people took their drink out of bowls and it became custom to ask (or demand) “Skål!” to fill up one’s bowl with ale. • Now, “Skål!” is a way to express “Cheers!” in Swedish. SKÅL SKÅL
THE RISE THE RISE (AND FALL) (AND FALL) OF SWEDISH OF SWEDISH BREWING: BREWING: 1840-1995 1840-1995 SKÅL SKÅL
Mid 1700s: Mid 1700s: The advent of porter beer in England • A popular beer amongst the working class, or “porters,” coupled with the timing of the Industrial Revolution, gave rise to the first large, commercial breweries. • These breweries also pioneered technological advances such as thermometers and hydrometers. • These were gigantic breweries—the Meux Brewery had a large wooden porter vat that held nearly 6 million pints of beer. • On October 17, 1914, one of Meux’s large wooden vats burst, sending porter beer rushing through the streets of London, killing 8 people. It would be known as the Great London Beer Flood. SKÅL SKÅL
• The port cities of Sweden are a fairly “easy sail” from Britain, so Sweden gained a taste for the style as it was introduced by the English into the country. • These exported beers were higher in alcohol and and in hop character, in order to survive the boat ride to Sweden and other Nordic countries along the Baltic Sea. • As a result, this style of beer became to be known, appropriately enough, as Baltic Porter. SKÅL SKÅL
1791: 1791: Brit William Knox builds Sweden’s first porter brewery in Gothenburg. In 1836 In 1836, David Carnegie, a Scottish immigrant, set up another brewery nearby and starts brewing Carnegie Porter—which is Sweden’s oldest, still existing trademark.* • Carnegie is now owned by Carlsberg Sweden, but it still produces its flagship porter. But by the mid-1800s, wine and other spirits had taken over popularity over beer as the drink of choice in Sweden. SKÅL SKÅL
1843: 1843: After traveling through Munich, Frederik Rosenquist brought lager beer back to Stockholm (in the same way it’s reported that John Wagner brought lager beer to the United States just a couple years prior). As Rosenquist started to market Sweden’s first lager, other breweries started to follow suit, and soon a Swedish style started to emerge: Bayerskt Bayerskt (Bavaria Beer) (Bavaria Beer) Paler than the German original that Rosenquist had studied, lightly hopped, and around 5.5% ABV. By the late 1800s, porter and Bayerskt were the most popular beer styles in Sweden. SKÅL SKÅL
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1905: 1905: There were 205 breweries operating in Sweden, the most that it has ever seen. 1922: 1922: The Temperance Movement takes hold, and there’s a there’s a ban on all alcoholic drinks in Sweden more than 2.25% ABV • Which meant not only was there no beer produced by breweries over 2.25% ABV in Sweden, there was also no beer coming into the country over 2.25% ABV • Sweden’s “beer classes” emerged: • Went through different classifications over the years, but only Classes 1 & 2 (max ABV of 2.5%, known as folköl) can be bought in supermarkets • Up until 1995, the highest class of beer sold in Sweden was 5.6% SKÅL SKÅL
• From 1917-1955, in order to control alcohol consumption, the Swedish government rationed liquor. In 1955, this rationing was lifted, but the government still has a monopoly over retail sales of alcohol. • It is the only retail store allowed to sell alcoholic beverages that contain more than 3.5% alcohol by volume. SKÅL SKÅL
1948: 1948: The number of Swedish breweries was at 115— Consolidation was in full swing. • The Swedish Brewers Association regulated competition—which, at first could be seen as an advantage for small breweries. Breweries were not allowed to sell outside a certain radius of their location. • To circumvent this regulation, and to expand sales beyond a certain radius, breweries started buying out other breweries. Soon, there were only 115 breweries in Sweden, and 66 of them were owned by 16 brewery groups. SKÅL SKÅL
1955: 1955: The “radius system” was abolished, and breweries were allowed to sell anywhere in the country. However, smaller breweries were no longer protected by the local market when the big breweries came in, and they were either bought out or closed. 1963: 1963: Two of Sweden's largest breweries, AB Stockholms Bryggerier and AB Pripps & Lyckholm, merged to create one brewing company, and soon controlled 2/3 of the market. 1992: 1992: There were only 10 breweries operating in Sweden (Remember, less than 100 years before—in 1905—there were more than 200 breweries in Sweden). SKÅL SKÅL
THE RISE THE RISE OF SWEDISH OF SWEDISH BEER (AgAIN) BEER (AgAIN) 1995-... 1995-... SKÅL SKÅL
1995: Sweden enters the European Union. 1995: Sweden enters the European Union. • As a result, alcohol regulations were lessened, and what was then the legal limit for beer in Sweden, 5.6% ABV, was lifted. • For the first time, Swedes were able to get beer from Belgium (legally) in their country; the state monopoly on importing beer was lifted, and there were people going out to bring new beers to Sweden. • Meanwhile, in the United States, the craft beer scene was kicking into full gear … SKÅL SKÅL
THE RISE OF CRAFT BREWING IN THE US & SWEDEN THE RISE OF CRAFT BREWING IN THE US & SWEDEN • In 1978, Jimmy Carter signed a bill that made homebrewing legal in at the Federal level in the US. • Soon, homebrewers started opening brewpubs and breweries, and the craft movement in the States started take off, and more importantly, take hold, with beer drinkers—particularly with its revival of the English IPA style (and the subsequent "Americanizing" of the style, particularly in the West Coast). • Fast forward 25 years later, and the US is now the leader in craft beer. SKÅL SKÅL
• Swedish beer drinkers were also taking notice of the beer scene in the US. According to the Brewers Association, which represents craft breweries with in the US, after Canada, more American Beer is exported to Sweden than any other country in the world. • Meanwhile in Sweden, the country’s first microbreweries also open: • Jämtlands (1996) • Nils Oscar (1996) SKÅL SKÅL
BEER IN BEER IN SWEDEN SWEDEN TODA Y TODA Y SKÅL SKÅL
2014: There are 167 breweries active in Sweden. 2014: There are 167 breweries active in Sweden. • Influenced by the American craft beer scene, Swedish brewers • In addition to Akkurat, one of the world’s best beer destinations, Mikkeller and BrewDog open bars in Stockholm and Gothenburg. • Stockholm Beer and Whiskey Festival is held annually last weekend of September and first weekend of October. • In spring 2014, Brooklyn Brewery, with Carlsberg Sweden, opened Nya Carnegie in Stockholm. • However, in September 2014, the Systembolaget returned to its “radius deal” and breweries can only distribute to liquor stores within a certain distance of their breweries, proving disadvantageous to rural breweries. SKÅL SKÅL
“ What I see as unique to Sweden is the wealth of low-point (2.8-3.5% ABV) craft beers hitting the market over the past year. Because of the Monopoly, these low-point beers have historically and still make up a reliable segment here. You should see what is happening to beer shelves out in the supermarkets. Formerly only carrying Carlsberg and Spendrup products, many now have a great selection of “ locally-produced craft beer. —Tobias Göth, 99 Bottles ¡ SKÅL SKÅL
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